The title to this section is a play on the phrase "Coming out of the Closet," an important event in the lives of gay people. I noticed an amazing similarity between my experience in realizing that I'm gay and my experience in realizing that I'm a jock.
Timberwoof Getting Suited Up, Spring, 1997
Photo Copyright © 1997 by Ralph Vallin

I spent the first twenty years of my life knowing I was a bit different from everybody else. I hated sports; I didn't want anything to do with girls; electronics and computers were my friends. You know -- the typical nerd. And then I realized that not only didn't I like girls, I liked guys! That was rough for me, but eventually I got over it and decided to come out of the closet: I'm a gay guy.

I had lots of things to learn about being gay: how to find a date, how to dress, where to go, what to do, how to eat well, how not to get hurt.... Some people can't deal with me being gay; they think it's unnatural or offensive. They can get over it. Being gay brought me lots of benefits: I felt better about myself, I made new friends, I became a much more interesting person.

But there was still something missing. Rollerblades became popular, so I eventually bought a pair. I got pretty good at skating, and then I got bored ... until I found the hockey players. Then I joined a hockey league, got on a team, and played a season. I saw that I didn't hate sports at all -- I had just never played the right sports. Then it dawned on me that I liked playing sports. I liked practicing and bettering my skills and I liked being part of a team and contributing my abilities to the benefit of the whole, even if it was just getting a little puck into the other team's net. I had become the very thing I had despised when I was a teenager. Eventually I got over it and decided to come out of the lockerroom: I'm a jock.

I had lots of things to learn about being a jock: how to dress, how to stretch out and warm up, how to eat well, how not to get hurt.... Some people can't deal with me being a jock; they think it's unnatural or offensive. They can get over it. Being a jock brought me lots of benefits: I felt better about myself, I made new friends, I became a much more interesting person.