Building the Team

You Can Play Project

"Building the Team" is the official podcast of You Can Play, dedicated to fostering an inclusive and welcoming sports culture for LGBTQ+ athletes, coaches, and fans. Each episode dives into conversations with sports leaders, advocates, and athletes who are breaking barriers and building a more equitable playing field. Through insightful discussions, personal stories, and expert perspectives, "Building the Team" highlights the importance of diversity, allyship, and the power of inclusion in sports.

  1. Sep 29

    FRNY: Hurdling Non-Binary Exclusion in Running

    J is the Race Director of the FRNY LGBTQ+ Pride Run, the largest pride charity run in the world, and is a 9-time marathon runner based in New York. J has championed the inclusion of LGBTQ+ athletes in road running, working with marathons, road races, and at the United Nations General Assembly, to ensure all athletes, especially trans and non-binary athletes, are represented and able to run as their authentic selves.' Front Runners New York (FRNY) is a running club for people who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) and those who are allies. Identifying as LGBTQ+ is not a requirement to run with FRNY. We welcome runners of all speeds, ages, and abilities. Learn more at https://frny.org/

    FRNY: Hurdling Non-Binary Exclusion in Running

  2. Sep 24

    SHOOTOUT: A Groundbreaking Film About Queer Life After The Ice

    We got to speak with Allison Majka (writer + director) and Kyanne Hodgson (producer) about a new short film in production: SHOOTOUT. Nicole Blackwell is the captain of the Atlanta Ice Dragons and a fierce competitor on and off the ice. With a championship within reach, she hides a worsening knee injury that could end her career. As the pressure mounts and the stakes rise, Nicole must decide how far she's will to go — and what she's willing to lose — for the team she loves. Learn more at: https://www.shootoutshortfilm.com/

    SHOOTOUT: A Groundbreaking Film About Queer Life After The Ice

  3. Aug 24

    Cutting Edge, Hockey History, and Queer Culture with Dan Gawthrop

    Dan Gawthrop has been inside hockey culture for five decades as a kid on the ice, a journalist covering the game, and a gay man who started his own queer hockey club. His new book Cutting Edge: Hockey as Queer Culture traces the sport's slow, messy evolution from macho fortress to something that might actually include everyone. Ren sits down with Gawthrop to talk about what's changed, what hasn't, and why a TV show about two rival hockey players falling in love might be the most radical thing to happen to the sport in years. More about Dan = https://www.danielgawthrop.com/ PRE-ORDER "Cutting Edge" now! https://arsenalpulp.com/Books/C/Cutting-Edge

    Cutting Edge, Hockey History, and Queer Culture with Dan Gawthrop

  4. Aug 13

    WNBA, Gene Testing, and YCP Updates with Kurt + Ren

    Kurt and Ren are together for the monthly recap concerning WNBA's trans athlete controversy, Ren's excitement about Professional Women's Baseball, and to discuss upcoming ballot measures that affect trans athletes.

    WNBA, Gene Testing, and YCP Updates with Kurt + Ren

  5. Jun 30

    PUHL Tournament and Creating Opportunities for All with Jess Duggan

    This week on the You Can Play Podcast, we're joined by founder and President Jess Duggan of the Portland United Hockey League to talk about the power of inclusive sport, finding community on and off the ice, and Portland's upcoming Dirty Bird's Tournament! You can learn more about the Portland United Hockey League Here https://www.portlandunitedhockey.com/

    PUHL Tournament and Creating Opportunities for All with Jess Duggan

  6. May 18

    World Cup, Gay Games, and YCP Updates with Kurt + Ren

    Executive Director Kurt Weaver and Education Director Ren Dawe sit down and discuss the upcoming World Cup, the Gay Games, and some team updates before Pride 2026!

    World Cup, Gay Games, and YCP Updates with Kurt + Ren

  7. May 18

    Para Sport + Policies That Work with Alex Mangione-Smith

    In this episode, Ren sits down with Alex Mangione-Smith, founder of CP Soccer Arizona, NIRCA’s DEI & Title IX Officer, and a coordinator with one•n•ten, to talk about what it really takes to build inclusive spaces in sports. From adaptive soccer to college policy to LGBTQ+ youth work, Alex shares how access, not just inclusion, shapes who gets to play, and who gets left out. They dig into the gap between policy and lived experience, what coaches often misunderstand, and why small actions can have a lasting impact. You can learn more about Alex's work here: CP Soccer: https://www.cpsoccer.us/ one-n-ten: https://onenten.org/NIRCA: https://clubrunning.org/

    Para Sport + Policies That Work with Alex Mangione-Smith

  8. Apr 27

    All Caps All Her + Playing With All Your Heart with Zoey Pellowitz

    In this episode, we sit down with Zoey Pellowitz (she/her), Youth Hockey Coordinator for the Washington Capitals, to talk about what it really means to coach with care. From growing up in hockey and playing Division III, to shifting from college coaching to working with five-year-olds, Zoey shares how joy, listening, and meeting players where they are can shape confidence and belonging. We explore uncomfortable but necessary coaching conversations, modeling healthy team behavior, navigating queerness in sport, and the power of initiatives like All Caps All Her to bring more girls, women, and families into the game. https://capsyouthhockey.com/all-caps-all-her/

    All Caps All Her + Playing With All Your Heart with Zoey Pellowitz
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About

"Building the Team" is the official podcast of You Can Play, dedicated to fostering an inclusive and welcoming sports culture for LGBTQ+ athletes, coaches, and fans. Each episode dives into conversations with sports leaders, advocates, and athletes who are breaking barriers and building a more equitable playing field. Through insightful discussions, personal stories, and expert perspectives, "Building the Team" highlights the importance of diversity, allyship, and the power of inclusion in sports.

Information

  • Creator
    You Can Play Project
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © You Can Play Project 2025
  • Show Website
    Building the Team