Amherst College defensive back Avery Saffold has been named one of Outsports’ eight male athletes of 2019—all football players this year.
“For years, it was impossible to find college football players who were publicly out, but that has changed in the past three years,” writes Outsports’ Jim Buzinski. “This past season saw eight gay or bi players who came out openly, their presence showing that LGBTQ athletes have a place in every sport.”
And with 27 tackles and three interceptions this year, Avery is one of the most accomplished of the eight, having, as Buzinski notes, ended his college football career also named First Team All Conference in the New England Small College Athletic Conference for his third consecutive year.
2019 also marked his first season since publishing his coming out story on Outsports back in July, after first coming out online in April, posting:
“I don’t really know where to start but I feel like it’s time I share my true self. If there’s anything that the past 8 months have taught me, it’s that those closest to you will care for you unconditionally and those are the people I want in my life. Being abroad has taught me that there is so much more in the world and that I don’t have to be a certain way because I play football, am from the south side of Chicago, or look a certain way. It has also taught me that I am the polar opposite of frat boys if I didn’t know that already. I look forward to growing as a person with those who love me for who I am. I’m gay.
“Everyone should be comfortable to be themselves no matter what race they are, if they play a sport, etc. I hope I can help to make people think differently about social norms and not make assumptions. I also hope I can help others feel like they are free to be themselves as others have done for me.”
And then, as he wrote in his July Outsports story, “The first text I got in response was from one of my teammates that read: ‘I just wanted to let you know what you did was hella brave and I respect the hell out of you for it. I’m always here for you no matter what, love you man.’
“After my coming out story, I felt like my teammates knew me better as a person off the field which made playing with them more fun,” Saffold told Buzinski. “Before, I felt like I could never truly be myself, but this year, I was able to play freely.”
Saffold, a psychology major, will graduate in spring 2020 and aims to work in the NBA, according to Outsports.
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