Live Boldly: Jack Storrs
Jack Storrs reflects on his experience coming out as bi-sexual while playing football at Pomona-Pitzer College.
1. What is one moment that has defined you as an athlete or person?
The day I committed to play football at Pomona-Pitzer; that day led to the past five years which have truly defined me as a person. It started me on my current journey where I’ve learned my hardest life lessons, faced my toughest adversity (in terms of sexuality, physical and mental health -- football takes a beating!, and relationships), but I’ve also grown incredibly in many ways. Since that day, I’ve found a few things in life that I’m truly passionate about, learned how to apply my college experience to a full-time job, and expanded my understanding and empathy for those different from me all while meeting my closest friends.
2. What has football meant to you and taught you? How have you applied what you’ve learned playing collegiate football to both professional and off-the-field endeavors?
Football has taught me the most consequential and important life lessons. Adversity is going to strike in life -- what are you going to do about it? How can I use my understanding of the world to make a bridge between myself and those different from me? What exactly does it take to be successful and how is success defined? What does it mean to be a leader and a captain, and how does that not just apply to a sports team? Football has shaped my character in more ways than anything else in life and I bring that with me wherever I go. I still carry the same competitive and self-starting attitude with me, but they’re put into practice differently in a job. I like to push myself as much as I can, but also know when to ask for help and rely on those around me. Football has also taught me how to persevere and to keep that mindset through the rest of life -- give yourself some credit and don’t sweat the small stuff. And one more thing: never quit.
3. What was your motivation behind coming out as bisexual to your teammates? What has the outpouring of support meant to you?
I was simply sick and tired of living in the closet and wanted to get on with my life. I wanted to explore my sexuality and try to figure out who I really was -- as cliche as that sounds! Living in the closet was not a life that was fulfilling to me at all and I realized there was no point in me waiting any longer as coming out never gets easier. Why procrastinate any longer if I had the self-confidence to be able to come out now? I think it’s so important for people to remember your life is about you and only you in a certain sense; you don’t have to prove anything to anyone or be something to someone unless that’s what truly makes you happy. The outpouring of support has meant the world to me. All of it has changed my life for the better in a way I can’t describe. So thank you to all of y’all, I love you! With all of my friends and family, especially my teammates and coaches, they’ve been proactive with me on this journey asking questions on how they can help, better understand me, or be an advocate for people like me while also being just as proactive in LGBTQ awareness!
4. Based on your experiences as an athlete, what advice would you give to a younger
version of yourself?
I’d tell my younger self to live more boldly and not worry about what other people think of your identity. You don’t have to fit any specific mold just because that’s what people expect of you. Your journey in life is to find what brings you the most sustainable happiness and being closeted to the world is not in that equation. Be bold, rip the band-aid off, and get moving with your life!
5. How can the community of your sport improve in terms of inclusion?
I’d love to see the NFL do more with LGBTQ awareness and promotion during the season, say on National Coming Out Day in October. I’ve spoken with some people connected to the league, and they already have quite a few things in place from the commissioner’s office, yet only a few teams have outreach and community impact programs targeted specifically for LGBTQ. The sad fact remains that each team is a business and certain owners (for profit maximization reasons or their own backwards morals) choose not to participate in these efforts so as not to alienate a portion of their fan base that might be bigoted. I’m looking to help change this and really hope within the next few years there will be significant progress made!
