Bates College’s 31 intercollegiate varsity sports are represented by a diversity of athletes and sports in this video in support of You Can Play. In a first, a college president, Clayton Spencer, joins her school’s athletes in speaking on behalf of You Can Play.
Individuals appearing in the video include (in order): Ryan Weston (football, men’s basketball), Jacqui Holmes (women’s tennis), Cheri-Ann Parris (women’s squash), Chloe Mitchell (women’s squash), Tara Dugan (women’s swimming & diving), Travis Jones (women’s swimming & diving), Patrick George (football), Tess Walther (women’s volleyball), Nicole Russell (women’s volleyball), David Pless (men’s track & field), Gretchen Sellegren (women’s Nordic skiing), Bates College President Clayton Spencer, Evan Chen (men’s lacrosse), Nessrine Ariffin (women’s squash), Ahmed Abdel Khalek (men’s squash), Myriam Kelly (women’s squash), Caran Arora (men’s squash), Filip Michalsky (men’s squash), Ryan Sonberg (baseball) and Torben Noto (men’s lacrosse); Catherine Tuttle (women’s Nordic skiing) also participated.
“The Department of Athletics has worked hard and intentionally to help lead the Bates community in respecting and welcoming everyone, regardless of their perceived or actual sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression,” said Kevin McHugh, Bates athletic director. Bates’ most decorated student-athlete ever, Keelin Godsey ’06, came out as transgender prior to his senior year at Bates — Godsey was subsequently featured in Sports Illustrated’s May 28, 2012, issue in a special report, “The Transgender Athlete.”
The video was shot and produced by Phyllis Graber Jensen and Michael Bradley of the Bates Communications Office. Organizational assistance was provided by head men’s lacrosse coach Peter Lasagna and sports information director Andy Walter.
Bates College, in Lewiston, Maine, was founded in 1855 by abolitionists.