Joey Fisher, goalie for the hockey team, came out to teammates last summer.

Goalie comes out, reveals double life

Players accept goalie, give him positive reactions

By: PETER STEINBAUER

Posted: 3/2/07

Joey Fisher lived in two different worlds.

On a typical Tuesday afternoon, the junior from Athens would attend a Lambda Alliance meeting, a student organization aimed at strengthening the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community in Athens.

Fisher, a sociology major, would grab his goalie gear and then hop into his car to drive an hour or two to the Atlanta Ice Forum for hockey practice with the Georgia Ice Dogs, a club team affiliated with the University.

For his freshman and sophomore seasons, Fisher's teammates knew nothing of his other world.

"I pass pretty well," he said of being gay. "Most people aren't able to tell."

But Fisher said he soon grew tired of living the charade.

He said teammates tried to set him up with girls when he went out with them downtown.

Each time he replied with an ambiguous statement - something like, "I'm in a relationship."

He likened his situation those first two years to an episode of Seinfeld - the one in which George Costanza makes every effort to keep his girlfriend separate from his circle of close friends. In the episode, George complains that his two "worlds are colliding."

Fisher faced a decision: either quit playing hockey, a sport he had loved since he picked it up in high school, or come out to his teammates.

"After living a double life," he said, "it's really tough. You have to censor every word that comes out of your mouth."

Fisher, like George Costanza, feared one day his worlds would collide. He logged onto Facebook last summer and added previously missing information.

"Interested In: Men," his profile now read.

A few days passed, and nothing.

Finally a teammate instant messaged him. The teammate told Fisher he personally didn't have a problem with his sexuality but wasn't sure how everyone else felt about it.

Team Captain Mike Williams said once the season started in September 2006, the entire team knew about it.

"Your first reaction is one of, 'I wonder how everyone else is going to take it,'" said Williams, adding he feared the other guys might make fun of Fisher.

Head coach John Hoos said he first found out in a private conversation he had with Fisher.

Hoos said he told Fisher he thought it was not an issue.

Hoos was correct. Teammates accepted Fisher's sexuality.

"I judge people, and I think team members judge people, based on their character," Hoos said.

Fisher was surprised all the reactions from his teammates were positive.

"They offer their support," Fisher said.

"But it's about as important as my eye color. It's a lot more fun to hate on Georgia Tech," he added.

Before Fisher came out, Williams said he was quiet and reserved around teammates.

"It facilitated trying to get to know him on a level we wanted to get to know him on," Williams said, noting he and Fisher have become closer in the past year.

Fisher played on the practice squad his first two seasons. He started one game last year at South Carolina, giving up two goals in a loss.

The issue of gay athletes particularly is important after former NBA player John Amaechi announced his homosexuality last month. Amaechi is the first player associated with the NBA to come out.

"I know he would rather receive accolades for winning games," Hoos said. "More than the attention he's getting for his sexuality."