The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) teamed with StandUP, LGBTA, LGBTQ Services and the High C’s for the first annual You Can Play Night on April 25 at the Seawolves men’s lacrosse game vs. Hartford in LaValle Stadium. SAAC coordinated the event in conjunction with the You Can Play Project, and SAAC created its own video to spread the message of equality, respect and acceptance among the Athletic Department and across the University.
The Stony Brook and Hartford lacrosse teams both wore You Can Play helmet stickers to support the initiative as SBU beat Hartford and earned a spot in the America East Tournament at LaValle Stadium this weekend.
Stony Brook University and the America East Conference have partnered with the You Can Play Project to help educate and change the culture within athletics regarding the treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender athletes in the locker room and on the playing field. Stony Brook Athletics is dedicated to ensuring the equality, respect and safety of all student-athletes without regard to sexual orientation, gender identity, race or religion.
On You Can Play Night, the SAAC partnered with the Stony Brook LGBTA, StandUP and GQA to welcome fans. The Stony Brook High C’s, an a cappella group on campus, sang the national anthem in Stony Brook You Can Play T-shirts. The LaValle Stadium video board featured videos associated with the You Can Play project, including the SAAC’s video celebrating the Seawolves’ diverse group of student-athletes and promoting acceptance and a welcoming, safe environment for all student-athletes, staff and fans.
The SAAC’s You Can Play video was edited by Seawolves volleyball student-athlete Lo Hathaway, an executive board member of the SAAC, who worked with SAAC co-presidents Caitlin Pfeiffer (women’s soccer) and Taylor Gillie (volleyball), Graduate Assistant for Athletic Administration Greta Strenger and Assistant Athletics Director for Administration Patrick Muffley.
“We really wanted to create something that highlighted the diversity of Stony Brook, something that everyone here really embraces,” Hathaway said. “Our goal for the video was to be able to send our message while keeping people’s attention. We wanted to show the community that we are inclusionary, and we wanted to show future Seawolves that it doesn’t matter who they are, it’s their character and talent that matters.”
For more information on the You Can Play Project, visit YouCanPlayProject.org.
Add comment