This fall’s epidemic of gay youth suicides shocked and saddened millions of Americans. Dan Savage’s "It Gets Better" video project provided hope to young people struggling with their sexual orientation; LGBT men and women told inspiring stories of their own lives, while leaders, including President Obama, added their own voices of support.

The broad-based effort heartened Glenn Witman. But he also smiled in recognition: He was already leading a similar project, admittedly on a much smaller scale.

Witman is the founder, president and captain of the G-Force Hockey Club. A Denver-based non-profit organization, G-Force plays some mean hockey – and does a lot more. Demonstrating competitiveness, teamwork, pride and courage on the ice, they break down negative stereotypes about gay athletes.

From the start, G-Force wanted young, gay hockey players to know about the team – and, by extension, to realize that they were not alone. Witman’s e-mail and phone number were on the Internet. Young athletes were encouraged to call him for information and help – and they did.

For many reasons, gay athletes may have a harder time coming out than other youths. It can take longer, too. A 23-year-old player from Minnesota called. He was so closeted, Witman recalls, "he couldn’t even say the word ‘gay.’" Witman recounted his own story – he did not come out until he was 28 – and put the young man in touch with G-Force’s goalie, who was not fully out.

The Minnesotan responded soon: "Thank you. You changed my life!"

Now, G-Force is institutionalizing its support program. They call it the Athletic Buddy System (ABS). Anyone wanting help in coming out to teammates, coaches, family or friends – or just needing someone to talk to – can contact glenn@gforcehockey.com or call 303-808-1116. They’ll be paired with a G-Force player, of whom there are many.

"Nearly everyone on the team wants to help," Witman notes.

One of those helpers is Ben Gardent. He got involved because he had not come out until age 24 – in part because he had no gay athletes as role models. His message: "No matter how difficult things may be now, they get a whole lot better when you’re older."

Adam Mills looks forward to speaking with young gay athletes – but he says he may have to wait a while. Coming out where he lives – Nashville – is not easy. "I will tell people my journey and the rollercoaster ride of my athletic career," Mills says.

"Dealing with the uneasy feeling of being gay and on a sports team can be overwhelming. It can affect an athlete’s performance, as well as academics. Having someone who understands what an athlete goes through can be the difference between life and death."

ABS is not G-Force’s only project. The team is also working on another effort aimed at young athletes. Called an "athletic safety and respect policy," it’s an agreement between G-Force and a university or sports organization. The latter agrees to support only those activities that are "constructive, educational, inspirational, and that contribute to the intellectual and personal development of students."

The policy includes sanctions for violations. These include probation and suspension of athletes and coaches – even cancellations of games.

G-Force will provide diversity training before the season to programs wishing to implement such a policy.

One such session was held in October at the University of Toronto. The goal was to create a dialogue between out athletes and other players, students, coaches and support staff.

Panelists Andrew Goldstein (a G-Force player better known for his All-American lacrosse achievements at Dartmouth College), David Farber (University of Pennsylvania) and Blake Anderson (Central Hockey League) shared personal stories.

"Some of the main points were that everyone has a different experience, but the general language in a locker room is a big problem in sports," Goldstein says. "Upon coming out we found that our coaches were sometimes big allies who wanted to be mentors/educators and do the right thing to protect their athletes and create a supportive environment."

Goldstein also notes that "in general, we should give our teammates more credit to change. Although they may denigrate gays in the locker room, they don’t generally mean harm by it. Once they’re more aware that their words hurt a teammate, they can change dramatically."

Though Goldstein felt the audience reaction in Toronto was very positive, he knows that "these sessions tend to attract those with similar views. We need to make sure the message reaches all types of people, including those who never consider gays in sports an issue or a reality."

G-Force’s next step, he says, is to speak in high schools and to youth programs, reaching younger closeted athletes and their straight teammates and coaches. Then, perhaps, a program like ABS would no longer be needed.

For more information, visit www.gforcehockey.com.

"Gay" and "NASCAR" are rarely used in the same sentence. But if we truly are everywhere, that includes stock-car speedways. And Michael Myers makes sure we connect with each other, above the roar of race cars.

Queers4Gears.com is a website for gay NASCAR fans – though all are welcome. It features photos, race reports, even discount ticket deals. It’s been named one of NASCAR’s top 50 blogs.

"NASCAR fans have been more accepting of (Myers) being gay than gay people have been accepting of his being a NASCAR fan," the site says of the 37-year-old founder.

According to a recent article in the New York Times, Myers "acknowledges that gay male race fans are attracted to stock car drivers the way straight female race fans are." However, he adds, it’s really just about the races.

"I’m not there to ask drivers what they think about gay marriage," he says. "I’m there to ask them about racing."

Another oxymoron could be "gay professional baseball umpire." But when a manager attacked an out ump with anti-gay language, it was the manager who suffered most.

The Golden Baseball League incident began in July, when Billy Van Raaphorst ejected Edmonton Capitals manager Brent Bowers for repeatedly objecting to a call. Bowers raced over, called Van Raaphorst a "fucking faggot," and asked, "Do you take it up the fucking ass?" (Just to make sure there was no mistake, Bowers bent over and grabbed his ankles.)

The tirade continued, with the manager saying, "I ought to kick your ass, you faggot." The league suspended Bowers for two games. Van Raaphorst’s fellow umpires thought the punishment was insufficient and threatened to walk out.

The league then suspended Bowers for the rest of the season – and fined him $5,000. The Capitals’ owner – who also owns the National Hockey League Edmonton Oilers – supported Van Raaphorst and the league against its now-former manager.

Then – recognizing a "golden" opportunity when they saw it – the owners announced plans to provide diversity training for all its baseball and hockey staffs.

In more gays-and-baseball news, a group of gay men and lesbians got fed up watching the St. Louis Cardinals’ hetero-only "Kiss Cam." That’s the traditional shot shown on an enormous scoreboard of a man and woman passionately smooching. A cute little heart is superimposed on the shot, and cute little music plays.

Big deal, huh?

To David Whitley – a columnist for MLB.Fanhouse.com, a national website – it was.

"I can’t help sympathizing with that father who’ll be sitting next to his son or daughter at Busch Stadium," the not-very-empathic dad/fan/writer wrote.

"Daddy, why are those two men kissing?" he imagined a child saying.

"Umm, err, hey isn’t that Albert Pujols coming to bat?" he figured would be the only possible reply.

"I’m not ready to discuss same-sex relationships with my 3-year-old," he wrote. "I don’t think she’s ready, either." Using that logic, he would have to discuss opposite-sex relationships every time the "Kiss Cam" showed two straight people making out.

Scrambling to avoid charges of homophobia, he added: "If my daughter grows up and falls happily in love with another woman, I’ll proudly walk her down the aisle." Chances are, though, he’d first have to get over his daughter’s fear that he wouldn’t, in fact, be proud – based on his reaction, years earlier, when daughter and dad watched two women doing the exact same thing straight people do every day, at every ballpark in America.

Finally, from the Stand-Up-And-Cheer Department: For the fifth consecutive year, the Gene and John Athletic Fund of Stonewall has awarded a scholarship to an outstanding gay athlete. This year’s recipient is Jessica Leigh Weather.

At the University of Florida, Jessica studied six languages. A runner, she has completed two marathons, three half-marathons and a half-Ironman triathlon. She’s a swimmer too, with a 12.5-mile swim around Key West and 8-mile swim through Boston Harbor and a relay swim of the English Channel to her credit.

She hopes to compete in the 2014 Gay Games in Cleveland.

Jessica is currently enrolled in Duke University’s Physician Assistant Program. Her goal is to specialize in pediatrics.

"My knowledge of the mental and physical benefits of athletics, along with my first hand understanding of the spectrum of sexuality, will make me a unique asset to the field for the next generation of youth, both straight and LGBT."