What is Stonewall Performance?Stonewall Performance is driven to build strong bodies and strong minds through performance based strength and conditioning for athletes and individuals regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
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Who is Coach Dirk?
Coach Dirk, CSCS, is a performance coach, teacher, writer, journalist, and athlete who is currently studying sports psychology at the Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln. He brings over 10 years of experience as a coach, athlete, personal trainer, fitness instructor, and sports psychologist to drive athletes to build their own self efficacy and express themselves through sport.
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Certifications Include
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I created Stonewall Performance taking inspiration from the 1969 riots at the Stonewall Inn which was the event that ignited the modern LGBT rights movement. In my own experiences as an openly gay man and athlete, exercise and sports has been influential in my path of self acceptance. My identity as an athlete is synonymous with my identity as a gay man but the two have not always agreed. I've experienced first hand the kind of homophobia, discrimination, fear, and hate that gay people experience in sports. I have also found exercise and sports to be there for me when I was struggling with my own feelings of self confidence and self identity. Most importantly, through sports i've been able to find a community that has embraced me for who I am and have given me the opportunity to express myself to show the world what I can do. My motivation and passion for creating Stonewall Performance is to use exercise and sports as a vehicle to empower other athletes, LGBT and straight alike to discover their own motivations, identities, confidence and express themselves without fear.
In the fall of 2018, I moved from my hometown Denver, USA to Cologne, Germany to pursue my Masters degree in Psychology in Sports and Exercise at the Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln or "SpoHo" so I can learn, understand, and help drive the role of LGBTI athletes in professional and elite sports. Through education, conducting research, coaching, competing and being active in the sports community; I am working to build representation and awareness of LGBTI athletes in sports. I am doing this by leading the LGBTI students group at the SpoHo, connecting with LGBTI athletes, coaches and professionals; coaching athletes, writing articles for Compete Magazine, competing in sports, running workshops, and speaking at conferences.
In the fall of 2018, I moved from my hometown Denver, USA to Cologne, Germany to pursue my Masters degree in Psychology in Sports and Exercise at the Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln or "SpoHo" so I can learn, understand, and help drive the role of LGBTI athletes in professional and elite sports. Through education, conducting research, coaching, competing and being active in the sports community; I am working to build representation and awareness of LGBTI athletes in sports. I am doing this by leading the LGBTI students group at the SpoHo, connecting with LGBTI athletes, coaches and professionals; coaching athletes, writing articles for Compete Magazine, competing in sports, running workshops, and speaking at conferences.
