
If you don’t know, the Sin City Shootout is a big LGBT-Multi-Sport event, the largest annual event of it’s kind that annually attracts thousands of LGBT+ athletes from all over the country (and continent) to participate in dozens of sports. Originally started as a softball tournament, over the past 10 years it was grown exponentially with new sports added every year.

While in Chicago I also took to the basics, going for runs! My favorite way to explore a new city is by running and Chicago didn’t disappoint. Despite the cold and cloudy weather, I did runs along Lake Shore Trail and through the city into Lincoln Park, which offered great views and excellent people watching.
The first was to attend the Compete Magazine Sport’s Diversity Leadership Conference to take part in the discussion about how we can train and grow a new generation of sports leaders, coaches and professionals to be more adapting in coaching LGBT+ athletes and teams.

Thirdly was to continue what I did in Chicago and check out some new classes while getting some solid training in. The first step was to visit the Las Vegas Masters Swim Team for a practice, which would’ve happened had I didn’t get the location of the pool wrong! However I still got a swim practice in and was able to connect with the team at the swim meet. I also sought out a local gym near the hotel, which was an MMA/Boxing gym and happened to have a kickboxing class followed by a strength and conditioning class on Friday evening. While a lot of my friends were gearing up to party, I decided to get some kickboxing in first. I learned that Vegas’ sidewalks are almost non-existent as I originally planned to run to the gym, I got lost in the middle of the New York, New York hotel parking garage before I surrendered and called for an Uber. However after the class I found a route that I could run back up the strip. Dodging tourists on the strip is an excellent way to add some agility training to an otherwise boring run!

Overall I finished the trip feeling good, that I accomplished all that I had gone there to do. I love the energy and environment of the Sin City Shootout. It’s more laid back and people are there to have fun and do their best in their sport. I enjoyed seeing all the different brands of gear bags the athletes had, each representing their particular sport. The discussions I had with athletes during and after the conference were very insightful that I learned a lot about what athletes want to accomplish at LGBT+ sporting events and how they can continue to shape and evolve the broader worldwide LGBT+ community.
