Garden State Rainbow Sports
Garden State Rainbow Sports, Inc. is an LGBTQ+ non-profit sports organization in New Jersey. Garden State Rainbow Sports seeks to build community through sports. Creating opportunities for athletes of all levels who enjoy participating in organized team and individual sports.
GS Rainbow Sports is welcoming to all who love "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat." Seriously, everyone is welcomed. GS Rainbow Sports welcomes all regardless of sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, religion, nationality, race, ethnicity, political affiliation or social and economic status.
Just come as you are and have fun; indulge your passion and love of fun, games and sport.
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Garden State Rainbow Sports has received a Candid Silver Seal of Transparency from Guide Star.
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Building Community Through Sport
Our Story
In 2018 Tony, one of our confounders, participated in the Gay Games X, in Paris, France. It was a wonderous and tremendous event in his life that expanded his awareness of solidarity with men and women from around the world who identified as athletes and proud members of the LGBTQ+ community.
In the tradition of the Gay Games, during the Opening Ceremonies, the team from the United States marches into a stadium, under banners of each individual state. He was surprised to find that he was the lone athlete from the State of New Jersey. It was hard for him to believe that he was the only athlete from NJ participating at the games, he wasn't, but he was the only athlete from New Jersey. There were other participants from New Jersey, but they played for teams from other states or opted not to participate in opening ceremonies.
Looking around the massive stadium he thought why didn't we have a team from New Jersey at these games? Why did people run to another city or state to play in a sport they loved with other members of the LGBTQ+ community here in the Garden State. The idea was born, and soon after a conversation with his friend, fellow sports enthusiast and athlete, Mikael Singleton. Garden State Rainbow Sports was born.