Let’s lean into the queer joy on this last day of Pride and catch up with some queer parent athletes (and athletes with queer parents). We’ve got retirements, un-retirements, and adorable baby photos—plus some details from a PWHL hockey couple who say kids are in their future!
News
- WNBA star Allie Quigley made her retirement official. She hasn’t played since 2023, but explained in a piece at the Player’s Tribune: “I never actually meant to do an Irish goodbye. When I sat out after 2022, it was for a very specific reason. It was so I could start the next phase of my life: becoming a mom.” Quigley and her spouse, Chicago Sky teammate Courtney Vandersloot, welcomed a daughter this past April, and Quigley writes, “Now that Jana is here……. I feel ready to finally and officially say goodbye to my basketball career.”
- For her part, Vandersloot recently became the team’s leading scorer, surpassing the previous record holder, Quigley. That makes them, as Togethxr noted, “The #1 and #2 @chicagosky all time leading scoring couple.”
- Eight-time Paralympic gold medalist and wheelchair racer Tatyana McFadden, who was raised by two moms, set a world record in the 400m T54 race earlier this month.
- Two-time Olympic gold medalist and retired USWNT soccer goalie Briana Scurry is a “#ProudBonusMom” as her step-son Andrew graduated from high school and is off to college. She has two stepchildren via her spouse Chryssa Zizos.
- Two-time Olympic gold medalist and rugby player Portia Woodman-Wickliffe came out of retirement from international play and hopes to play for New Zealand in the Rugby World Cup later this year. She was also just made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to rugby. She and her spouse, Renee Wickliffe, are raising one child, whom Renee had in a previous relationship, but Portia recently told RNZ that after the World Cup, “”I’m really looking forward to settling down and having some babies, and maybe playing club rugby.” In the meantime, the 33-year-old said she’s dedicated to helping the younger players on her squad.
- Australian rugby player Ellia Green, who won gold with Australia in the Women’s Rugby Sevens tournament at the 2016 Rio Olympics, also came out of retirement and is now playing for the “gay and inclusive” rugby club the Sydney Convicts, part of the men’s NSW Suburban Rugby Competition, reports Q News. Ellia and partner Vanessa Turnbull-Roberts welcomed daughter Waitui in 2022. “I’m constantly reminding myself, what do I want Waitui to see me as? What kind of role model?” Green shared with Q News.
- Emerance Maschmeyer, who has been a goalie for the PWHL’s Ottawa Charge, will be playing for expansion team PWHL Vancouver next season. No word yet on whether she’ll get a new mask with herself, her spouse, and their son depicted as superheroes.
- The Los Angeles Sparks retired the jersey of WNBA legend and two-time Olympic gold medalist Candace Parker, who is raising three children with spouse Anna Petrakova. Parker also shares the story of her life as a basketball player, parent, and more, along with the many lessons she’s learned along the way, in her new book, The Can-Do Mindset: How to Cultivate Resilience, Follow Your Heart, and Fight for Your Passions.
Listen and Watch
- Olympic gold medalists, teammates, and spouses Marie-Philipe Poulin and Laura Stacey of Team Canada and the PWHL’s Montreal Victoire were on the Good Game With Sarah Spain podcast recently, where Poulin reiterated what she had said in an interview elsewhere, that they hope to have kids someday (after testing the waters by caring for their dog, Arlo). She elaborated this time, though, sharing, “We still want to be at the Olympics in 2026 and we’re working hard for that. But I think after that it’ll be awesome to make this happen,” and adding, “We know it takes a lot of work and we’ll go one day at a time.”
- Hockey Canada posted a short video profiling two-time Olympic Gold medalist and the PWHL’s Ottawa Charge Captain Brianne Jenner and her spouse Hayleigh Cudmore about parenting their three young children, balancing career and family, supporting LGBTQ+ youth in any sport, and being one’s authentic self.
- Former pro hockey stars Anya and Madison Packer continue to produce their enjoyable podcast about parenthood, hockey, and life. In one recent episode, “Postpartum, Unfiltered,” they spoke about Anya’s journey through postpartum depression, Madison’s support, and navigating early parenthood. (Content warning for suicidal ideation and depression.)
- On a recent episode of her podcast Wide Open, retired NWSL and USWNT soccer star Ashlyn Harris, spoke with HRC President Kelley Robinson. Harris has two children with her ex, former USWNT teammate Ali Krieger, and Robinson had a second child earlier this year with spouse Becky George. The two of them talked about organizing to create a better world, being present for our families—and Robinson’s past as an MMA fighter. Robinson shared that she did karate for years as a kid, then worked as an MMA fighter in order to earn money during a break from college.
- Tom Daley: 1.6 Seconds, a feature documentary about the British Olympic gold medalist and father of two (with spouse Dustin Lance Black), was released on June 1. Watch it here.
Family Album
- Boston Fleet star Jamie Lee Rattray of the PWHL and her spouse Whitney are celebrating Pride in style with their Pride-month newborn:
- … while Emma Cannon and her spouse Tia’s twins, who arrived in May, continue to bring the cuteness:
- … and WNBA Las Vegas Aces star and two-time Olympic gold medalist Chelsea Gray and her son (with spouse Tipesa Moorer) remind us that toddlers are adorable, too: