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Sports

Gay Athlete Making Mark at Adelphi University

Sophomore Kevin Rohle feels "blessed" to have found a home at Adelphi with friends who accept him for who he is.

He swims freestyle on the Adelphi University swim team and could probably out swim you in his sleep.

He's a well-liked member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

And he comes from Poughkeepsie, a blue-collar city in upstate New York that can be a little rough.

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Twenty-year-old sophomore Kevin Rohle is also openly gay. "When people find out I am gay they think they know everything about me," he said. "This is completely false. They actually know nothing."

To be gay nowadays may not seem like a big deal. Though court and legislative battles are still being fought over same-sex marriage, acceptance has grown, especially in metro areas like New York City. Sports, however, is one area where gay people are typically not comfortable stepping out, particularly men.

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"The hardest thing about being gay is feeling comfortable because people will always [smack] talk," said the nursing student. "So, [you need to] stand your ground."

Fortunately, Rohle says he doesn't have to stand alone at Adelphi; many students have his back. But he didn't always feel this way.

When Rohle began swimming as a sophomore at Roy C. Ketcham High School in Wappingers Falls, NY, he would dress in dark colors to hide in the crowd. He felt different and people would push him away because he was gay.

"I never thought I would be treated differently being gay but I was," he recalled. "I lost a lot of my guy friends because they were embarrassed to be friends with the gay kid. It was really hard because I was coming out to my family and friends and in return I would lose friends."

Swimming helped Rohle find the acceptance he longed for. 

"When I started swimming, I felt accepted," he said. "It turned out I was actually good at the sport so I pursued a college with a swim team and a nursing program."

Although Rohle was eager for a fresh start, the transition to Adelphi University wasn't easy at first. The 5'9" blue eyed, blonde haired swimmer felt the stares when he walked into the locker room for the first time.

"I felt nervous because I did not want the guys to feel like I was going to make a move on them or something," Rohle said.

But, as Rohle succeeded in swimming, he felt himself becoming comfortable in his own skin. He eventually began to take on a leadership role on the team. One of his greatest accomplishments was bringing his team together, he said.

Before he joined the team, members used to be divided by gender, with boys interacting only with boys, girls interacting with other girl teammates and everyone going about their own business after practice.

Rohle, along with the other new freshman, helped make team members a more cohesive unit. No longer do the teammates only communicate at practice, they have formed friendships outside the pool. Now, after practice, the team spends time bonding over dinner or having a night out at the movies.

When he isn't in the pool, Rohle keeps himself busy on campus. "My life revolves around swimming, studying for nursing, being an active member of Kappa Sigma and attending class," he said.

He hopes to use his degree to become a traveling nurse. Certified in CPR and automated external defibrillators, Rohle said he wants to work as a lifeguard in the summers to help finance his education.

"People laugh when they hear I want to be a nurse," he said. "But I tell them you better be nice because one day I can be the gay nurse who is saving your life."

In the rare instances he has free time, Rohle enjoys going out to local clubs. "The weeks are hectic so I give myself time on the weekends to relax and catch up on gossip with friends," he said.

While Rohle has made many friends at Adelphi, it's taken some students time to accept him.

"Some brothers had to warm up to being friendly with Kev, but everyone treats him as a regular guy," said Adelphi student Jeffrey Elliot Blaine, Rohle's roommate in Earle Hall and a fellow Kappa Sigma brother. "Living with Kev is like living with any other dude," he added.

While it hasn't always been easy, Rohle says he is glad he came to Adelphi.

"I have never been more happy with my life than now," he said. "Being gay comes with a lot of unnecessary baggage but it's who I am. I feel blessed to have found a home here at Adelphi with friends who accept me for who I am."

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