Roses are Red, roses are yellow

Wanted to say hi to that fine fellow.

and that one too.

oh and Happy Valentines day to you.

I’m not the best poet, but i love poetry. I love love. I love a wedding, I love a love story. I love the hallmark of it all, I love romance story, and steamy romance novel too. I love fresh flowers, and cards sent to friends and loved ones. I love a surprise from a special someone. I love a love song, and love a breakup song too.

I love resilience.

I love community. And I LOVE OUR COMMUNITY.

Community and Resilience are the two cornerstones of the LGBTQ+ experience. Throughout are history we have faced challenges and insurmountable pain, but it is only through our resilience and support of our community that we have overcome. I say this as we have recently faced a borage of attacks on our community. These attacks are especially hard on our Trans siblings. Recent executive orders have sought to erase their existence from sport. Our message is clear: Trans athletes belong in sports. They belong in our communities. And they will always belong at Team DC. To my siblings in the trans community, you are loved and we stand with you. I am also incredibly proud how many of our members have echoed similar statements across social media. You are loved and you are welcome

To say I love what our sporting community can do is an understatement. Our integrity and sportsmanship, and our support of our fellow community members constantly wows me. I also love the connections we make through sport. I have have met my best friends through LGBTQ sporting. I even played several seasons on a team called the Lovers. I’ve been in three wedding parties of friends I’ve met through our community.

As we talk about what our community can do I would like to talk about my friend Esteban. As I said in our last Sportsgram we would be highlighting the champions we plan to honor at our Night of Champions Gala April 5th.

Team DC MVP Awardee: Esteban Dilloway aka “Elle”

Esteban Dilloway or Elle (as he is also known) radiates warmth and kindness. His giant smile can be infectious. I am truly honored to call him a friend. It is no surprise that he was nominated by many members of this community for the Team DC MVP award.

As a board member at Rogue League Sports, Esteban has been instrumental in growing the Cornhole community, organizing both winter and summer leagues, and expanding Rogue League Sports with innovative remix formats. His leadership has brought in countless new players, fostering inclusivity and community engagement.

Beyond Cornhole, he has contributed to the DuPont Social Club and as Elle won the Miss Adams Morgan Pageant, using drag as a platform to unite and celebrate diversity. Esteban’s dedication and passion make him a vital force in building connections and enriching the community. Last weekend along with Elle’s leadership and the ladies of Dupont Social Club they raised over $13k at HerDiner for Valentine’s Day is a Drag benefiting the programming of SMYAL. Elle in all her glory has even help run our Live auction at Team DC night of Champions Gala. Elle has performed at many a Rogue fundraiser to raise money for a Team DC Scholarship. It’s his love of community and his huge heart that makes him the ideal MVP.

Lastly, not just because it’s Valentine’s day, remember you are loved and we love having you here each and every day.

xoxo -Paddy & Family at Team DC

JOIN TEAM DC AT ONE OF OUR UPCOMING EVENTS

Pride Night OUT at the Wizards Tickets now on Sale
Wizards vs Pistons
Thursday, March 27

Join Team DC and our partners the Washington Wizards as they take on the Pistons and as we celebrate our 12th annual Pride Night OUT Thursday March 27th at Capital One Arena. Pregame activities start at 5PM at District E in Gallery Place. 7PM tip off.  Team DC is selling early bird tickets now through January 30th.   Each ticket includes a $5 donation to Team DC's Programming fund. Tickets purchased through Team DC do not have any fees attached and offer a significant savings.  We have special access to a fan tunnel experience, and space for 12 children ages 6-12 to escort players on to the court and stay for the national anthem. Tickets start at $27

Night of Champions Gala 
Saturday, April 5

Team DC’s annual event to honor local LGBTQ+ sports leaders as well as the recipients of the 2025 College Scholarships. 

Join our 45+ member organizations and Team DC as we celebrate a Night of Champions. Team DC will honor a new class of college bound LGBTQ+ athletes. We will also celebrate local LGBTQ+ leaders and educators making a difference in our community.

Cocktail and silent auction reception 6:00PM, dinner and awards 7:30.
Hilton National Mall/Wharf,  480 L'Enfant Plaza SW, Washington, DC 20024

Do you own a business or know someone who does? Donate to our Silent Auction at Night of Champions Gala to support our scholarship program.

As reminder scholarship applications are due February 15 if you know an LGBTQ+ athlete graduating in 2025 make sure they apply. Go to www.teamdc.org/scholarships for more information.

Would you like to volunteer for our planning committee? Contact [email protected] to join the our ranks as we plan our Night of Champions Gala.

20th Anniversary Night out at NATS June 5th

20 Years in 2025. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of our Pride Night OUT at the Nationals. It’s also the 20th anniversary of Major League Baseball coming back to Washington DC. We are so excited because this is going to be our biggest year yet. This year the Nats are going all out for us and have designed a vintage style Jersey in Rainbow exclusively for people who purchase tickets through Team DC or Pride Night OUT Fevo. Sit with us in the Team DC section.

TEAM DC is proud to partner with Capital Pride Alliance and Interpride to bring one of the pillars of World Pride to DC. Team DC along with our members will host the World Pride Capital Cup on May 26th through June 4th 2025. Registration is now live at the link below, and you can check teamdc.org for more info coming soon

Join District Wrestling Club every Monday for the city's only adult folkstyle and freestyle wrestling practices! Never wrestled before? Our practices are specifically designed to accommodate all experience levels, including those who've never stepped foot on a mat. Walk-ins welcome every week, or join us for our next mini-season, kicking off on Mon. February 24, 2025! Visit DistrictWrestling.com to learn more about our practices and our seasons model.

Do you have extra love to give. The National Center for Children and Families (NCCF) provides foster care for the youth of Washington D.C and Maryland. The need for safe, loving adults who can provide a stable home for children in foster care is in high demand and NCCF invites you to learn more about becoming a foster parent.

Please join us for our upcoming virtual orientation on February 19th, 2025, or March 19th, 2025, where you will get a crash course on what it means to be a foster parent with NCCF. Please RSVP here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4FA4A92BAAF9C07-47635597-fporientation#/

NCCF Website: https://nccf-cares.org/become-a-foster-parent/

Saturday, February 22 2025 Scandals Drag Brunch Join your favorite ruggers at the 2025 Scandals Drag Brunch for an afternoon of laughter, music, and maybe even a little scandal! GET Tickets

Our 2025 season registration is now open. Our season begins Sunday, April 6. There are open and women’s+ divisions and people with all skill levels are welcome. If you have questions prior to registering, please contact [email protected].

We are pleased to announce that the 13th annual DCFR Pride Run 5k will take place on June 1, 2025 starting at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and running along the iconic Pennsylvania Avenue 5k route. This year we are partnering with Capital Pride and Team DC as part of the Capital Cup Sports Festival and increasing our registration cap to 5,000 runners. We need your help to get there!

Registration opens on 1/20/2025. https://dcpriderun.com/

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