Today's Out Spotlight is an American professional soccer player who now plays for Los Angeles Galaxy. In 2013, he came, becoming the second male footballer in Britain to do so after Justin Fashanu came out in 1990. Today's Out Spotlight is Robbie Rogers.
Robert Hampton "Robbie" Rogers was born May 12, 1987 to Theresa and Robert Hampton Rogers II. He joined one brother, Timothy, and three sisters, Nicole Camilla, Alicia, and Katie Rose in the Rogers family. His mother's family is originally from the Columbus, Ohio area where Rogers played for Columbus Crew. His maternal grandfather is a graduate of Ohio State University and his mother spent her early childhood years in Dublin, Ohio, before the family moved to California.
Growing up in California, Rogers enjoyed surfing and still surfs when he returns to the United States. He also enjoys playing table tennis and has a strong interest in music. Rogers states that his favourite athlete is Zlatan Ibrahimović.
Rogers started playing soccer at age four-and-a-half at the American
Youth Soccer Organization. By seven, Rogers he soccer in
the Coast Soccer league, as well as in various Hispanic leagues. He
attended Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, where he was a
two-time High School All-American in soccer. Rogers made three
appearances for Orange County Blue Star of the USL Premier Development
League in 2005, leaving upon deciding to attend university in the fall.
He played one season of college soccer at the University of Maryland,
alongside his future Columbus Crew teammate Jason Garey, helping lead
the team to the 2005 NCAA Championship. During his one season at UMD, he
scored seven times and assisted a further five goals. He was also named
in the ACC All-Conference Freshman team, as well as the Soccer Rookie
Team of the Year.
Rogers plays as either a winger or as a second striker.
After impressing during his one year of college soccer for Maryland
Terrapins, he attracted the interest of Dutch Eredivisie side
Heerenveen. In the summer of 2006, Heerenveen invited Rogers to the club
for a three-week trial, an option that he ultimately took up. The trial
period was successful, and he signed a two-year professional contract
with the Dutch side in August 2006, his first professional deal. Rogers
admitted that the decision to turn professional, and turn down three
remaining years of eligibility at Maryland, was "the toughest of his
life", but also stated that it was "an opportunity he could not pass
up". However, he failed to make a first-team appearance for the
club, although played frequently for the reserve side that went on to
win their respective league during the 2006–07 season. He left
Heerenveen by mutual consent in February 2007.
Following
his release, Rogers returned to the United States, and was subsequently
signed by MLS side Columbus Crew ahead of the 2007 MLS season. Columbus
Crew acquired Rogers after they had won a Draft Lottery for the player
in March 2007. He scored his first goal for the club on June 17, 2007,
netting the opening goal of the game in a 3–3 draw away to New England
Revolution. Rogers scored two further times during the 2007 campaign,
both of which came in a 3–2 victory over DC United at RFK Stadium. He
made ten appearances during his first season with Crew, scoring three
times and making one assist.
The 2008 season would be
Rogers' breakthrough season as a professional. He started the campaign
playing regularly for Crew, scoring his first goals of the season in a
4–3 home win over CD Chivas USA on April 13, 2008. He went on to score
the winning goal in a 2–1 win against Kansas City Wizards on May 4,
2008, before netting twice a week later as Crew defeated San Jose
Earthquakes 3–2 to take their winning streak to five matches. Following
his two goals against Earthquakes, he was awarded the MLS Player of
the Week award for week seven. His sixth goal of the campaign came
in a 3–1 home win against New York Red Bulls at Columbus Crew Stadium in
September 2008. He went on to score a further goal in the 2008 MLS Cup
Playoffs, scoring the club's second in a 2–0 win over Kansas City
Wizards; a win that ensured Crew progressed to the Conference final.
Rogers played in all four of Crew's MLS Cup games, including in the
final, where they defeated New York Red Bulls 3–1 at The Home Depot
Center in November 2008. The season was successful both individually and
collectively for Rogers, as he was named in the MLS Best XI team for
the year, as well as picking up Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup
silverware. He made 33 appearances during the 2008 campaign, scoring
seven times, and assisting three goals.
It took Rogers five months to score his first goal of the 2009 season
as Crew started the season without a win in seven games. He
eventually netted a goal in a 3–0 win over San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw
Stadium on August 9, 2009. It was his only goal of the 2009 MLS season,
although he did score two goals in two CONCACAF Champions League matches
against Puerto Rico Islanders and Deportivo Saprissa respectively.
During the season, Rogers picked up his second Supporters' Shield title
after Crew finished first in the overall standings despite their slow
start, finishing a point ahead of second placed Los Angeles Galaxy.
During the following season,
Rogers' fourth at Columbus Crew, he made 34 appearances and scored
twice. His first goal of the campaign came in a 3–2 win over New England
Revolution in May 2010, with Rogers' goal coming in the 91st minute of
the match. He also netted in a 2–1 win over Colorado Rapids in the MLS
Cup Conference semi-final. Despite Rogers' goal, eventual champions
Rapids would go on to win the tie 5–4 on penalties after extra-time.
Rogers opened his account for the 2011 season in the club's first game
of the season, scoring a late consolation penalty as Crew went down 3–1
to DC United. A month later, in April 2011, he scored the only goal of
the game in a 1–0 home victory over Sporting Kansas City at Columbus
Crew Stadium. It was to be his last goal for the club, in a season where
he played 30 times. His last game for the club was in a 1–0 defeat to
Colorado Rapids in the MLS Cup wildcard game on October 28, 2011. During
his last season with the club, he led the team in assists and was also
awarded the 'Crew Hardest Working Player' award. In December 2011, it
was announced that Rogers was a free agent after he rejected the offer
of a contract extension at Columbus Crew. During his five seasons at
Crew, he made 138 appearances and scored 17 times.
After Rogers left Columbus Crew, he
joined Leeds United (UK) on an initial two-week trial period in December 2011,
before signing on a permanent basis a month later, in January 2012.
Rogers explained his national team coach Jürgen Klinsmann recommended
him to then Leeds manager Simon Grayson, who in-turn invited Rogers for a
trial. His work permit was granted a week after signing
for the club. He made his debut on February 18, 2012, coming as a 79th
minute substitute in an eventual 3–2 home win over Doncaster Rovers.
However, he had to be substituted just ten minutes into his debut after
suffering a severe clash of heads with Doncaster defender Tommy Spurr.
The head injury ultimately ruled him out of first-team action for
several weeks. He returned first-team in April 2012, making his
first appearance under new manager Neil Warnock — coming in as an 85th minute substitute in a 2–0 defeat
Reading. A week later, on
April 14, he made his first start for the club in a home fixture
against Peterborough United. Similarly to his debut, he was substituted
after just ten minutes due to sustaining an ankle injury.The ankle
injury would ultimately rule him out for the remainder of the season.
Rogers made four appearances during the second half of the 2011–12
season, with his first few months at the club blighted by injury.
Ahead
of the 2012–13 season, manager Neil Warnock said that he was hopeful
Rogers would be able to get a full pre-season under his belt. In June
2012, Rogers returned to the United States to take part in a
rehabilitation program, as well as spending two weeks training with
the Los Angeles Galaxy squad. He returned to Leeds at the beginning of
July 2012, and was featured in a number of the club's pre-season games. Shortly before the start of the new season, on August 9,
manager Neil Warnock revealed that Rogers, along with team-mate Danny
Pugh, had been placed on the transfer list in order to generate funds
for a new striker.
Rogers joined League One side
Stevenage on August 23, on a loan deal until January 2013. Stevenage
manager Gary Smith, previously manager of MLS side Colorado Rapids,
said that Rogers always impressed him during his time managing in the
United States. Rogers made his debut for Stevenage two days after signing,
on August 25, coming on as a late substitute in the club's 1–0 away
victory against Oldham Athletic. He made nine appearances during his five-month loan, with his time at the club
"hampered by injury". He returned to Leeds on January 15,
2013.
A couple of weeks after being released by Leeds United, on February 15, 2013,
Rogers announced his retirement from professional soccer at age 25 and
announced he was gay, making him the first professional footballer based
in Britain to come out since Justin Fashanu did so in 1990. He
announced his retirement and his sexuality with a 408-word post on his
personal blog, robbiehrogers.com, writing, "I'm a soccer
player, I'm Christian, and I'm gay, Those are things that people might
say wouldn't go well together. But my family raised me to be an
individual and to stand up for what I believe in."
He went on to say, "Secrets can cause so much
internal damage. People love to preach about honesty, how honesty is so
plain and simple. Try explaining to your loved ones after 25 years you
are gay. I always thought I could hide this secret. Football was my
escape, my purpose, my identity. Football hid my secret, gave me more
joy than I could have ever imagined".
In a March 2013 interview with The Guardian (UK), Rogers said he retired
to avoid the pressure and scrutiny from the press and fans, what he
called "the circus". Rogers said, "Are people coming to see you because
you're gay? Would I want to do interviews every day, where people are
asking: 'So you're taking showers with guys — how's that?'
On
May 1, 2013, the day after basketball player Jason Collins became the
first active openly gay player in a top U.S. sports league and credited
Rogers with having "blazed a trail", Rogers joined Los Angeles Galaxy
of Major League Soccer in training as a "special guest". He said he
made the decision to return to soccer in April 2013, after speaking in front of a
crowd of 500 at an LGBT youth event in Portland, Oregon, during which he
"seriously felt like a coward". He told USA TODAY Sports, "These
kids are standing up for themselves and changing the world, and I'm 25, I
have a platform and a voice to be a role model. How much of a coward
was I to not step up to the plate?" He contacted Galaxy coach Bruce
Arena, who extended him an invitation to train in Los Angeles.
On
May 24, 2013, Rogers agreed to terms with the LA Galaxy, pending the
trade of his MLS rights from Chicago Fire SC in exchange for Mike Magee.
Although the Fire held his MLS rights, Rogers had said in a radio
interview that he had no intention of playing for Chicago, as he
preferred to be close to his family in Southern California.
When the deal is finalized, Rogers would become the first openly gay
player to to sign for a major men's professional team in the United
States, as Jason Collins is a free agent.