Stephen Alexander always excelled in sports. During his high school years, he played softball, tennis, basketball, volleyball, and soccer, and collectively, his teams won six state championships. He was well liked by his teammates, and over the course of his high school career, won multiple MVP awards. There was only one problem. All of these achievements were made while playing on girls’ teams, and Alexander identified as male.

During college, Alexander came out to his family and began the journey of transitioning. Shortly thereafter, he moved to New York, where he spent time with writers, artists, and activists who also identified as trans/non-binary. After his sister had a baby, Stephen returned home to Rhode Island in order to be the uncle he dreamed he could be.

It wasn’t long before Alexander heard about a middle school nearby that needed someone to coach its soccer team. He filled that role and soon found himself coaching the school’s basketball, baseball, and tennis teams too. Coaching high school soccer, volleyball, and tennis soon followed.

In 2013, OutSports profiled Alexander, calling him “America’s First Publicly Out Transgender High School Coach.” The story went viral, and Alexander soon saw himself talked about in various news outlets. Nervous at first that there might be a backlash, he was pleasantly surprised when all the coverage seemed to be positive. He was even named one of Sports Illustrated’s “Trailblazers of the Year” in 2014, and the high school he had attended inducted him into their Athletic Hall of Fame.

In response to all the love and support he received after coming out on the national stage, Alexander became a public speaker, helping schools and organizations better understand issues related to diversity in sports and education. He spends his time promoting inclusivity for all, and stands by his mantra: Everyone Can Play.