Matt Lind brings a long and successful family slapshot to the Chicago Gay Hockey Association ( CGHA ), which he joined last fall after learning from some friends that there was such a club in Chicago after moving here in 2012 from Washington D.C.
He didn't immediately join the CGHA because it had been a few years since he'd played and initially wasn't interested. "Eventually I realized that I missed playing and thought it would be a good idea to give it a shot; a few of the guys were able to convince me to come out and skate in a game on a random weeknight and it was a ton of fun," Lind said.
Lind, 27, started skating when he was 4 or 5 years-old. He's the oldest of three boys in his family, and his dad taught all of them to skate at a young age. "Our weekends growing up were mostly spent at the [ice] rink," he said.
Lind played hockey growing up in the Chicago area, with stints on clubs based in Bridgeview and later in Orland Park. He also started refereeing hockey around age 13, which he continued even after he stopped playing in high school.
"My brothers were younger and continued to play, so I've always been close to the sport in one way or another," Lind said.
Lind, originally from Homer Glen, grew up playing forward, mostly left wing. He is now a defenseman for the CGHA, skating for the 95th Red Liners in a league at McFetridge Ice Rink on Chicago's north side. He shoots left-handed and sports jersey No. 25.
His brother Kevin also wore No. 25, as a defenseman for Notre Dame. Yes, that's the University of Notre Dame—and Kevin is now skating for the Utah Grizzlies, a minor league affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks that plays in the East Coast Hockey League ( ECHL ).
Matt is gay; Kevin is straight.
"I think [playing for the CGHA] is beneficial in that it brings together the sport of hockey and the LGBT community—two groups that in my experience don't naturally coexist all that often," Lind said. "It's no secret that many LGBT athletes feel uncomfortable with their sexuality in the context of team sports; this is an organization where you can truly not have to worry about any of that kind of stuff. Whether you've played before or are looking to learn, there's a spot for you. They've really fine-tuned the organization to be inclusive of all types of players and levels of skill and competition."
Lind admitted that he missed the camaraderie of team sports when he skated away from the sport. Now back, he said, "it's great to have a set of friends that share a similar interest in hockey, but come from different walks of life. Outside the rink, there is a great built-in social element because of those commonalities we share."
Lind's hockey roots also stretch to Jeremy Roenick and Chris Chelios, two former superstars for the Chicago Blackhawks, among other teams in their Hall of Fame careers. Lind learned from the two, and other Hawks, at charity hockey camps. "We literally spent most of the week with our favorite hockey players—[at] practices, scrimmages, dry land [training], everything—and it was only [when] I was older that I realized how amazing that was," he said.
THE STATS
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Job title: Senior consultancy analyst at Mintel, a market research firm
Age: 27
Education: Graduated from Lockport H. S. in 2005, U. of Notre Dame in 2009
Hobbies: Golf, skiing, running, and "spoiling my dog."
Favorite TV show: The Simpsons
Favorite movie: Mean Girls
Favorite pizza toppings: Sausage and peppers
Preferred drink at a bar: Vodka soda or an IPA
Favorite NHL team: Chicago Blackhawks
Little-known fact: "I was an intern at the White House in 2010."
