Windy City Media Group Frontpage News

THE VOICE OF CHICAGO'S GAY, LESBIAN, BI, TRANS AND QUEER COMMUNITY SINCE 1985

home search facebook twitter join
Gay News Sponsor Windy City Times 2023-12-13
DOWNLOAD ISSUE
Donate

Sponsor
Sponsor
Sponsor

  WINDY CITY TIMES

THE SPORTING LIFE Drew Ladochi
by Ross Forman, Windy City Times
2018-12-11

This article shared 2646 times since Tue Dec 11, 2018
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email


Win or lose, Drew Ladochi always has fun playing gay sports—always.

Take, for instance, the registration parties for gay softball tournaments. Ladochi's teams are the ones wearing blue wigs.

"I wanted something we could do that would be fun and start our weekend off right," said Ladochi, who has 14 blue wigs in storage—for safe keeping.

Wigs have escalated into bubble guns, sidewalk chalk, crazy legging Sundays, and whatever blue thing they can find, he said. "My team knows I prefer for us to have fun and this keeps us in good spirits."

Ladochi, 33, lives in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood and is an operations partner for a Pearle Vision franchise that will be opening this winter in Chicago. He has lived in Chicago for eight years, moving here from Michigan.

His gay sports journey includes softball, kickball, beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, dodgeball and ultimate—all through the Chicago Metropolitan Sports Association ( CMSA ). He also has played bocce with Stonewall.

"I managed a [softball] team my first year playing because I was concerned I wouldn't be picked for a team. I was able to put all of my friends on one team, but I didn't really know what I was doing," Ladochi admitted with a smile. "We had several practices before our season started that helped us learn how to play.

"I started playing gay sports after I witnessed the fun I could be having. My friend played on a team that was really friendly and all LGBT. I wasn't comfortable playing sports growing up because I was bullied by the other boys. [But] I saw this as an opportunity to participate and have fun.

"My favorite thing about gay sports is that I've been able to meet some really great people. I moved to Chicago and didn't really know anyone. I took a chance on joining a random volleyball team that turned into my new crew here. We do a lot together now, including 'family' vacations and dinners."

Ladochi's sporting journey also has included walking with CMSA in this year's Pride Parade—with one of his blue wigs and crazy leggings, of course.

"It was awesome being able to see all that energy at the parade," he said. "It was entertaining watching the people on the CMSA float trying to get beads into people's windows and on balconies where people were watching the parade. Target-practice was the new sport we were playing that day."

Ladochi said his best sport is kickball, with basketball being his worst.

"I've become more confident in myself and have grown to love playing sports," he said.

Ladochi said he prefers to play third base in softball, but is willing to play anywhere, including on the bench, he said.

"I'm just here to have fun and get a couple games in," in the CMSA open Sunday softball league, he said.

"I started coaching in Chicago [in] 2012 with beach volleyball, followed by fall softball. I ended up coaching for dodgeball, kickball, [open Sunday] softball, and indoor volleyball over the years. I try to give people a chance on my teams if they want to join a league or try a sport. The only problem is making room for a new player when you already have a full roster. I am always willing to try and help a player find a team with the people I've met."

Extra innings with … Drew Ladochi

—Favorite pro sports team: Chicago Cubs

—Favorite pro athlete: Javier Baez

—Favorite pro sports stadium: "I don't really have one."

—If you could attend any pro sports event/game, what would it be?: "[The] Olympics, if that counts."


This article shared 2646 times since Tue Dec 11, 2018
facebook twitter pin it google +1 reddit email

Out and Aging
Presented By

  ARTICLES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Gay News

Red Stars start season with 2-0 win 2024-03-17
- On March 16, the Chicago Red Stars kicked off their 2024 campaign with a 2-0 road win over Utah Royals FC in the Royals' inaugural match back in the National Women's Soccer League. Ally Schlegel and ...


Gay News

College athletes sue NCAA over transgender policies 2024-03-15
- Former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines was among a group of college athletes who filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on March 14, accusing it of violating their Title IX rights by allowing trans swimmer Lia Thomas ...


Gay News

SPORTS Red Stars prepare to kick off NWSL season against Utah Royals 2024-03-15
- It's been a busy winter for the Red Stars, and it's time to put their work to the test. Following a last place finish in the 2023 NWSL season, Chicago has had an active offseason transforming ...


Gay News

Chicago Red Stars release 2024 roster 2024-03-13
- CHICAGO (March 13, 2024) — The Chicago Red Stars announced today their final roster ahead of the 2024 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) season. The club's roster is bolstered by an array of experience brought not ...


Gay News

Chicago Red Stars release midfielder Jill Aguilera 2024-03-12
--From a press release - CHICAGO (March 11, 2024) — The Chicago Red Stars today announced the release of midfielder, Jill Aguilera. "I want to thank Jill for her time with the Red Stars," said general manager, Richard Feuz. "Over her ...


Gay News

Trans golfer banned from competing 2024-03-08
- Transgender golfer Hailey Davidson spoke out on Instagram after the NXXT Women's Pro Tour suddenly announced on March 8 (International Women's Day) that participants must be "a biological female at birth" in order to compete—banning D ...


Gay News

Chicago Red Stars sign midfielder Leilanni Nesbeth 2024-03-06
Press release - CHICAGO (March 6, 2024) — The Chicago Red Stars announced the signing of draftee and midfielder Leilanni Nesbeth. Nesbeth, Chicago's first-round and tenth overall draft pick in the 2024 National ...


Gay News

Chicago Red Stars announce partnership with Wintrust 2024-02-27
Press release - CHICAGO (Feb. 27, 2024) — The Chicago Red Stars and Wintrust Financial Corporation announced a partnership that will see Wintrust become the club's new front-of-jersey partner and community outreach investment ...


Gay News

Chicago Bears hire first woman assistant coach 2024-02-21
- The Chicago Bears are hiring Jennifer King as an offensive assistant, according to The Chicago Sun-Times and other media outlets. She will be an assistant running backs coach. King—who will become the first female assistant coach ...


Gay News

Brittney Griner's jersey retired at Baylor University 2024-02-20
- On Feb. 18, Baylor University retired Brittney Griner's #42 jersey. Griner—a two-time AP national player of the year, two-time Olympic gold medalist and the NCAA women's career blocks leader (with 748)—attended a Bears home game ...


Gay News

Six Chicago Red Stars called for international play 2024-02-15
- CHICAGO (Feb. 15, 2024) — Six Chicago Red Stars—Jill Aguilera, Julia Bianchi, Sam Fisher, Natalia Kuikka, Alyssa Naeher and Mallory Swanson—have been called up to represent their respective countries during ...


Gay News

Republicans file bill to ban trans women from U.S. Olympic teams 2024-02-12
- Republicans in both houses of Congress have launched another effort to ban transgender women and girls from female sports teams—and this time, they are attempting to ban trans women from competing on U.S. Olympic teams ahead ...


Gay News

GLAAD finds missed chances for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Super Bowl ads 2024-02-12
--From a press release - Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024 — GLAAD is reacting to a lack of LGBTQ storytelling in ads that aired duringSuper Bowl LVIII on Feb. 11 and is reminding brands, corporations and advertising agencies why including the LGBTQ ...


Gay News

SHOWBIZ Raven-Symone, women's sports, Wayne Brady, Jinkx Monsoon, British Vogue 2024-02-09
- In celebration of Black History Month, the LA LGBT Center announced that lesbian entertainer Raven-Symone will be presented with the Center's Bayard Rustin Award at its new event, Highly Favored, per a press release. She joins ...


Gay News

GLAAD, NFL host third annual pre-Super Bowl event 'A Night of Pride' 2024-02-08
- On Feb. 7, LGBTQ+ media-advocacy organization GLAAD, along with The National Football League (NFL), hosted the third annual "A Night of Pride" at Caesar's Palace in Super Bowl LVIII's host city of Las Vegas, a press ...


 


Copyright © 2024 Windy City Media Group. All rights reserved.
Reprint by permission only. PDFs for back issues are downloadable from
our online archives.

Return postage must accompany all manuscripts, drawings, and
photographs submitted if they are to be returned, and no
responsibility may be assumed for unsolicited materials.

All rights to letters, art and photos sent to Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago
Gay and Lesbian News and Feature Publication) will be treated
as unconditionally assigned for publication purposes and as such,
subject to editing and comment. The opinions expressed by the
columnists, cartoonists, letter writers, and commentators are
their own and do not necessarily reflect the position of Nightspots
(Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature Publication).

The appearance of a name, image or photo of a person or group in
Nightspots (Chicago GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times
(a Chicago Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender News and Feature
Publication) does not indicate the sexual orientation of such
individuals or groups. While we encourage readers to support the
advertisers who make this newspaper possible, Nightspots (Chicago
GLBT Nightlife News) and Windy City Times (a Chicago Gay, Lesbian
News and Feature Publication) cannot accept responsibility for
any advertising claims or promotions.

 
 

TRENDINGBREAKINGPHOTOS







Sponsor


 



Donate


About WCMG      Contact Us      Online Front  Page      Windy City  Times      Nightspots
Identity      BLACKlines      En La Vida      Archives      Advanced Search     
Windy City Queercast      Queercast Archives     
Press  Releases      Join WCMG  Email List      Email Blast      Blogs     
Upcoming Events      Todays Events      Ongoing Events      Bar Guide      Community Groups      In Memoriam     
Privacy Policy     

Windy City Media Group publishes Windy City Times,
The Bi-Weekly Voice of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans Community.
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640-2113 • PH (773) 871-7610 • FAX (773) 871-7609.