2012 Power List: Locals who made a difference this year

The Denver Gay and Lesbian Flag Football League

Jonathan Marquez and Mollie Lehmen

The Denver Gay and Lesbian Flag Football League is Denver’s fastest-growing LGBT sports league, recognized for bringing gay men and lesbians together, contributing to women’s equality in LGBT sports, and its successful efforts to bring the national 2012 Gay Bowl to Colorado.

Sports play a central role in American culture – inspiring community pride, better fitness and a bit of healthy competition.

This hasn’t always been the case, though, in the LGBT community. Gay sports leagues are recently rising in popularity, clear in part through the rapid expansion of organizations like the Denver Gay and Lesbian Flag Football League, commissioner of the DGLFFL Jonathon Marquez said.

The DGLFFL invites players regardless of experience and skill level. Organizers strive for a community based on health, fitness, camaraderie and family.

Marquez said his belief in community drove him to invest his time and energy. “I talk to people who had few friends in the community [before they joined the league] and now, they have 300 friends,” Marquez said. “People who weren’t previously engaged now are, and use that as a platform to gain connections in other areas of interest. This league really is a family; we are involved with each other beyond just football.”

Marquez said he initially came across some doubt that the DGLFFL would take off. But just four and a half years later, the Denver league has 280 players and just added its 20th team.

“Literally, by word of mouth, we continued to grow,” Marquez said. “Now, we can finally financially support individuals who can’t afford registration, who want to play and be in the league. And we are continuing to expand our presence, and philosophy of good and healthy community through sports and team-building. I’m very proud of that and how far we’ve come.”

Denver’s league is now the fifth-largest gay and lesbian flag football league in the nation, built on devotion of organizers like Marquez, and by Mollie Lehmen, co-director of the Denver Gay Bowl – the national tournament that was successfully brought to Denver over the weekend of Sept. 21. The event brought more than 600 players on 40 teams.

Though Lehmen is a longtime athlete, she said she believes the league should be built on community rather than skill.

“I’m touched by the personal ‘coming out’ stories and challenges of my LGBT footballers and friends,” Lehmen said. “This league is not about how good you are, how fast you are, or how well you can catch the ball. It is all about being authentic and making meaningful connections through the sport of flag football. The ability to be authentic is an amazing freedom and this is exactly the message that I want everyone to feel.”