Page 15 - BEQ Magazine Iss 21 rev01072022

“I was so nervous moving to Bowling Green, because
Bowling Green, among other things, is known for
hosting the National Tractor Pull Championship every

year. So that was the first thing I learned about Bowling
Green. And I thought, Oh, my gosh, what is that going to
be like, but I kid you not. I still remember, driving down

on the main street in Bowling Green when I arrived
from the airport. And immediately I was like, wow, this,
this is going to be home and it felt like home. And that

feeling never really left.”

CREDIT: ANDREA D . SMITH

Hamburg

Bowling Green
more than 40 Olympic and operate well in,” he said. “Working with young
Paralympic athletes. The leaders – and athletes especially – who are eager
recommendations he helped to change the world is among the most rewarding
develop for the Council have aspects of my job. This new wave of athlete activists
led the USOPC to no longer gives me hope and energizes me in my own work.”
sanction athletes who choose In addition to teaching, Kluch is in the process
to protest for racial and social of launching a research lab focused on athlete
justice during the Olympic and activism and leadership with his friend and col-
Paralympic Games. league Dr. Tomika Ferguson. The Athlete Activism
“Playing a part in these his- & Leadership Lab (AALL) will provide a space for
toric developments at the highest research on activism in leadership and sport and
level of U.S. sport has definitely also serve as an outlet to translate that research to
been one of the biggest honors of my inform the industry, shape policy and governance
career,” he said. “My goal is to continue and empower athletes to become activists for social
this trajectory and drive change in sport on justice.
a global scale.” Less than 10 years after moving to the United
In May 2021, Kluch accepted a position as Assis- States, Kluch found his passion and turned it into
tant Professor for Sport Leadership and Director a career that is bringing about meaningful, sustain-
of Outreach & Inclusive Excellence in the Center able change.
for Sport Leadership at Virginia Commonwealth “These past few years have been such a trans-
University in Richmond, Virginia. VCU hosts one of formational journey for me – especially as a queer WATCH
the top sport leadership graduate programs in the man in sport,” he said. “And while I am very proud BEQTV
world. of what I’ve accomplished so far, I feel like I’m just
BEQ Pride Interview of
“Our program at VCU is one where innovation getting started.” Yannik Kluch.
thrives, and that includes innovation in the DEI Visit yannickkluch.com to learn more about his
space. That’s exactly the kind of environment I work. 

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