Episode 26: Johnny Valentine

This month we sit down and chat with Johnny Valentine from Arizona Legacy Pride Hockey Association (ALPHA).

We talk about growing up in Pittsburgh, hyper Christianity, navigating sexuality, finding hockey, joining APLHA and so much more.

00:44 Intro

01:23 Welcoming Johnny Valentine

02:88 Is Phoenix a progressive city

03:27 APLHA & political climate

04:17 Johnny Valentine growing up

05:56 Wrestling shaped Johnny

08:45 Growing up knowing bi-curious

09:34 Hyper Christianity

12:16 Blue collar work as a queer person

14:38 Meeting husband online

17:27 How do you look back on growing up/sexuality

19:10 Life experiences and how is shapes within ALPHA

20:16 Connection to Australia

21:45 Covid and the journey to Arizona and ALPHA

25:00 Too weird to play out

26:23 Who are ALPHA

28:46 Has ALPHA got a gauge on people of colour with organisation

29:38 How many scholarships

30:10 ALPHA acceptance within Phoenix and Arizona

32:30 ALPA collaborations with other organisations

34:33 Saguaro Cup

36:09 Who are the Growlers

37:45 Impact on hockey with Coyotes leaving

42:04 Joining the ALPHA Board

43:23 Safety, Health and Mental Health at ALPHA

45:09 Biggest changes when people join ALPHA

48:08 Spicy calendar

50:31 What's on the horizon for ALPHA

52:36 Where to ALPHA

53:22 Proudest moment within queer hockey

55:57 Outro

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ALPHA Links:

https://www.azpridehockey.org/

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Links for goalie plays:

https://www.tiktok.com/@johnnyboycade

https://www.instagram.com/johnnyboycade/