our Diversity

As the vision for PCFC began to clarify in 2013 it became clear that not only did PCFC need to be accessible to athletes and families from low-income communities but there was also an opportunity to make sure that athletes, coaches and families from the LGBTQ community had a place to feel welcomed and accepted. The motivation for this particular outreach came specifically from our Founding Executive Director, Kaig Lightner identifying as a queer, transgender man and a member of the LGBTQ community. He strongly believes that no youth, parent or coach should ever feel excluded or discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. In 2017 Kaig publicly came out to the players in a video that ended up going viral around the globe.

While LGBTQ acceptance is becoming more common in the population at large it is still not an idea that is widely accepted in the sports community, particularly within youth athletics. PCFC is dedicated to providing a safe and inclusive environment while also giving athletes the opportunity to build their skills, make new friends and love the beautiful game of football. We are the first youth soccer club in Portland to have an open acceptance policy for LGBTQ+ players, coaches, and families.