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Podcasts Take Two
LA Galaxy star Robbie Rogers, coming onto the field and out of the closet
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Dec 5, 2014
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LA Galaxy star Robbie Rogers, coming onto the field and out of the closet
When the LA Galaxy takes the field this weekend for US soccer's highest prize, Robbie Rogers will be on the field.
Robbie Rogers of the LA Galaxy was the first openly gay professional soccer player to come out. Rogers writes about what it was like to come out in his new book, "Coming Out to Play."
Robbie Rogers of the LA Galaxy was the first openly gay professional soccer player to come out. Rogers writes about what it was like to come out in his new book, "Coming Out to Play."
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Maya Sugarman/KPCC
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When the LA Galaxy takes the field this weekend for US soccer's highest prize, Robbie Rogers will be on the field.

When the LA Galaxy takes the field this weekend for US soccer's highest prize, Robbie Rogers will be on the field.

He may be just one of 10 other players for LA's team, but his path to Sunday's match is quite remarkable. He's played professionally in England, representing the US in the Olympics and becoming an MLS all-star. 

But for much of that time, he was hiding what for him was a deep secret: he is gay.

He came out in 2013, in a very public fashion, becoming the first openly gay athlete to play in US pro sports. But before he did so publicly, he came out to  his mother. He wrote her a letter talking about his sexuality, how he felt keeping it a secret and why he had to tell the truth.

He stopped by the studio to talk to host A Martinez about his new book,  "Coming Out To Play."

While he was in studio he read sections of the book, here is his favorite part - his letter to his mother where he told her he was gay. 

Excerpt From Coming Out to Play