In the Cambridge Dictionary, a "captain" is traditionally defined as a "person in command of a ship". And while this may be an aspirational role for Samantha Naus being a Royal Canadian Navy Reservist currently stationed for basic training at HMCS York, they are currently exemplifying one of the many definitions of the word as captain of the Ryerson women's soccer team.

To be a captain, many would say it requires traits that stem from self-confidence, security, and having a strong character. These are qualities that Sam Naus is proud to possess today, but being an out athlete throughout their adolescence came with challenges that certainly put some of those traits into question.  

"It started in grade nine. That was the first time I ever heard those slurs used towards me," said Naus when naming off the words they have heard on the soccer field. 

Naus played both high level soccer and hockey throughout their childhood, but said they ran into more problems with soccer due to hockey having the equipment to protect or hide certain physical traits. 

"Soccer is very out in the open," shared Naus, "and when I was younger I had short hair and bangs, which gave off a sort of masculine energy. So, I got picked on by other teams a lot for that." 

"They would call me a couple inappropriate words to get under my skin, and when I got to a certain point I was like, 'Why are they doing this? Why do they care?' but it was because I was getting under their skin (with my play) so they were trying to get under mine," they explained.

Despite the opposition's remarks, Naus' teammates and inner circle were very supportive throughout the years, and allowed them to combat those moments of adversity. "Usually on my own teams there were no issues. It was normalized right away."

The concept of "coming out" has been a topic of discussion in recent years, since it is viewed by many as a social construct that should not be something queer people have to go through in order to be accepted. However, others have embraced it and use it as a prideful declaration of who they are.

Naus noted that their coming out story was positive, with their friends and family being very accepting and the social media announcements having a positive reception as well.

"Looking back on it now," Naus continued, "it is definitely a social construct and you shouldn't have to come out and it should just be normalized. But if you want to go right ahead, nothing bad will come of it. You will just know who is there for you and who is not."

Naus expanded on how sports helped them become confident in who they are, saying, "After I would hear people calling me names, it got under my skin less and less. I would say to myself, 'they're doing this because they think it's an insecurity of mine', and it was at one point, but I got over it and it actually makes me a better player now that I am less insecure about who I am."

When looking ahead at what can be done in the sporting world to level the playing field and to continue to see improvements, Naus voiced that progress must be made in officiating the game of soccer. 

"There were some instances when I was called a slur and the referees would say things like, 'If I didn't hear it, I'm not doing anything about it,'" they recalled as a recurring example. 

"But other referees would go over and talk to the person that was in question or their coaches. I think we need more referees that do that and take it seriously. Especially because those slurs impact people's mental health on and off the field, and you don't know what that person's home life looks like."

Naus added that coaches and staff along with referees should be trained and educated on LGBTQ+ issues, if that is not being done already.

For some athletes, Ryerson's inclusive culture has swayed them into becoming a Ram, but for Naus it was more of a bonus that has grown into something they greatly appreciate.

"When I toured Ryerson and I saw the general inclusivity and the washroom policies for example, I thought that was really cool. It wasn't the main reason I became a Ram, but it was a huge plus compared to other schools."

Naus noted that Ryerson has "100 per cent" made them more comfortable with who they are and the same applies to the people around them. 

"Since Ryerson is one of the leaders in inclusivity, it has been a huge catalyst for not only me but a lot of my teammates in finding who they are as well."

When asked if they had any advice for someone who may be struggling to come out or simply be themselves, Naus shared, "Always do it (come out) when you feel the most comfortable. You're never going to be fully comfortable, but if you feel uncomfortable in an environment due to your coaching staff and/or teammates, then that's not the environment for you."

"For me," Naus expressed when concluding, "growing up in sports was a huge advantage in me coming out and being more comfortable with myself because everyone around me was very supportive. I really hope that people going into sports now have that and are feeling as safe as I did."

"Don't necessarily base your future on how people react on your coming out, and love yourself."