St. Mary High School, a Catholic school in Dell Rapids, S.D., has decided to keep openly gay volleyball coach Nate Alfson. Alfson came out publicly on Outsports last week. Alfson also coaches a club baseball team featuring various athletes from the school.

Alfson sent this email to Outsports Tuesday night after learning the school would keep him on as its baseball coach:

The meeting with the school went great. We talked about being on the same page as each other and that they were willing to walk through this with me and support me. They want me to be their volleyball coach again and that I was a great role model to the athletes.

I couldn't be happier that they are supportive and want me to be a part of the coaching team. It's a sense of relief to be able to move forward and focus on volleyball and the girls. This season is about them and the hard work they put in. The support has been amazing and I can't wait to live a free life!

Various coaches have been fired by Christian universities and high schools in the past after coming out. This is an incredibly positive statement by the school to stand by their coach and work through any issues together. Big kudos to them for bucking the trend, and congratulations to Alfson for being true to himself.

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