When St. Louis high school football star Jake Bain came out openly as gay in December, he never thought that less than two months later he would be honored by the NHL’s St. Louis Blues as their hometown hero.

The Blues honored Bain as part of the team’s LGBT pride night celebration Tuesday.

“Anyone can be gay and the fact that the Blues are being able to take this opportunity to show that is a really special moment,” he told a local TV station.

Bain was Missouri’s Class 3 Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore, state champ as a junior and team captain as a senior. This fall he will play football for Indiana State University, a Division I school.

Since coming out, Bain has spoken at various events about his struggles of coming out, the acceptance he has found and the encouragement he gives other LGBT people who are facing a similar dilemma. It’s awesome that the Blues recognized the difference he is making.

“My goal has always been to show the generation of kids that come after me that it’s OK to be whoever you want to be” he said.

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