The Quakes play at the Yerba Buena Ice Skating Center as part of the San Francisco Adult Hockey League. With the return, the team unveiled a new look last month against the Pride of the San Jose Sharks. The new logo pays homage to the Sharks, a longtime ally of the home city, and features a pink triangle and progress arrow, symbols of pride.
The Quakes' comeback comes at a time when the NHL is grappling with ways to become more inclusive. The league banned themed jerseys in June 2023 during Pride Month. In October of the same year, Pride tape on hockey sticks was banned. The NHL rescinded the rule after players and fans criticized the move.
Despite these controversies within the league, the Sharks have been vocal supporters of the LGBTQ+ community, particularly the Quakes. They regularly welcome queer hockey teams to the SAP Center for friendly scrimmages and free coaching by Sharks head coach David Quinn.
“They did a great job on Pride Night,” says Keenan Flaherty, 58, who has been a member of the Quakes for 20 years. “The Sharks' approach seemed to be more of a substantive approach than pinkwashing or jumping on a bandwagon. They came to us and said, 'How do you want to do this year's Pride in a way that works for them? ?”said.”
Flaherty got his start on the ice at the age of four. Hockey was part of his family's history. He is from Minnesota, known as the “Hockey State.” Although he had not yet left the club at the time, he quit the sport in eighth grade because he felt that being more effeminate was less welcome than the other boys on the team.
He came out at age 22 and soon after moved to San Francisco, where he first discovered the Quakes and the Gay Games. For Flaherty and many other team members, Quakes and gaming provided a safe space for LGBTQ+ people and allies alike to play in an industry that can sometimes be hostile.
“That's part of our origins,” Flaherty said. “Many of us, when we were young, felt like we didn't have a good, safe, healthy place to participate. We hope that our presence can help turn things around. I did.”
The team is made up of cisgender, transgender and gender diverse members, mostly middle-aged, with a few athletes in their early 60s. The Quakes welcomes a variety of experience levels, and this has been part of the team's philosophy since its inception. However, the team largely ceased to function due to the pandemic about a year ago. With recruiting help from the Sharks, the next generation of his LGBTQ+ hockey players are finding their way to the Quakes.
“I couldn't imagine that a team like this wouldn't exist anymore, or that there wouldn't be a team like this in the United States,” said Joey Marcacci, a 23-year-old gay athlete who has played ice hockey since he was a child. says. “That's very important.”
