2022 Out100 Honorees Changing the Game in Sports – Out Magazine

When Will Hackner organized a game of capture the flag with his friend Andrew in 2007, he never expected it would lead him to a full-time career in recreational sports. Soon after the game, Hackner created Varsity Gay League, the nation’s first queer recreational sports league. Fifteen years later, VGL has grown to include 40,000 LGBTQ+ athletes across 20 cities and is the largest LGBTQ+ recreational sports league in the country.

In the last year, VGL has had a lot of growth and success, which includes putting together their own Flag Football League with the support of the Los Angeles Rams, producing six tournaments, partnering with One Magical Weekend in Orlando during Disney Gay Days, and shooting a Netflix special. 

The highlight for Hackner, however, was partnering with McDonald’s, which made VGL the first queer group of its kind to be recognized by the company. “I grew up hunting for Happy Meal Toys, and caring McDonald’s Halloween Buckets for trick-or-treating, and we ate at McDonald’s 3x a week in high school,” said Hackner. “Now, my friends and I can say we are part of the McDonald’s family, and that’s beyond exciting.”

In 2023, Hackner has big plans for the company, which include renaming and rebranding the entire organization as well as more tournaments, cities, and programs across the country. He also hopes to continue building community.

“Over the past 15 years, I think what I’ve discovered is I am community builder who has found a different way to bridge queer people — of all sexes and genders, non-genders — and our straight friends to simply have fun and play together,” says Hackner. “Through this process, people make relationships, friendships, marriages, births, social lives, and work opportunities all through the prism of a nonjudgmental, open community.”