Sports

Local physical therapy group offers relief

Therapists specially trained in athlete-specific techniques

Published

10 years ago

January 28, 2016

Kevin Majoros

Rose Bowe, gay news, Washington Blade, Rose Physical Therapy

Claire Bowe, front right, leading a group at Rose Physical Therapy. (Photo by Damon Bowe)

With many joining the LGBT sports community in D.C., the need to address the prevention of injuries and rehabbing injuries is more important than ever.

As an athlete, finding a facility that has experience with sports injuries is crucial to staying or getting back to training and competing. One such facility in D.C. is Rose Physical Therapy Group, located just off the Farragut North Metro stop.

Founded in 2013 by Claire Bowe and her husband Damon, the facility has grown to eight therapists with a second location coming soon. Originally from Oregon, Bowe had been working at other facilities and had a vision for what she wanted to accomplish when she set out on her own.

“I wanted to work with a higher skill set of clients,” Bowe says. “I tied that down right at the beginning that Rose PT would be a clinic for athletes.”

Focusing on that, the therapists at Rose PT are using techniques that can reduce the possibility of an athlete having to have surgery. Those techniques include Active Release Technique, Trigger Point Dry Needling and the McKenzie Method.

“We use diagnostic protocols that help delineate which tissue is involved, which helps point to the best treatment,” Bowe says. “I really wanted our focus to be on differentiating so we can get to the heart of the matter faster.”

Several of the LGBT-based sports teams have received support from Rose PT including TriOut, District Multisport and the District of Columbia Aquatics Club.

Just last week, District Multisport needed a place to try on its members’ new racing kits as a group and was welcomed at the Rose PT facility. It was exactly what Bowe was hoping to accomplish when creating the atmosphere for the clinic.

“We wanted to create something that was very nurturing and very familial,” Bowe says. “It is important for us to have a place for athletes to get well and a place where they can be comfortable.”

Another focus for the clinic is to keep athletes in their sport while they are rehabbing or training with pain. Bryan Frank receives race sponsorship from Rose PT and has taken advantage of its services while recovering from a dislocated shoulder after a bike crash.

“The therapists at Rose PT respect what you are trying to accomplish as an athlete and don’t expect you to stop training when you are injured,” Frank says. “They help us get back out there after solving the issue, not putting a Band-Aid on it.”

Frank also visits the clinic when he is healthy and has found its techniques useful with his racing.

“They have educated me on functional movement and other techniques they are trained in,” Frank says. “I usually go in before a big race for Active Release as it is thought to serve a greater purpose than just getting a massage.”

What the therapists offer at Rose PT are things that can’t be accomplished at home, though they give athlete exercises to complete on their own.

“There is a lot of hustle and bustle at the clinic and we want the athletes to feel taken care of,” Bowe says. “Our clients come in for their one-hour appointment and all of the focus is just on themselves.”

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Sports

‘Heated Rivalry’ stars to participate in Olympic torch relay

Games to take place next month in Italy

Published

7 days ago

January 23, 2026

Staff reports

(Photo courtesy of Crave HBO Max)

“Heated Rivalry” stars Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie will participate in the Olympic torch relay ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics that will take place next month in Italy.

HBO Max, which distributes “Heated Rivalry” in the U.S., made the announcement on Thursday in a press release.

The games will take place in Milan and Cortina from Feb. 6-22. The HBO Max announcement did not specifically say when Williams and Storrie will participate in the torch relay.

Sports

Capitals to host 10th annual Pride night

Pre-game block party planned at District E

Published

2 weeks ago

January 16, 2026

Tinashe Chingarande

(Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Washington Capitals will host Pride Night on Saturday, Jan. 17, when they host the Florida Panthers at Capital One Arena. A special ticket offer featuring a Pride-themed Capitals rainbow jersey is available at washcaps.com.

Fans are invited to a pre-game Block Party at District E beginning at 5 p.m. The event will feature a performance by the band NovaKane. Specialty happy hour food and beverages will be available, as well as giveaways. There will also be a presence by several local LGBTQ+ community organizations.

Egypt

Iran, Egypt object to playing in Seattle World Cup ‘Pride Match’

Game to take place on June 26

Published

2 months ago

December 11, 2025

Michael K. Lavers

(Photo by fifg/Bigstock)

Iran and Egypt have objected to playing in a “Pride Match” that will take place in Seattle during the 2026 World Cup.

The Egyptian Football Association on Tuesday said it told FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström in a letter that “it categorically rejects holding any activities related to supporting (homosexuality) during the match between the Egyptian national team and Iran, scheduled to be held in Seattle, USA, on June 26, 2026, in the third round of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup.” Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran President Mehdi Taj told ISNA, a semi-official Iranian news agency that both his country and Egypt “protested this issue.”

The 2026 World Cup will take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The draw took place at the Kennedy Center on Dec. 5.

Iran is among the handful of countries in which consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death.

The State Department’s 2023 human rights report notes that while Egyptian law “did not explicitly criminalize consensual same-sex sexual activity, authorities regularly arrested and prosecuted LGBTQI+ persons on charges including ‘debauchery,’ prostitution, and ‘violating family values.’” Egyptian authorities “also reportedly prosecuted LGBTQI+ individuals for ‘misuse of social media.’”

“This resulted in de facto criminalization of same-sex conduct and identity,” notes the report.

The 2024 human rights report the State Department released earlier this year did not include LGBTQ-specific references.

Soccer has ‘unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs’

The June 26 match between Iran and Egypt coincides with Seattle Pride. The Washington Post reported the Seattle FIFA World Cup 2026 Local Organizing Committee decided to hold the “Pride Match” before last week’s draw.

“As the Local Organizing Committee, SeattleFWC26’s role is to prepare our city to host the matches and manage the city experience outside of Seattle Stadium,” said SeattleFWC26 Vice President of Communications Hana Tadesse in a statement the committee sent to the Washington Blade on Wednesday. “SeattleFWC26 is moving forward as planned with our community programming outside the stadium during Pride weekend and throughout the tournament, partnering with LGBTQ+ leaders, artists, and business owners to elevate existing Pride celebrations across Washington.”

“Football has a unique power to unite people across borders, cultures, and beliefs,” added Tadeese. “The Pacific Northwest is home to one of the nation’s largest Iranian-American communities, a thriving Egyptian diaspora, and rich communities representing all nations we’re hosting in Seattle. We’re committed to ensuring all residents and visitors experience the warmth, respect, and dignity that defines our region.”

The 2034 World Cup will take place in Saudi Arabia.

Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain punishable by death in the country. The 2022 World Cup took place in neighboring Qatar, despite concerns over the country’s anti-LGBTQ rights record.