![\"my-king-johnson\"](\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.towleroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/my-king-johnson.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nHigh school student My-King Johnson<\/a>, who came out as gay<\/a> earlier this year, has been awarded by the Arizona Republic<\/em> with its Courage Award. <\/span><\/p>\n The Arizona Wildcats recruit, who came out in <\/span>profile in the Arizona Daily Star<\/span><\/a> in February, will be the first openly gay<\/a> football scholarship player in the NCAA<\/span><\/p>\n Speaking to <\/span>Outsports<\/b><\/a>, Arizona Republic sports editor Mark Faller said:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cMy-King Johnson was one of three finalists for the Courage Award, which we present to student-athletes who show strength in the face of difficult or trying circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe other two finalists had their own challenges. One quarterbacked a football game two days after the unexpected death of his father. The other stood up to racist taunts directed at him at a basketball game.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThis is the second season of our program, which is a year-long salute to the best in high school sports culminating with a spring awards show. For all of our awards we canvass the state for nominees, select three finalists, then the staff votes to choose a winner, which is announced at the event.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n When he plays for Arizona this fall, Johnson will become the first openly gay<\/a> player in college football\u2019s FBS division.<\/p>\n He did not attend the awards ceremony because the invitation ended up in his school coach\u2019s spam folder.<\/span><\/p>\n Watch an Arizona Wildcats profile of Johnson below.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The post Gay High School Football Player My-King Johnson Wins Courage Award for Coming Out<\/a> appeared first on Towleroad<\/a>.<\/p>\nRELATED:\u00a0Late Football Star Aaron Hernandez\u2019s Lawyers Deny Gay Prison Romance Rumors: VIDEO<\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n