Gus Johnston: The reality of homophobia in sport GUS JOHNSTON was a champion hockey goalkeeper. A gutsy player who regularly put his body on the line for his team, Johnston represented Victoria for 12 years. While his striking red hair and natural ability made him a big identity in his sport, he was little known outside hockey circles. Until last month, that is, when he posted an emotional video on YouTube in which he outed himself as gay. In the 12-minute film, which he called The Reality of Homophobia in Sport , Johnston looks the viewer in the eye as he says: ''I'm a writer, art director, filmmaker and a hockey goalkeeper. I'm also a gay man - and that's something I never thought I would say in such a public forum ... ''I regret immensely that I wasn't strong enough as a leader, that I didn't step up when I was playing and share this about myself,'' he says, explaining that he has done so 10 months after retiring to let young gay athletes know they are not alone and to alert the broader sporting community that gossip and ''jokes'' peddled in locker rooms are homophobic and hurtful. Setting the record straight ... hockey player Gus Johnston came out on YouTube last month. Photo: Craig Sillitoe Posting an email address at the end of his YouTube clip enabled hundreds of people to send him their congratulations, among them an AFL coach and several players. Advertisement ''I went from someone