Gilbert emigrated to the US in 1992. Gilbert never skated before coming to the American side of the pond. After a crash course in Basic Hockey from September to December 1999 at Sky Rink, he purchased his first set of hockey gear and took to finding a team. Gilbert accepted the invitation of some of his Hockey Prep classmates to join the NYC Gay Hockey Association, becoming one of its straight members. Gilbert relates, I have played sports on many teams, as a group, I have never had such good teammates.