A post shared by Dennis (@delvalle427)Dennis Del Valle is still going strong. The out gay pro volleyball player is ending his 13th season with a trip to the playoffs, capping off a promising campaign that began with a Swiss Super Cup win. The Puerto Rican native has spent the bulk of his career playing in Europe, with stints in Switzerland, Portugal and Finland.His current club, Chênois Genève, is based in Switzerland.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter for a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.Del Valle is ready for the challenge!A post shared by Dennis (@delvalle427)The Penn State alumnus publicly came out as gay in 2020, while he was a member of the Puerto Rican national team. He said he came out in the hope of inspiring other LGBTQ+ athletes to follow in his footsteps. “Now is the time to speak,” he said in an interview with the Swiss website 24 hours.
“There are lots of young athletes who live in secret, in Switzerland and elsewhere. … I hope they will say to themselves: ‘Why not me?’ Maybe I could change someone’s life. My speech could allow some to gain confidence, to feel safer, not to stop [playing a] sport for fear of rejection.”There aren’t many out gay players in the elite levels of men’s volleyball.
Besides Del Valle, the biggest name might be Olympian Douglas Souza, who captured a gold medal for Brazil at the Rio Games. He was the only out male volleyball player at the Tokyo Olympics, alongside four women. At the collegiate level, UCLA standout Merrick McHenry is a rising star, and coming off a championship season.
Due to the lack of representation, Del Valle says he was uncertain about the reaction he would receive as an out gay player. His biggest fear, like many athletes, was alienating his teammates. “I especially didn’t want to break the chemistry of the team,” he said.
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