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.
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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. “That it could become weird in the locker room for some, that they imagine things, fixate on my homosexuality, no longer dare to go to shower in my presence, or whatever.”
But those worries didn’t come to fruition. Del Valle’s interview was well received.
“While I thought I was doing something nice and special for myself, I didn’t realize how much more I was doing for others like me,” he wrote on Facebook afterwards. “I wanted to use this platform not to tell the world my story or who I am. But to try to inspire other people, kids, especially athletes that don’t have anyone to look up to.”
Now 35 years old, it’s apparent that Del Valle is living his best life. He’s enjoying success on the court, and traveling away from it.
Plus, he’s never afraid to throw a few shirtless pics on the gram.
Despite playing for 13 pro seasons, Del Valle still exudes passion for the game. His career arc hasn’t been linear: he’s played for six different clubs.
But along the way, he’s never lost his belief in himself.
“People will quit on you. You gotta get up every day and make sure you never quit on yourself,” he posted last April, with a celebratory pic.
Del Valle wrapped up his third season in Portugal last spring; and though his team didn’t ultimately win the championship, he was proud of their accomplishments.
“THERE’S NO FAILURE IN SPORTS. You know there’s good days, bad days, some days you are able to be successful, some days you are not. Some days is your turn and some days it’s not your turn and that’s what sports is about. You don’t always win, some other people are going to win too. And that’s ok,” he wrote on Instagram.
“I am grateful to have share the court with so many great players and incredible teammates that have become like my family. Thank you to the club and everyone that has made this whole experience unforgettable,” he added.
It’s hard to believe that just a few years prior, Del Valle was concerned about his teammates rejecting him. The opposite appears to have happened.
He’s at the center of nearly every team photo!
At their core, team sports are about perseverance and collaboration. As a standout at Penn State and member of Puerto Rico’s national team, Del Valle is blessed with natural talent.
But that doesn’t mean his path has been easy. He’s stuck with his dream and found success, even if it didn’t always arrive as imagined.
“As you grow older, you stop chasing the big things and start valuing the little things,” he said. “Alone time, enough sleep, long walks, good laughs and quality time with loved ones. Simplicity becomes the ultimate goal.”
As Del Valle has experienced, success isn’t guaranteed. But he’s certainly entering the playoffs in the right headspace.
May another celebratory team photo be in his future, with or without a championship.
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Mmmmm
scotty
concur. Mmmmmmm, always did have a thing for volleyballers. Hola amigo
nm4047
He can play ball with me anytime. 🙂