Alex Valvo ’16, MSA ’18, an ice hockey referee with NCAA Division I, NCAA Division III and USA Hockey, shared his coming out story with outsports.com. Valvo describes how he found a community of support at Canisius and from his fellow officials.
“One would think that attending a Catholic school would drive me even further into the closet,” said Valvo. “In fact it did the opposite. In my four years at Canisius I was exposed to a world I never got to experience at my rural high school. I met people who were openly gay and proud of it. They weren’t social outcasts; they were actually fun to hang out with.”
Valvo also found support from his fellow officials. “The fears I had about coming out to everyone were erased in just one night. I could finally officiate a game without a huge weight on my shoulders.”
“No current or former NHL player has ever come out as gay,” added Valvo. He said his intention in sharing his story was to inspire hope for young hockey players or hockey officials struggling with their sexuality.
A graduate assistant with the college’s Office of Event Services, Valvo will receive a master’s degree in sport administration during Wednesday’s graduate commencement.
Read more here.
Submitted by: College Communications
