Beach volleyball pro Alex Ukkelberg has spoken publicly about being gay after years of sharing that part of his life with family, friends and people in the sport. His account of growing up in a small Minnesota town, and learning to bring his identity and athletic ambitions together, offers a thoughtful reminder of what visibility can mean to younger LGBTQ+ athletes.
A long-awaited public moment
Ukkelberg had been out to people close to him for years, but sharing his story publicly was another step. In a video posted to social media, the 32-year-old reflected on growing up in Battle Lake, Minnesota, where he said being different felt like something to conceal. Out reported that he described believing, as a young athlete, that being gay and being a sportsman couldn't fit together.
That assumption took time to unpick. Ukkelberg said he thought he was straight until his second year of college, and that saying the words "I'm gay" aloud was difficult. His video traces a gradual shift from keeping quiet to accepting that he didn't have to choose between sport and identity. Outsports covered his public announcement and its personal significance. (Sources: Out, Outsports)
From small-town athlete to beach volleyball pro
As a youngster, Ukkelberg took part in track, basketball, baseball and football, and later worked in coaching as well as playing. His career has included coaching women's volleyball at St. Cloud State University, while his current sporting life includes professional beach volleyball. The university's staff listing confirms his coaching connection. (Sources: St. Cloud State Huskies, Outsports)
The jump from indoor courts to the sand is a familiar one in volleyball, but the sport's welcoming community can matter just as much as the change of surface. Outsports reported that Ukkelberg is friends with fellow out beach volleyball player Charlie Siragusa and belongs to a group chat for gay players. The wider beach circuit also has its own long-running traditions: the Laguna Beach Open marked its 70th anniversary in 2025. (Sources: Outsports, Daily Pilot, AVP)
Why coming out can take time
Ukkelberg said he'd been out for more than a decade, yet hadn't known how to talk about that experience online. He described going back and forth over whether to speak, worrying about saying the wrong thing and even feeling tempted to delete the video after posting it. That hesitation is a reminder that coming out isn't a single moment, and there's no one timetable that suits everyone. (Sources: Out, Outsports, Instagram post)
He also wrote about feeling judged in opposing directions: too gay for some people, not gay enough for others. Labels can be a poor fit, especially when they flatten a person's life into a stereotype. Ukkelberg's reflections are personal, but they speak to a broader pressure many LGBTQ+ people recognise: being expected to explain themselves before they're simply allowed to be known. (Sources: Out, Outsports, Instagram post)
Visibility can help the next generation
Ukkelberg said he hadn't set out to become a spokesperson, but felt it mattered to talk about his experience. He linked that choice to the younger version of himself, who might have benefited from seeing an athlete speak openly. It's a modest but powerful point: representation doesn't have to be a grand campaign to make a difference. (Sources: Out, Outsports, Instagram post)
For LGBTQ+ athletes, visible role models can help challenge the old idea that sport and queer identity don't belong together. The presence of out players across beach and indoor volleyball offers a more varied picture of who gets to compete and belong. And Ukkelberg's story leaves room for complexity: pride, uncertainty and the occasional urge to hit delete can all exist at once. (Sources: Outsports, Daily Pilot, AVP)
A story still unfolding
Ukkelberg has said he's still working out how to talk about his identity and his experience. That openness about not having every answer may be what makes the announcement resonate: it isn't polished into a neat, finished narrative. It's one athlete's account of finding a way to be fully himself in a world that once suggested he couldn't. (Sources: Out, Outsports)
Visibility doesn't require having everything figured out; sometimes, simply telling your story is enough.
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