‘Dive’ into volleyball: Local gay man launches inclusive sports center in Ballpark neighborhood

The Dive Volleyball and Sports Center (Dive) is the city’s newest sports center providing competitive and fun indoor volleyball for all. Dive was established by Shane Speciale, a long-time Colorado resident whose background in the IT field includes founding his own public health software development company.

Speciale began playing volleyball over 8 years ago with the Colorado Gay Volleyball Association (CGVA), an organization that provides volleyball leagues and player education to the LGBT community. CGVA only offered spring and fall seasons at the time, but Speciale formed his own summer league, which has evolved into the many leagues Dive currently offers.

Once he started directing leagues, Speciale realized the difficulty in running successful programs. Fed up with having to change facilities nearly every season, play at inconvenient times in poorly located gyms, and continuously increasing costs, Speciale saw an opportunity to open a facility dedicated to adult indoor volleyball in the Denver Metro Area.

Dive is located at 2335 Delgany Street, a few blocks from downtown and the new Union Station light rail terminus, as well as a couple minutes from both I-25 and I-70. Within its walls, there are 4 regulation-sized courts, a concession space, and a viewing area for spectators.

More importantly, Dive offers a safe and welcoming atmosphere, an environment where everyone who walks through the door is treated equally and with respect. Speciale has infused a zero-tolerance policy for any behavior contradicting those principles. With one gay-focused league and two gay-owned third-party organizations using Dive, people of many walks of life enter the facility and each one is as welcome as the next.

Find more information about Dive at divevolleyball.com.