David Testo

David Testo (born August 7, 1981) is an American retired soccer player who, after his playing career ended in 2011, became the first male American professional player of that sport to come out as gay.[1] Testo played professionally from 2003 to 2011, including two years in with the Columbus Crew from 2004 to 2005. He began his career with the Richmond Kickers, and also played for the Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact before he was released by the Impact in 2011. He played collegiately for South Carolina and North Carolina.

David Testo
Testo with the Montreal Impact in 2009
Personal information
Full name David Testo
Date of birth (1981-08-07) August 7, 1981
Place of birth Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S.
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
1999–2000 South Carolina Gamecocks
2001–2002 North Carolina Tar Heels
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003 Richmond Kickers 28 (6)
2004–2005 Columbus Crew 33 (1)
2006–2007 Vancouver Whitecaps 34 (6)
2007–2011 Montreal Impact 83 (3)
Total 178 (16)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of June 4, 2011

Career

College

After a standout prep career at Asheville, North Carolina's TC Roberson High School, where he was named the North Carolina state player of the year in 1998, Testo played his first and second years of college soccer at the University of South Carolina, where he registered six goals and 11 assists in 33 games. After his sophomore season, Testo moved to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he emerged as a major force, helping lead the Tar Heels to an NCAA Championship his junior season. Testo was named to the All-ACC second team both his seasons at UNC, after scoring 11 goals and six assists as a junior, and seven goals and nine assists as a senior.[2]

Professional

Upon graduating from college, Testo went undrafted in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft despite his experience with the youth U.S. national teams. Testo signed with the Richmond Kickers, with whom he made an immediate impact, playing in 28 games and scoring six goals. For his performance, Testo was named the A-League's 2003 Rookie of the Year.[3]

After his performance in the A-League, he joined the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. Due to many injuries, Testo was sidelined; however, he received more action in 2005. After ending that season with a goal and multiple assists, Testo was released. He then signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps.[4]

He was named Newcomer of the Year and was second in team scoring (seven goals, seven assists) behind Joey Gjertsen (13 goals, seven assists) while playing both as a striker and in his preferred midfield positions equally well. Testo assisted on both Whitecaps goals scored in the final five minutes of OT in the USL semifinal match on September 24 when the Caps defeated Montreal 2–0 to earn a spot in the USL championship game against Rochester on September 30.

The Whitecaps became the first team in USL history to win a championship game on the road as they withstood a fifteen-minute all-out attack by the Rhinos to start the game and then dominated their hosts to win 3–0 before 10,000 partisan and rain-soaked fans. The 'Caps scored 11 goals and only surrendered one (on a free kick) in five playoff games and one OT period. Vancouver's second goal in this game was a result of Testo's pass to Gjertsen who one-timed it to a charging Tony Donatelli; Tony held on for an interminable two seconds before powering it home to the back of the net. Testo earned an assist on the final goal with a pass to Matondo who scored easily to end all doubt. Testo started celebrating by running into the stands to hug his mother who had come up from North Carolina to join a small but vocal contingent of Whitecaps supporters.

Testo was traded to the Montreal Impact on July 26, 2007, along with Joey Gjertsen for Alen Marcina, and Zé Roberto. He recorded his first goal for Montreal on August 1, 2007, against Carolina Railhawks. During the 2008 USL season Testo played in 20 matches for the Impact, and scored one goal against Miami FC on July 18, 2008. In the 2008 Canadian Championship he appeared in all four matches for the Impact, and scored a goal in 2–0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps. He helped the Impact qualify for the first time for the CONCACAF Champions League by winning the Canadian Championship. During the club's playoff run Testo scored in the quarterfinal match against Portland Timbers.

During the 2009 USL season Testo contributed by helping the Impact clinch a playoff spot under new head coach Marc Dos Santos. He recorded his first playoff goal in the quarterfinal match against Charleston Battery. The match resulted in 2–1 victory for the Impact, and allowing the Impact to advance to the finals by winning their second match on aggregate.[5] Montreal would advance on to the finals where their opponents would end up being the Vancouver Whitecaps, thus marking the first time in USL history where the final match would consist of two Canadian clubs. In the final Testo helped the Impact win the series 6–3 on aggregate. The victory gave the Impact their third USL Championship and also the victory marked Testo's second USL Championship. On October 6, 2009, Testo received the Giuseppe-Saputo Trophy, presented to the Impact’s Most Valuable Player during the team’s 2009 awards banquet.[6] On November 30, 2009, Testo signed a new two-year deal with the club.[7]

Testo was released by Montreal on October 12, 2011.[8]

In 2019, he appeared in Standing on the Line, a documentary film about homophobia in sports by Paul-Émile d'Entremont.[9]

Personal life

In an interview on French Canadian public broadcaster Radio Canada that was aired on November 10, 2011, Testo announced he was gay and that his family, friends, teammates, and team management were aware of his sexuality.[10][11][12] Testo became the first American professional soccer player to come out as gay.[1][13]

Testo is a member of the Advisory Board for You Can Play, a campaign dedicated to fighting homophobia in sports.[14][15]

Career statistics
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Playoffs Cup CONCACAF Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Richmond Kickers 2003 USL-1 286–––286
Columbus Crew 2004 MLS 160–––160
2005 MLS 171–––171
2006 MLS 00–––00
Total 331000000331
Vancouver Whitecaps 2006 USL-1 21651––267
2007 USL-1 161–––161
Total 377510000428
Montreal Impact 2007 USL-1 7120––91
2008 USL-1 201214170333
2009 USL-1 2616220–343
2010 USSF D2 2402030–290
2011 NASL 200–20–220
Total 973123111701277
Career total 195171741117023022

Honors

Vancouver Whitecaps

Montreal Impact

References
  1. Zygler, Cyd (November 10, 2011). "David Testo, American pro soccer player, comes out as gay, regrets not doing it earlier". Outsports.
  2. "David Testo - Men's Soccer". University of North Carolina Athletics. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  3. "Tar Heel Product David Testo Named A-League Rookie of the Year". University of North Carolina Athletics. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  4. "Whitecaps sign midfielder/forward". OurSports Central. March 29, 2006. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
  5. "Usl First Division Playoffs – Quarterfinals – Leg One". Uslsoccer.com. Archived from the original on October 6, 2012. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  6. "David Testo Receives The Giuseppe-Saputo Trophy". Montrealimpact.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  7. "David Testo Back For Two Seasons". Montrealimpact.com. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  8. "Montreal Impact". Montreal Impact. Archived from the original on November 20, 2011. Retrieved December 4, 2013.
  9. Nathan Caddell, "DOXA 2019 review: Standing on the Line". The Georgia Straight, May 6, 2019.
  10. "David Testo affirme son homosexualité" [David Testo states his homosexuality] (in French). Canada: CBC. November 10, 2011. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  11. "David Testo comes out". CBC. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  12. Buzinski, Jim (March 13, 2012). "David Testo hopes being openly gay hasn't stopped soccer teams from signing him". Outsports. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  13. Eanet, Lindsay. "David Testo: How the MLS Star Coming out Could Impact World Football". Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 6, 2023.
  14. "Staff and Board". You Can Play Project. Retrieved June 22, 2012.
  15. "Former Montreal Impact pro soccer player David Testo comes out fighting at Montreal Gay Pride". Retrieved September 6, 2023.

Further reading
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