Meet Edgar Villa, a Hornet Sport Captain From México
Hornet has always been a great place for users around the world to show off their authentic selves by sharing with the community their hobbies and interests. And for many Hornet users, those interests include athletics, both individual and team sports — which is why Hornet crafted its Sport Captain program.
Hornet Sport Captains are here in the app to help connect sport lovers (both participants and spectators) locally and around the world. It’s a program for guys who want to encourage a love of sports in others, and who want to help other users find the resources to be #sporty in their own communities.
Some Sport Captains share their personal exercise routines here in the app, while others offer up advice, personal stories and videos of them in action on the field.
Meet Edgar Villa, one of Hornet’s Sport Captains based in México. He’s an avid soccer player who will be heading to Hong Kong in 2022 with his team of LGBT players. We sat down with Edgar to discuss the role sports play in his life, what he believes to be the biggest challenges facing LGBTQ athletes today, and how the pandemic has affected him and his love of soccer.
Which sports are you involved with, and for how long? Do you play on any teams?
I play fútbol (soccer) as part of the Lobos México LGBT+ club for 17 years, and enjoy boxing and running.
What age were you when you first got involved in sports?
21 years old.
Who inspired you as a young athlete? Do you have any sports heroes?
One of my biggest inspirations was seeing a great friend play; she really was spectacular when she played soccer. And definitely Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan of the USA soccer team.
How has being an athlete and playing sports made you a better person?
It has made me channel my emotions and control my temper. I have also managed to help publicize LGBT+ sports in México and in some other countries.
What do you believe are some challenges facing gay athletes today? Have you faced any of these yourself?
There’s a lack of sports spaces that give LGBT people the peace of mind that we will be safe. So every day I stand up for athletes from vulnerable populations. But the greatest challenge is getting our own country, México, to recognize homosexual athletes and support them.
How has the pandemic affected you and your sports life?
The pandemic, mixed with my age, has deteriorated my physical condition. We stopped playing for a year, and little by little we are returning to physical and sports activities. We are now less than a year away from participating in the Gay Games 11 in Hong Kong and we must recover all that was lost. A championship awaits us!
What are your hobbies or interests outside of sports?
I don’t have a hobby bigger than soccer. Maybe coordinating our group, and working hard to keep the club growing, and doing my best to meet the club’s goals.
