David was born in Butler, Pennsylvania. He has been diving since he was 15 year old. At 32 he has won 12 national titles and is generally considered a threat in international competition, has been on the national team from since 1989, and competed in the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Summer Olympics.

David Pichler became the third gay male Olympic diver to come out of the closet. Like those who proceeded him, it was not a pleasant task. Not the only diver to have his private life made public, he was faced with accusations from his coach that his lover, Steven Guiffre, abused him. After a scuffle aboard a plane in 1996 that led to restraining orders, harassment and what Pichler called "a nightmare," the whole country found out that another great diver is gay.

David appeared on the cover of The Advocate's 1997 summer double issue on Generation Q, and inside in an interview by Greg Louganis, which revealed almost as much about Louganis as it did about Pichler.

Pichler came out, re-thought his training, and chose another openly gay diver, Patrick Jeffrey, as his coach. He was also forced to come out to his family and re-think his life. Pichler signed a two-year contract with Speedo and continued to compete.