Dig beach volleyball #3 by DiG Beach Volleyball Magazine

HOMELAND SECURITY Kerri Walsh Jennings and the American pros are set to defend the sand in Long Beach Inside:

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AVP kicks off the 2014 season in Florida

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Brad Keenan on his journey toward the top

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Push-up push back: How to do this workout classic the right way

BEACH • VOLLEYBALL • LIFE $4.99 | ISSUE #3 2014 USA

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JULY 22-27 LONG BEACH, CA

Marta Menegatti

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6/25/14 6:51:19 PM

publisher’s letter BY JON HASTINGS

SWINGING FOR THE FENCES here is usually a minimum number of years before an annual event can be considered a fixture on a sports schedule. As for the next progression, it takes decades for the same event to elevate to “major” status, especially when it involves Olympic sports. So how did the ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball become “the event” of the 2014 season in only its second year? One million dollars in prize money certainly helps, which ensured that all of the top international and American players will be in Long Beach July 22-27 for the tournament. This event, however, is much more than just a cash grab for the players. The persistence of promoter Leonard Armato, who has been lured back into the sport now on several occasions after two separate exits from the helm of the AVP, has been the driving force. He has been dogged in his pursuit of packaging the beach volleyball/lifestyle model and marketing it to the world. Armato, who once played the game at the highest level, has always been a global thinker who isn’t afraid to take risks. Year two of the WSOBV is Armato’s double down. “This year’s ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball will take the sport of beach volleyball to new heights in connecting with ‘pop culture’ and appealing to a mass audience onsite and on TV,” Armato says. “Not only do we have the best athletes in the world participating for the biggest purse in beach volleyball history—over $1 million — “live” on NBC Sports but we have incorporated everything cool about beach culture— including music, lifestyle and tribal participation.” Long Beach isn’t Manhattan Beach in terms of beach volleyball heritage, but the city rolled out the red carpet to attract the international event in 2013. The abundance of parking, restaurants and hotels within walking distance of the venue makes the city FIVB friendly. Armato understands a starving American beach volleyball fanbase isn’t enough to make the WSOBV a success. He wants it to deliver more. And it promises to, including giving amateurs the chance to play on courts alongside the world’s best. Armato doesn’t envision an “Uh, we’re almost done here, Kerri, and then you can warm up” scenario, but close. “The event has something for everyone that likes volleyball as we are building a bridge between the beach and indoor games through camps, fours, six person, collegiate and youth tournaments and even skills testing on both beach and hard courts,” he says. “The music and pop culture aspect is very important to the evolution of the event.” The fun is fine, but the competition component of this event is what is going to give it staying power. Americans defending their turf on Southern California sand – where the sport got its start – make for a compelling stage. The 2014 WSOBV will feature six U.S. teams per gender, with up to five teams exempted into the main draw of both the men’s and women’s field. Phil Dalhausser and Sean Rosenthal will look to defend their title, while Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross are out to make a statement. The recent results at the FIVB Berlin Grand Slam when John Hyden and Tri Bourne defeated Nick Lucena and Ryan Doherty in the finals has turned the American men’s draw upside down. So in Long Beach there is going to be plenty of red, white and blue – as well as the green to keep everybody interested. DiG

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CONTENTS DiG 2014 #3 â&#x20AC;˘ digbeachvolleyball.com

BEACH BATTLER: AVP pros got the season kicked off in St. Petersburg in May. Photo: Robert Beck / AVP COVER: Kerri Walsh Jennings Photo: Don Liebig

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10 THE INSIDE STUFF

Casey Patterson loses to a friend in well-attended Florida final

14 BODY BLOG

Blend up some big-time nutrition smoothie style

16 SAND IN MY SUIT Katrina takes to the court to soak in the BarryBob karma

22 DIG INTERVIEW

Brad Keenan capitalizes in Florida finale after a series of chances

24 BEACH FASHION

Chelsea Rashoff looking good as she starts her comeback rehab

26 COVER: GRAND SLAM Americans ready for foreign invasion in Long Beach

40 FITNESS

Making a pitch for the correct way to do classic push-ups

42 CLINIC

Brad Keenan talks about some simple blocking keys

44 REWIND

Ty Tramblie squares off with Gary Hooper in tale of the net

46 BEACH SMACK

Will Montgomery hails from same training beach as Karch

2014 #3 | digbeachvolleyball.com

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For your nearest Paul Mitchell Focus or Signature Salon, check out www.paulmitchell.com

2014 Volleyball Events Date July 4-6

Event AVP Milwaukee Open • Milwaukee, Wis.

July 10-12

National Volleyball League • Cincinnati, Ohio

July 22-27

ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball • Long Beach, Calif.

Aug. 7-10

AVP Salt Lake City Open • Salt Lake City, Utah

Aug. 15-17

AVP Manhattan Beach Open • Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Aug. 16-17

National Volleyball League • Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Aug. 27-Sept. 1 42nd Annual Motherlode • Aspen, Colo.

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Aug. 28-31

AVP Cincinnati Open • Cincinnati, Ohio

Sept. 5-7

AVP Atlantic City Open • Atlantic City, New Jersey

Sept. 18-21

AVP Huntington Beach Open • Huntington Beach, Calif.

Sept. 19-21

National Volleyball League • Hermosa Beach, Calif.

Oct. 3-4

National Volleyball League • Port St. Lucie, Fla.

6/25/14 6:55:56 PM

Calif.

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the

stuff

BY CASEY PATTERSON

TEN THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BEACH VOLLEYBALL

1. 2.

AVP St. Pete. This year, the AVP changed the location of its Florida event to Spa Park, and the layout was much closer together. It gave fans a chance to sit and watch all three outer courts at the same time. There was an awesome energy from the fans all week. It was a great move by the AVP to play that tournament earlier in the year to avoid the storm season, although I wouldn’t have minded an extended weather delay this year like we had last year at the Florida stop. Which leads me to No. 2 … In St. Pete, Brad Keenan won his first tournament. John Mayer and Brad played an amazing tournament and finals. They were serving teams off the court and playing great team defense. I had mixed emotions after losing in the finals. I played with Brad for the 2011 season on AVP St. Pete Open the FIVB, so we are good buds. Photo: Robert Beck I might be the worst loser on the planet and hate it more than anything, but I was stoked for Brad. It was a very weird feeling because my hatred for losing was dulled by my happiness for Brad. I mean, nine second-place finishes? It’s got to feel pretty good for him to get that W, and it’s well-deserved. So a belated congrats to Brad and his wife, April Ross, for going down in history as the third married couple to win both women’s and men’s titles at one tournament. That’s pretty freaking cool.

3. 4.

Adrian Carambula is coming in hot for the 2014 season. He worked really hard in the off-season and is playing better than ever. He put in a lot of time in the weight room and is moving like a sand panther. Personally, I think his sky ball is the toughest I have ever had to pass, and he is really fun to watch. He’s a guy who’s bringing talent and entertainment to the table. It’s so good for the sport, and fans love it. Look for Adrian to have an even better season this year than last.

On the FIVB world tour while on the road we have a lot of down time. We like to arrive a couple of days early to adjust to the time difference and get used to the sand and playing conditions. So with only practice and lifting in the first couple of days, we play a lot of games. Cards, Yahtzee and hacky sack here and there. It’s a great way to get to know other players on tour and build friendships. For instance, we played Mafia in Russia for two hours while waiting for the shuttle back to the hotel. The crew we had was awesome. Kerri Walsh Jennings, April Ross, Sarah Pavan and Heather Bansley (from Canada), then Rich Lambourne, Tyler Hildebrand and Jake Gibb. It was one of the most entertaining games of Mafia I have played. Kerri and April are just as aggressive during games as they are on the court. So fun to be around! So whenever you’re at any type of volleyball tournament, have some fun games in mind in case you have some downtime to kill. Emily Day Photo: Peter Brouillet

digbeachvolleyball.com | 2014 #3

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Adrian Carambula Photo: Rick Atwood

One thing I really hate on the world tour is the rule about the length of the men’s shorts. It has improved, but there’s nothing more frustrating than being a professional beach volleyball player and having to roll your shorts up so you can play. It’s not like we’re playing in oversized basketball shorts. Not sure that I understand how Speedos would be OK to play in but not shorts that barely go over my knee. It’s probably just something that bothers me, but I just don’t like the fact that we are playing the greatest lifestyle sport in the world and the length of my shorts is a problem. Let us play and compete in whatever we are most comfortable in.

Playing stress free. I’m talking about players who are able to play in big matches with huge crowds like it’s a Tuesday morning in Huntington Beach. The Italian team of Nicolai and Lupo are a perfect example of this. They both play with a calm and stress-free style. It’s very fun to watch. Gaining the ability to be more comfortable in a stressful environment is key to success in this sport and any sport. Training in a way that lets you simulate stress and pressure is key to becoming more comfortable in big matches and to beating big teams.

The world tour players are getting very excited for the Long Beach Grand Slam (July 22-27). Not only because it has a million dollar prize purse but because it does not conflict with European championships. A lot of teams missed out last year and there has been a buzz around the players about coming to play. I am excited to have a full field and some serious cash to play for. Kerri Walsh Jennings & April Ross Photo: Peter Brouillet

The Huntington Beach AVP championships has been moved one week sooner and the players couldn’t be happier. Previously, it conflicted with the Brazil grand slam and we were all having serious conversations about what to do. I’m so glad that AVP owner Donald Sun has made that decision for us. He is genuinely concerned with our sport and maintaining a good relationship with the FIVB. Since the majority of the players live in So Cal, it’s always special to be able to play at home. So I thank Donald and the AVP for working around the clock to make adjustments so we can all make it to my favorite AVP tournament.

Huntington Beach High School boys volleyball team went undefeated the last two seasons. TJ Defalco, who moved to Huntington at age 14, has been a rising star since he was bouncing curtain at ASC when other kids could barely hit a ball in the court. TJ qualified for the beach Junior Olympics for USA this spring and will be competing this summer for the world title. So stoked for him, and I know he will be competing on the AVP sooner than later. TJ, let me know if you want a Huntington Beach pro am title on the resume as well because I’m looking to get my fourth. Ha, ha.

10.

Emily Day is on a mission. I have had a chance to see her all off-season and during tournaments, and she is determined to win. Emily and Summer Ross had a great season last year, finishing No. 1 on the AVP and as the second-ranked U.S. team on the FIVB. Emily is doing all the right things and leaving nothing to chance. Her work ethic is one of the best I have ever seen. She is focused on being a successful beach player, and I believe she will be for a long time. DiG Daniele Lupo & Paolo Nicolai Photo: FIVB

Brazil’s Talita Antunes Photo: Peter Brouillet 2014 #3 | digbeachvolleyball.com

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THE

SCENE

BY THE NUMBERS

91.7

Winning percentage for Kerri Walsh Jennings/ April Ross after the pair dropped a quarterfinal match to Brazil’s Maria Antonelli/Juliana Felisberta at the FIVB Berlin Grand Slam. The Americans were 22-2 in FIVB matches on the year.

Years between youth international silver medals for the Dykstra family. Lara Dykstra took second with Jace Pardon at the FIVB U23 World Championships in Myslowice, Poland, after losing to Australia’s Nicole Laird and Mariafe Artacho. Her brother, Joey, teamed with Mark Van Zwieten to earn a silver at the U19 championships in France in 2005.

PHOTOS: PETER BROUILLET

Points scored in first set of qualifier match between Steve Vanderwerp/ Trevor Crabb and Mike Maghy/Matthew Hilling. Vanderwerp/Crabb lost the set 3937, but went on to win the match by prevailing 21-19, 15-11 in the last two sets and advancing to the main draw.

$8,930

PHOTOS: FIVB

More money John Hyden won at the FIVB Berlin Grand Slam than he had in his previous 19 FIVB starts. Hyden split $57,000 with partner Tri Bourne after winning just $19,570 in his international career prior to that breakout event. Hyden and Bourne were also 20-9 in FIVB matches in 2014.

Straight wins for Priscilla Lima and Karolina Sowala in the National Volleyball League’s events in Dallas and Atlanta. Lima and Sowala were a perfect 10-0 in the first two tournaments, losing just one set. Each victory was worth $2,150 per player. Josh Binstock and Sam Schachter of Canada had swept the same two events on the men’s side.

Unprecedented three teams reaching the podium at the FIVB Berlin Grand Slam after starting in the qualifier. John Hyden/Tri Bourne (Q7) led the way with the gold medal, followed by compatriots Ryan Doherty/ Nick Lucena (Q3) in second and Brazil’s Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt (Q1). DiG

digbeachvolleyball.com | 2014 #3

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SEPTEMBER 5-7, 2014

ALL PART OF THE TOUR

Olympians and other pro beach volleyball superstars will wow spectators when the AVP Tour, the most prestigious pro beach volleyball series, comes to Atlantic City for its only stop on the east coast. In 2013, players including New Jersey native Ryan Doherty, Olympians Kerri Walsh Jennings, April Ross, Jen Kessy, Sean Rosenthal, Jake Gibb, Phil Dalhausser, Todd Rogers and three-time Manhattan Beach Open champion Whitney Pavlik battled along the Boardwalk.

General admission is FREE. VIP ticket packages will be available.

AC Volleyball Courts on the boardwalk at New Jersey Ave (between Revel & Showboat)

www.DoAtlanticCity.com

body blog BY RUSS MARCHEWKA PHOTO BY PETER BROUILLET

MAKE YOUR SMOOTHIES COUNT By using nutrient-packed ingredients, you can concoct delicious blended drinks at home that are good for your health and good for your game

Want to take it next level? Get some Mucuna ome people might think that writing powder. It pairs nicely with cacao, and it adds about something you’re truly pasl-dopa, which your body converts to dopamine. sionate about is easy. To be fair, it’s You’ll sleep better after a long day. easier than writing about why, adjusting Smoothie No. 2 has a whopping 7 grams of for inflation, the gross domestic prodomega-3s! I’ve found that many tropical fruits go uct needs to be reduced by 0.1%. I love very well together. The coconut oil helps build talking about health, nutrition, longevity healthy growth hormones, so this is a great workresearch and anything food related. If out recovery smoothie. I wrote like I talked, I’d probably have The pea protein has some rice protein mixed in, fewer readers. I swear too much, so I have which gives it an amino acid makeup much like to spend more time writing my thoughts human muscle. All of this together is very antiwith non-offensive words – dammit. inflammatory. This has got to be the most fun article Want to take it another level up? Add an I’ve written in a long time. Smoothies EBOOST for a natural caffeine kick from green have become commonplace in American tea and green coffee bean. That’ll get you through culture. the day! Chains with hundreds of locations If you that serve them are almost as popular as understand Starbucks. I see the appeal, but I don’t go 3. GOING GREEN how good to them anymore. SMOOTHIE greens are for Why? Well, as I’ve gone deeper down 12 oz water and a 1/2 cup of ice your health, smoothie No. 3 has more the rabbit hole, I want to consume my calories from as many superfoods as green nutrition than a lot of people get possible. When I consider spending money on convenience, I think twice 1 handful of spinach because of the value I can get all week! 2 scoops Green Vibrance The apple and lemon add crucial from the superfoods in my 1 scoop Rainbow Vibrance vitamin C, which helps to buffer the 1. CHOCOLATE PEANUT kitchen. 1 green apple spinach and increase iron and calcium If you’re going to spend BUTTER SMOOTHIE 1 lemon (peeled) absorption. The avocado adds creamimoney anyway, you’ll get 12 oz almond or coconut milk ness along with reducing bitterness from more bang for your buck by 1 avocado 1 frozen banana the greens. making it yourself. Here’s one more level: Try drinking These are some of my 2 tbsp raw cacao this twice a day, twice per month. Greens are awesome for detoxing and the favorite smoothie recipes. 1 tbsp maca alkalinity and chelating effects from this smoothie would be amazing for They are easy to make at 1 tbsp lucuma your long-term health. home and can add a serious 1 heaping tbsp of organic peanut butter All of these smoothies have about $5 worth of ingredients. If you compare amount of nutrition to your 2 scoops Growing Naturals Vanilla that to what you spend on a fancy cup of coffee or what you really get at a diet – and a serious amount juice bar, I think you’ll agree that of boost to your Pea protein “next level” is where it’s at! DiG performance as an athlete, 2. TROPICAL FRUIT OMEGA weekend warrior or everyday activities. BOOST SMOOTHIE I try to take omega-3s with each smoothie. Whether it’s fish 12 oz almond or coconut milk oil or a plant-based omega-3, these oils are fragile and prone to Russ Marchewka’s commitment to oxidation, which damages them and their effectiveness. 1 frozen banana better nutrition has earned him the All these recipes are packed with anti-oxidants to help protect 1/2 cup fresh pineapple nickname “Mr. Healthy” on the tour. the oils and let them do their thing better. 1/2 fresh mango He has spent the last eight years studyI like to use smoothie No. 1 as a day-starter or pre-workout 3 or 4 frozen strawberries ing how nutrition affects his volleyball drink. Maca has been used for centuries to increase endurance. 1 tbsp coconut oil game. For more, visit his website, Cacao is rich with magnesium, which helps ward off crampWorldHealthHub.com or check out: ing. Lucuma is a mineral-rich superfood sweetener that pairs 2 tbsp Ascenta NutraVege Oil Instagram.com/WorldHealthHub. perfectly. 2 tbsp sprouted chia powder

1 scoop Rainbow Vibrance 2 scoops Growing Naturals Vanilla Pea protein 14

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sand in my suit BY KATRINA ZAWOJSKI PHOTO BY PETER BROUILLET

For the past decade, DiG has been the premier magazine of beach volleyball. Only $22 for five issues. Subscriptions, back issues and more available at digbeachvolleyball.com

1. Win the ... Rio gold in more and 99

Inside: ■

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LIFE EYBALL • USA 2013 BEACH •|VOLL ISSUE #5

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an you seriously roll up to a tournament all called up for “opening ceremonies” where the where fathers and sons, Olympic legends official MC, Jim Arico (Rico Suave), welcomes and up-and-comers, and NBA players are all everyone, shares some comforting words, and playing alongside one another? Why yes, yes you leads a moment of silence for all the dads who can. But you won’t find it looking in no travel have been sorely missed. guide. Fast-forward through pool play and playoffs I wouldn’t even be telling this story if I and one thing remains constant: everywhere you hadn’t set my alarm clock the night before. You look, family is present. From grandmothers to see, with the Los Angeles Kings defeating the nearly-newborns, mustaches to knee-high socks, New York Rangers to claim the Stanley Cup in this is not a vacation. This is a lifestyle. Like payexcruciating, double-overtime fashion, that left ing homage to a time when players competed for little to no sleep for us South Bay hockey fans. nothing more than a t-shirt and a cooler. “This is I couldn’t believe it was already morning. After what’s all about,” Tim Hovland “The Hov” leans packing the beach essentials and blending a in to tell me, “My favorite tournament of all the quick smoothie, I was out the door and riding local ones.” He’s on a team comprised of former the 1.9 mile commute to partner (5 MBO wins) and Manhattan Beach. BarryBob Invitational 2014 Olympic Silver Medalist Mike When I arrived, a Dodd, his daughter, Dominic, Champions: schoolhouse of beach and Olympic Bronze Medalist Jon Hackett, Gene Anselmo, cruisers and hybrids had Bob Samuelson. Matt Anselmo, Rick Deckart. already assembled on the After the Juniors Division Number of participants: sand. Bright umbrellas plays out their championship blended into the seascape match, the baton is passed 100 adults, 80 kids as people young and back to the grown-ups for the Last man standing: young at heart huddled at final faceoff of the day: Luke Kevin Cleary, Shellback Tavern check-in. The BarryBob Walton against Jon Hackett. Invitational—formerly The two power-hitters actuknown as a 4-person tournament and beach volally train regularly on the beach together—as leyball old timers day, less formerly known as an if this tournament needed another element of excuse to gather with family and friends under friendship. Everyone makes one last beer run sunshine and over Bud Light—was created out to the Strand House, claims their real estate in of remembrance for Barry Walmer and Bob the sand, and escalates their sideline banter for Cleary, two players and family men embedded the finals. Is that Pete Carroll watching from in the community. a distance? Why, of course it is. Back on the Soon after retiring from the 9-to-5 grind court, Luke and his team have a surge late in the in the late 1970s/early 1980s, Barry and Bob game with three unanswered points, making the enjoyed traveling to select AVP tournaments to crowd wonder if there will be a comeback. But watch their two sons compete together. “I can Jon and his squad prove to be too much, and remember playing the Manhattan Beach Open they end the day with a 15-12 victory. Clicks of and looking up at the bike path and seeing them cameras and pops of champagne immediately standing next to the railing watching,” reflects follow the final point as center court turns into a Kevin Cleary. “Between matches they’d head up dance party for the generations. to Ercole’s for a beer.” Following their passing, It was the first time in tournament history the two families remained as close as ever, and that father and son have played on the winning it was second eldest son Marc Walmer who first team, a fact that Jon admitted is what really had the idea of putting together a tournament motivated him to perform. The USC grad has in their honor. Welcome to the 16th Annual the most refreshing poise and character, and I BarryBob Invitational. think everyone was pleased to see him come out As is the case with most of these 4-man touron top that day. “Playing Luke in the finals, I naments, you don’t know who you will be playwouldn’t have it any other way,” he said to me ing with until you check the board the morning later on at Shellback. With a drink in our hands of. I see that my squad will include the talented and summer in our bellies, this is how you end a Jeff Urton, USA Olympian Barbra Fontana, and good ‘ol classic volleyball tournament. DiG her brother Greg, a.k.a. G-Man (you’re nobody until you have a nickname). Shortly after, we are *Follow Katrina on Instagram at @sandinmysuit

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SCENE Chasing Karch Now that she’s No. 1 alltime on the women’s career pro beach victories list with 116 titles, the next frontier for Kerri Walsh Jennings is becoming No. 1 all-time irrespective of gender. That would mean passing three men’s players: Randy Stoklos (122), Sinjin Smith (139) and the all-time leader, Karch Kiraly, who retired with 148. It’s very possible it could happen for Kerri, and you might even call it likely. Yes, she’ll be 36 on August 15. But she has won 6 of her first 10 tournaments with new partner April Ross, and they’re still smoothing out the rough spots. If her victories stay steady at that 60 percent rate, she’d get to 149 in 55 tournaments, which would likely come at some point during the 2017 season. That’s before she turns 40. Barring injuries, a tall athlete like Walsh (she’s 6-2 and change) who trains as diligently as she trains would still be fit to win and win a lot at that point in her career. Behind Walsh on the women’s leader board at No. 2-5 respectively are Misty May-Treanor (112), Holly McPeak (72), Karolyn Kirby (67) and Brazil’s Jackie Silva (60). Kelley James

NVL teams up with musician Kelley James Musician Kelley James, whose style is described on his website as a “mash-up” that draws from rock, pop and the beachside vibe of his home state of California, has signed

Blood and guts Kerri Walsh Jennings

a two-year deal to be the voice of the NVL beach league. James is developing a theme song for the NVL and will perform at its events this season and next. His most recent album, “The Pattern Transcending” was released in October of 2013. Remaining events on this year’s NVL schedule: Midwest Championships in Cincinnati (July 10th-12), Milwaukee (Aug. 15-17), Hermosa Beach, Calif. (Sept. 19-21) and Port St. Lucie, Fla. (October 3-4).

John Hyden: 41 and formidable John Hyden is 41 years old and will be 42 in October, but age is apparently not an issue for the veteran of 14 pro beach seasons and two indoor Olympics. In midJune, Hyden and partner Tri Bourne went wire to wire at the FIVB Berlin Grand Slam, starting in the qualifier and winning eight consecutive matches – including two against Brazil’s Emanuel Rego and Pedro Salgado – to take the title and split a first-place check of $57,000. With the win, Hyden remained the second-oldest men’s pro beach player to win a tournament. He was already second on the list after his last win, which came two weeks before his 40th birthday alongside Sean Scott at a Jose Cuervo Huntington Beach tourney on Sept. 23, 2012. Not surprisingly, first on the age list is Karch Kiraly.

He won an AVP tournament with Mike Lambert in August of 2005 at the age of 44 and 9 months. That’s amazing, of course. But a strong case could be made that Hyden’s win is even more impressive considering it came at an international grand slam with a full field of the world’s top teams. “Other than loving to compete, I always felt there was something out there that could put a stamp on my career,” Hyden said. “I wanted to do something no one else had ever done! I just didn’t know what that was. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of that list.” It was career victory No. 23 for Hyden and the first victory for Bourne, a 25-yearold blocker who grew up in Aiea, Hawaii, and played collegiately at the University of Southern California.

Who says beach volleyball isn’t a contact sport? The National Volleyball League’s Erin Gray took a spike off the face delivered by Jessica Stubinski in the semifinals of the Atlanta event, but rallied

Erin Gray

to win her match with partner Heather Lowe. Gray and Lowe lost the championship match to Priscilla Lima and Karolina Sowala, but split $1,150 for second place. Gray was later diagnosed with a concussion. DiG

AVP Huntington Beach schedule change The AVP has pushed up its Huntington Beach, Calif. event to Sept. 18-21. This is the final stop on the tour’s 2014 schedule, and it was originally scheduled for the following weekend, but it was moved because it conflicted with an FIVB Grand Slam event in Brazil.

PHOTOs: FIVB, MARK SEROTA

THE

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Takin’ care of business Nine years after bidding farewell to a secure but sterile career in accounting, former AVCA Player of the Year Brad Keenan is getting the job done on the beach INTERVIEW BY DON PATTERSON PHOTO: PETER BROUILLET

he wait was long, but the payoff was sweet for Brad Keenan, who scored his first career victory at the AVP’s season-opener in St. Petersburg, Fla., on June 1 following eight very good seasons that produced nine seconds and 25 thirds but never a first. Making it cooler still, he and beach partner John Mayer, both of whom played indoor ball at Pepperdine, earned their first-place check of $15,000 by toppling the tour’s top teams. They beat Phil Dalhausser and Sean Rosenthal to get to the finals and then took down Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson for the title. Another cool thing: Both those matches went three games, and they advanced to the Dalhausser-Rosie match by being on the right side of a Sunday morning three-gamer against Casey Jennings and Jeremy Casebeer that extended to 20-18 in the third. And still another cool thing: All of those wins came after they rebounded from a 21-15, 21-10 pounding late Saturday from Tri Bourne and John Hyden. Oh, and one last one: Keenan’s wife, Olympic silver-medalist April Ross, got a victory in St. Pete too alongside her new partner, Kerri Walsh Jennings, which means that Keenan and Ross join a very elite club that includes a total of just three couples who have won the same tournament on the same weekend. The other two are Mike and Patty Dodd and Kerri and Casey Jennings. All in all, not a bad weekend. “Felt really great,” says Keenan, 32. “I definitely had some opportunities in previous years where some of the tournaments didn’t have a full field, but it never worked out. We’ve been working on a lot of little things with our coach, Beau Daniels, and they all kind of came into play in the finals. Everything went right that day.”

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ell n r ing

The 6-8 Keenan, who played middle blocker at Pepperdine and was the AVCA Player of the Year in both 2002 and 2003, talked with DiG recently about his unusual journey from the top of the college indoor game to the beach winner’s circle, which included a career detour into the business world that left him a whole bunch of pounds above his playing weight. DiG: Congrats on your win. Anything you can point to that you did before this season that helped you take the final step to a tournament victory? About a month and a half ago, our practices weren’t going well, and John and I sat down with our coach, Beau Daniels, and we just totally changed our mindset. It became more like, “Every ball counts. All the little things count.” And from there, practices got better. Is there anything specific that you changed in your game? I think it was more on the mental side for us. We would kind of get down on ourselves, but in volleyball you’re going to make mistakes. We decided we had to just forget about those mistakes and not give up runs of points. You give up one point, fine; that’s going to happen. But you have to side out the next ball. And that was our big focus. After playing at Pepperdine, you took a job in the business world. How did you end up on the beach tour? I went to the national team for about a month or two after college. My shoulder was hurting all the time, and it would keep me up at night, and I was just tired of it. I didn’t think I was ever going to play volleyball again. I was done with it. I got a regular job doing accounting, and I found that it was boring. At the end of the summer of ’05, I was talking to an agent about going to Europe to play professionally and the contract was all lined up. I quit my job and then the agent called me a day later and said they couldn’t get the work visa processed in time. Luckily, Mayer called me and it all worked out in the end. So you had a fairly long layoff. I hadn’t really played for 2 ½ years. The first year and a half (working as an accountant), I didn’t work out, and I gained quite a bit of weight. So I had to start working out again. How much weight did you put on? I got up to about 280. I was 220 at Pepperdine. Wow. How did that happen? Too many trips to In-NOut? In-N-Out Burger and a lot of eating out. Not eating right, happy hours. Those kinds of things. How tough was it to get back in shape? The first month or two, I started out by

walking on a treadmill with an incline. And I’d go out and play basketball with friends or play some volleyball. It was tough at first, but once the weight started coming off, it got better. And once I started working out at the beach, it started coming off faster. Was there a wake-up moment where you got out of breath walking to the mailbox and thought, “I gotta make some changes?” I was playing basketball in our company’s basketball league, and I had a breakaway, and I missed a dunk. At 6-8, I shouldn’t have been missing a dunk when I was 24 years old. That was my wake-up call. In Florida, you guys bounced back from a lopsided loss to Bourne and Hyden. Tell us about that. We started the match, and then they called it off because the weather was coming in. And they evacuated the site, and we came back 20 minutes later and it was pretty windy, and we were awful and they were really good. But we had the whole night to get ready and know who we were playing the next day. Maybe it was a blessing that we lost that bad because we didn’t use much energy and we had to work really hard on Sunday to win. Extra sweet to beat the two top teams to win it? Yeah. I can’t imagine too many teams beating Phil and Rosie and Casey and Jake back-toback, so it was pretty awesome. So, unbelievable coincidence that you probably know about, but there’s another Brad Keenan who plays volleyball in Southern California (a former libero at USC) who happens to be born on the same date you were (Aug. 10) but eight years later. Yeah, it’s ridiculous. I knew there was a guy at USC with my name, and I looked at his profile, and he has the same birthday. Ridiculous. I was a middle, and he was a libero – complete opposite positions. Have you ever gotten together with him for a beer? I don’t think I’ve ever met him, but I know he’s really good friends with Tri Bourne, so maybe he’ll be at one of the tournaments this year. Here’s a scouting report on you. See if you agree. “Dangerous when he’s on, great jump serve, hard to stop offensively, prone to hitting errors when he’s off.” That’s about right. I think the biggest thing I’ve cut down on is the hitting errors part. We worked a lot on making sure to stay behind the ball, and that way you have some vision. Also, we’re listening to each other’s calls a lot more. And if we’re in a bad situation, we give the ball back to the other team and make them side out.

So in the past, you tried to do too much with balls that were off the net or weren’t good looks? I would try to do some extreme thing to get the kill instead of just giving them the ball back and relying on our defense. Being a strong jump server, do you like the wind? To a point. Ten to 15 (miles an hour) is really good for the jump serve. Much more than that and it’s hard to toss, and the ball starts moving all over the place. Phil is one of the world’s best jump servers. Give us a comparison between a Dalhausser jump serve and a Keenan jump serve. Phil jumps a lot higher. [Laughs] Phil has a great middle to middle serve. I think I’m more of a sideline server. I’m not Phil, but I’ve got a pretty good jump serve. A couple of weeks after you and April both took home first-place prize money in Florida, April and Kerri grabbed a huge winner’s check by winning an FIVB Grand Slam in Moscow. Are you going to splurge on something now, or does the accountant in you recommend investing the money and enjoying the gains in 20 years? If we splurge, we’ll try to pay down our house. We don’t do anything crazy. We do one or two vacations a year, but one of them is going to Montana, and we have a free place to stay there. We’re not big spenders. Maybe we’ll have a nice dinner. I did tell myself that I would play (golf at) Pebble Beach if I won a tournament, so after I won, April reminded me of that. So maybe I will. Is it good advice for pro volleyball couples to not give much volleyball advice to their spouse? Yeah. Don’t criticize unless they ask what you think is wrong. It’s not good just to come out straight with a criticism. What’s ahead for you over the next five years or so? I just started a master’s program in coaching at Concordia. I’m on my second class right now. I would love to go into coaching when I’m done playing. Beach or indoor? Wherever. I would love to get into a college that has a beach program. Is coaching something you’ve wanted to do for awhile? I’ve been coaching club the whole time I’ve been playing, and I realized I don’t want to go back into an office to do accounting. I feel like coaching would be a good opportunity. I can take one class at a time to get the master’s, so it’s nothing crazy. Right now I have the time, so I might as well do it. So you’re taking steps to avoid being hunched in front of a computer for the next 25 years? Exactly. DiG

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helsea Rashoff knows how to smile for the camera as a part-time model, but she has a no-nonsense approach to her beach volleyball. Rashoff, 24, has endured a season of rehabbing an injured shoulder that she sustained training in Israel last fall, an example of just how far she will go to further her volleyball career. The Danville, Calif., native inked a contract with the Israel’s National Volleyball Federation to play both indoor and beach volleyball through 2020, but a shoulder injury that required surgery (performed on Feb. 1) has her visualizing about her inevitable return to top-level competition on a more familiar landscape. “I feel like I was just ready to turn the corner with my game when I got injured,” says Rashoff, who was tabbed for USA Volleyball’s Elite Developmental program

Aspring beach pro Chelsea Rashoff hopes to get her game back on track after injuries put her on the sidelines for two summers

lately

Chelsea

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Feb. 1) has her visualizing about her inevitable return to top-level competition on a more familiar landscape. “I feel like I was just ready to turn the corner with my game when I got injured,” says Rashoff, who was tabbed for USA Volleyball’s Elite Developmental program back in 2009. “First it was my back that kept me out for 2013 and then when I got that healthy my shoulder injury happened.” The 5-9 Rashoff ’s journey to Israel was a component of trying to fulfill her Olympic dream. Holding dual citizenship, she was targeted to comprise one-half of Israel’s top FIVB beach team (her partner to be picked from the current roster of Israel’s indoor national team). The selection process included Rashoff training with the team six hours a day in Tel Aviv, which put the stress on her shoulder. “They had me playing opposite and I had not swung that much for several years,” she says. “The Israeli way is to just keep doing what they say and tough it out.” Rashoff, who played outside hitter at Golden West College for Alan Knipe before enrolling at Long Beach State for the 2009 fall season, has not ruled out a return to play in Israel. She has also considered working her way back into the USA Volleyball program and plans to play on the AVP Tour next season. She comes from an athletic family – her mom, Julie, played four years at LSU and her aunt, Becky Rashoff, was a member of the 1984 United States Olympic Gymnastic Team. Modeling gigs with ASICS, Gatorade and Mikasa have helped Rashoff pay some bills while she keeps the volleyball dream alive. “I am getting in the sand and doing some passing,” she says. “Some players were wondering if I was still playing and I definitely am. Ideally, I will be coming back late this year or next season and I am going to be mentally tougher after having to deal with these injuries the last two years.” — Jon Hastings

2014 #3 digbeachvolleyball.com |

Suit: Vitamin A Stylist: Mallorie Mason Photo: Don Liebig

Global consequenc

ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball provides stage for biggest event of 2014 by Tom Feuer

ith a record million-dollar purse, blanket coverage (much of it live) by NBC Sports, NBCSN, and Universal Sports and all of the world’s best beach volleyball players in attendance, the FIVB Grand Slam in Long Beach is the single most important tournament held on U.S. soil since the 1997 World Championships at UCLA. There will be something for everybody at the ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball in Long Beach, including USA Volleyball Junior Beach Tour’s West Coast Championship, collegiate sand competition, co-ed fours, six-man (and woman) events as well as live music performances. In other words it will be a total celebration and festival of beach volleyball. The competition in the Grand Slam should be fierce in a year without a World Championship or Olympics, making the Long Beach event the

MEDAL MANIA

John Hyden and Tri Bourne were the center of attention in Berlin and compatriots Ryan Doherty and Nick Lucena joined them on the podium for an American one-two finish. (Photo: FIVB)

defacto event of the year. The 2014 international season has been anything but predictable evidenced by John Hyden and Tri Bourne’s breakout event at the Berlin Grand Slam in June when they beat fellow Americans Nick Lucena and Ryan Doherty in the championship match. The prospect of the Americans going one-two in an FIVB event without Phil Dalhausser/Sean Rosenthal or Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson factoring in on the podium did not seem possible prior to the season. That increases the stakes for the two Olympic spots in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro and makes the Long Beach event a critical 24-month barometer. Following are some teams worthy of keeping an eye on in both genders:

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ences WELL ARMED

Phil Dalhausser will be ready to defend his Long Beach Grand Slam title with partner Sean Rosenthal but will face a solid Italian wall in the form of Paolo Nicolai. (Photo: FIVB)

Men’s teams to watch Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins • Latvia

You will constantly hear elite players talk about the level of parity on the FIVB World Tour. A team can be on the podium one week and then not make it out of their pool the next. Consistency is a virtue on tour, and perhaps the steadiest team in the world on the men’s side is Samoilovs, 29, and 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Smedins, 26. They also may be one of the most versatile as both players can block and defend. Interestingly, the Latvians are both coached by their fathers and have spent offseasons training in Egypt to escape the cold Baltic winters. Samoilovs, 6-5, known affectionately as the “Lion King,” has a huge mane of thick blond hair and one of the most LATVIAN WALL unusual serves in the game. His approach is part gallop Aleksandrs Samoilovs and part ballet before he lets fly with a jump floaty. put up a big wall Smedins, 6-3, is one of the most approachable and against Brazil’s Bruno sportsmanlike players on the tour and has a rifle for a Schmidt at the 2013 WSOB. Samoilovs and left arm. He receives few serves because he is a sideout partner Janis Smemachine. dins are one of the Together this tandem was the “team of the year” on last top teams in the world year’s FIVB tour with six podium placements in 13 events. (Photo: Peter Brouillet) So far in 2014, at press time, they garnered the silver medal at the European Championships and won the FIVB Open in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Last year in Long Beach they finished fifth, dropping a three-set thriller to Daniele Lupo and Paolo Nicolai of Italy.

Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai

There was shock and dismay when reigning Olympic gold medalists Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers lost to this young duo in the elimination rounds in London in 2012. That defeat in hindsight has been much more about an 2014 #3 | digbeachvolleyball.com

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Global consequences

CIVIL WAR

Ageless John Hyden battled Ryan Doherty in Berlin when two American teams advanced out of the qualifier to reach an FIVB Grand Slam final. Hyden and Tri Bourne captured the gold. (Photo: FIVB)

emerging power team than an upset of Biblical proportions. Nicolai (6-8) could be the top “big man” in the world right now. He is an excellent blocker with exceptional footwork who can move off the net with ease. He terminates on offense with a power game accented by finesse when necessary. Lupo (6-5) is the wild card in this relationship. When he is “on” he is a steady sideout player with precise ball control and fine shotmaking. At times his play is desultory as if he has lost interest. With maturity those moments may become fewer and far between. At press time this duo was the best team in the world, having swept the first two FIVB events in China as well as winning the European Championship. What is truly scary is that Lupo, 23 and Nicolai, 25, seemingly both a few years away from their primes. Last year they defeated Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson for the bronze medal in Long Beach.

Phil Dalhausser/Sean Rosenthal

Homecourt advantage is a powerful stimulus on the FIVB Tour, and with the 6-9 Dalhausser and the 6-4 Rosenthal, the defending champions in Long Beach, they have to be considered a favorite, if not THE favorite. However, this team, as Winston Churchill once said, is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. The “Thin Beast” and “Rosie” have not won a tournament since last August in Salt Lake City, and have not stepped to the top of a podium in an FIVB event since last year in Long Beach. So what’s up? Unrealistic expectations by us pundits may have set the bar too high. For instance, last season, Dalhausser and Rosenthal led all FIVB teams with an 81.8 win percentage. Even though they won “only” three international events, it was FAST TRACK still more than any other partnerFormer USC star Tri Bourne has ship. been moving up the FIVB rankThis year Phil has moved back to ings with veteran John Hyden at the leftside. Last year in the only whirlwind pace in 2014. (Photo: FIVB) non-Rosenthal event he played, he took second on the left, in arguably the strongest field of any

FIVB tournament, with Casey Jennings in Sao Paulo. Rosenthal’s back was balky for much of the 2013 season and he now must make the adjustment to the right side. Everyone thought this duo was going to be the dream team and while it has not been a nightmare thus far, Long Beach will be a crucial test to measure the efficacy of this partnership.

Bruno Oscar Schmidt/Alison Cerutti

The best phrase to describe any Brasilian men’s team on the FIVB is “Ay Carimba!” So far 2014 is setting up to be the worst year in the annals of this South American country on the sand. In six FIVB events only twice has a Brasilian men’s team ascended to the podium, and that was when Bruno and Alison took second in the very first event in April in Fuzhou, China and then a third in the Berlin Grand Prix. Neither Vitor Felipe/Evandro, Ricardo/Alvaro Filho or Emanuel/Pedro have produced especially noteworthy performances. This is probably the single most stunning development on the FIVB this season. Nevertheless, it says here that Long Beach will be the breakthrough tournament for one of these teams and it most likely will be Bruno and Alison.

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Bruno, 27, played last season with Pedro Salgado and had an exceptional season with six podium finishes in 13 events. But due to some skullduggery by the CBV, the Brazilian beach volleyball federation, he finds himself playing this season with the “Wooly Mammoth” Alison rather than Salgado. It is a shame, because Bruno has a skill set to die for. He is a great defender, has every shot in the book and has hands like butter. Alison, 28, the Olympic silver medalist from London with Emanuel, quite simply is not the same dominant player he was in 2011 and 2012. He had only one podium finish in 2013 and at times looked simply awful on the sand. The ultimate insult was that this team was playing in qualifiers this year on the FIVB tour. Imagine that! This partnership has too much talent and they are still CROWD PLEASER too young not to be a major force for the Long Beach Casey Patterson has the tournament. game to fire up the Ameri-

Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera

can crowd in Long Beach, but through the Berlin Grand Slam was still seeking his first podium finish of 2014. (Photo: Peter Brouillet)

When healthy, the Spaniards are very tough to beat. They are also hard to tell apart, both in appearance and in their skill set. For those that have argued Sean Scott and John Hyden would have had a consistently hard time on the FIVB tour because height-wise they were tweeners at 6-5, this Spanish duo are both 6-4, but have the versatility to do everything on the court that their taller (and, in the case of defenders) shorter counterparts can. Herrera, 31, has a remarkable history. Ten years ago in Athens, he and then-partner Javier Bosma, the 15th seeds, made it all the way to the gold medal match at the Olympics before falling to Emanuel and Ricardo in the final. At that point many victories were predicted for the then-21 year old wunderkind. However, it was not to be, and Herrera has not won a tournament in the last six years and only two total. Herrera and Gavira partnered for the first time five years ago and one of their highlight performances was a second last year in Long Beach. So far in 2014 they have two fifths and two ninths THE JOURNEY on the FIVB circuit but they Kerri Walsh Jennings and April also took a fourth in a very Ross have started their journey tough field in the European to Rio de Janeiro with the best Championships. winning percentage on the FIVB Tour. (Photo: FIVB)

WOMen’s teamS to watch Kerri Walsh Jennings/April Ross

“Big wheel keep on turnin’ and proud Kerri keeps on burnin.” It is hard to see anything but injuries slowing this pair down. April brings a new weapon to the team dynamic: a jump-serve to make this truly a five-tool partnership. At press time, Ross and Walsh-Jennings had won almost two-thirds of the tournaments they had played together, a percentage which compares favorably to the 11-year run by Kerri and her three-time Olympic gold medal partner Misty May-Treanor. Walsh Jennings had to make the biggest sacrifice of the partnership by switching to the right side. So far she has struggled at times passing and setting but she is still as dominant as ever hitting and blocking. She is as hungry for titles as she has ever been and despite the fact that she will be 36 in August there appears to be fuel left in the tank. Ross, 32, is in her playing prime, and interestingly enough there have been tournaments where Kerri is receiving the majority of the serves. April’s defense behind the block is getting better and her mental game is almost on the same level as Walsh’s. If a match goes to a third set, count on Kerri and April to win: they are 12-1 as a team in those situations.

Larissa Franca/Talita Antunes

For the Brazilian women the 2014 campaign has played out like a season of “Game of Thrones.” Franca “retired” after a 2012 season when for the third time in four years she won the FIVB points title with then-partner Juliana Felisberta Silva. Like Jim Brown and Rocky Marciano, Larissa, with 46 titles, second most ever on the FIVB tour, was going out on top. However, the real reason she stepped away from the game was a dispute with the Brazilian (CBV) federation’s insistence that she be required to attend mandatory training camps and not have the final say in partner selection. In mid-May the CBV backed away from those requirements, which prompted Larissa to get back in the game. What partner did she pick? Only 2014 #3 | digbeachvolleyball.com

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Global consequences

THE CHASERS

Summer Ross and Emily Day had a breakout event in Long Beach in 2013, but are off to a slower start this year. Below right: Brooke Sweat has teamed with Lauren Fendrick to become one of the most consistent U.S. teams. (Photos: FIVB)

Talita Antunes, the better half of the top team in the world in 2013. Last season Antunes and Taiana Lima won five of 12 events and made it to the podium in two others. One of their wins was in Long Beach, where in an all-Brazilian final they beat the Salgado sisters in three tight sets. The one blemish last year was a big one, 17th in the World Championships, the first time that Lima and Antunes played together in a signature event. On paper, Franca and Antunes are a terrific team. Franca is a crafty right-side player with a gorgeous cut shot and incredible court sense. Antunes is an excellent blocker, can jump very well and has a sizeable wingspan. Larissa is 32 and Talita will be the same age in August. If this partnership plays to its potential, Kerri and April will be pushed to the limit.

Juliana Felisberta Silva/Maria Antonelli

Juliana is Larissa’s former partner, and Maria is Talita’s ex, so it stands to reason that this team has powerhouse potential as well. Juliana has won 45 FIVB tourneys in her illustrious career and Antonelli has nine victories under her belt. Juliana, 5-10, and in her prime at 31, may have the best vertical leap among the world’s elite players and she hits a very heavy ball. Maria, 5-9 and 30 years old, does not stand out in any one facet of the game, but is consistent, and plays good defense behind the block. She will also receive almost all of the serves as no one wants to be on the receiving end of Juliana’s missiles. This team has had to work very hard this season. In four of the first six events they started out in the qualifier due to the wacko seeding formula the FIVB utilizes. On top of that, they are one of the few elite teams that have played in all of the Opens as well as Grand Slams. At press time they had three second-place finishes to their credit. In order to ascend to the top of the podium they will need to have their potent serves facilitate passing errors on the other side.

Karla Borger/Britta Buthe

Buthe, 26, and Borger, 25, could be the future face of volleyball in Europe. In the World Championships last year they produced a stunning performance, winning a silver medal and taking China’s experienced Chen Xue and Xi Zhang to overtime in the third game before succumbing. Shortly thereafter, a Buthe stomach injury killed the team’s momentum and they took ninths in the only two tournaments they played the rest of the summer. So far in 2014 their performances have been solid but with no breakthroughs like at last year’s World Championships. Borger, 5-11, is like a Hoover vacuum on defense and when she is “on” may be the best in the world playing behind the block. Buthe, 6-1, is strong and extremely physical, a real intimidating presence. Long Beach will be a home-

coming of sorts for her as she was born in the U.S. in Dearborn, Michigan.

Marketa Slukova/Kristyna Kolocova

Another Euro partnership to keep an eye on is the Czech duo of Marketa Slukova and Kristyna Kolocova. Kolocova, 26, has played her entire nine-year career with her “Czech mate,” the duo having started on the European Continental and FIVB junior circuits dating all the way back to 2005. The real breakthrough for this team was the 2012 London Olympics where they pulled off maybe the shocker of the whole tournament defeating the fifth seeded Brazilian pair Maria Antonelli and Talita Antunes in the single elimination round of sixteen before succumbing to eventual silver medalists Jen Kessy and April Ross in the quarters. That Olympic 5th place finish was one of six they garnered in 2012 and portended big things the following season, but aside from a career-high fourth in the Berlin Grand Slam, most of their other performances were underwhelming in 2013. The 2014 season has been a completely different story with two very impressive wins to start the season in an Open in Prague and the Berlin Grand Slam (for some reason the German city brings out the best in them). How have they been able to do it? Kolocova, 5-7, has an array of shots, which she has to employ, because with her short stature she is receiving every single serve. Kolocova is a “Ms. Hustle,” a whirling dervish on defense. She goes after every single ball. Slukova, 25, uses her 6-0 frame very effectively both as a blocker and a terminator. She hits a very heavy ball and has a great deal of finesse for someone her size. This team is unlikely to beat themselves, but Kolocova has to use her complete arsenal to great effect to come away with another victory in weather that will be more conducive to players from North and South America. DiG

digbeachvolleyball.com | 2014 #3

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6/26/14 9:00:22 AM

BRONZED BRAZILIAN

Maria Antonelli has teamed with Juliana Fellsberta to form one of the FIVBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most potent teams. Antonelli knocked out two top teams in Long Beach last year. (Photo: FIVB)

2014 #3 | digbeachvolleyball.com

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Mayer and Keenan help AVP return to form in St. Pete

GRAND OPENING The season’s first AVP tournament featured a plot twist from John Mayer (left) and Brad Keenan, who upset the top two teams (Phil Dalhausser/Sean Rosenthal and Casey Patterson/Jake Gibb) to take the title in St. Petersburg, Fla., on June 1. It was Keenan’s first career victory and Mayer’s second. (Photo: Robert Beck/AVP)

digbeachvolleyball.com | 2014 #3

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BACK TO THE BEACH Most anywhere in Florida is a good place to play beach volleyball, and St. Petersburg, site of the AVP opener, was no exception. In front of a postcard-perfect backdrop, the top pros in America battled it out May 29 through June 1. Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross took home the womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s title, and the menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bracket was topped by John Mayer and Brad Keenan. (Photo: Robert Beck/AVP)

KERRI ON

Kerri Walsh Jennings has another child (her third), a new side of the court (the right) and a new partner (April Ross). But one thing remains the same. She wins. On the FIVB Tour, she and April won two of the first four events, and they also won the AVP opener in Florida on June 1 by posting a 5-0 match record. (Photo: Robert Beck/AVP)

2014 #3 | digbeachvolleyball.com

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HIGH RISE Brad Keenan needed to go high over the block of Jeremy Casebeer during a tough three-set win that featured a 20-18 nailbiter in the third. Keenan and Mayer went on to win the AVP St. Petersburg Open with two subsequent victories. (Photo: Rick Atwood)

Ty Tram than a surgery style in seventh Drost a Rogers the firs Atwood

digbeachvolleyball.com | 2014 #3

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STYLE POINTS Ty Tramblie was out for more than a year with a shoulder surgery, but returned with style in Florida by placing seventh with partner Avery Drost after upsetting Todd Rogers and Theo Brunner in the first round. (Photo: Rick Atwood)

GOOD DAY Sarah Day worked hard in Florida for a career-best fifth place with partner Olaya Perez, good enough for a $5,200 payday for the duo. (Photo: Rick Atwood)

2014 #3| digbeachvolleyball.com

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FLORIDA HEAT Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Adrian Carambula enjoyed a home tournament in St. Petersburg with partner Andrei Belov en route to a ninthplace finish. (Photo: Robert Beck/AVP)

DOUBLE DIP Ryan Doherty and Brad Keenan, left, let their fingers do the battling three feet over the net in Florida. Keenanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wife, April Ross, right, helped the family enjoy a double first-place payday. (Photos: Rick Atwood)

digbeachvolleyball.com | 2014 #3

Beach wrap.indd 6

6/26/14 8:48:38 AM

DIG DEEP

KERRI WALSH JENNINGS

SUMMER ROSS

APRIL ROSS

EMILY DAY

2014

AVP

TOUR

Get tickets at avp.com! #AVPBEACH CASEY PATTERSON

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ST. PETERSBURG OPEN May 29-June 1 MILWAUKEE OPEN July 4-6 SALT LAKE CITY OPEN August 8-10 MANHATTAN BEACH OPEN August 15-17 CINCINNATI OPEN August 29-31 ATLANTIC CITY DO AC INVITATIONAL September 5-7 AVP CHAMPIONSHIPS AT HUNTINGTON BEACH Sept 19-21

JAKE GIBB

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www.MotherLodeVolleyball.com

6/23/14 3:18:42 PM

fitness TEXT BY CURTIS JACKSON EXERCISES DEMONSTRATED BY CHRISTIAN SEIBER PHOTOS BY DON LIEBIG

PUSH-UPS THE RIGHT WAY This timeless exercise can actually do more harm than good if your technique is wrong. Here’s how to make your push-ups count

hhhhhh, the push-up. Walk into any gym in America and inevitably you will find a coach using these as incentive not to lose a drill or to motivate a team to practice harder. I, for one, am all for it. The problem is that the push-up is a conditionally good and bad exercise. What I mean is that many times this potentially beneficial exercise is butchered beyond belief and can do way more harm than good to the shoulders and low back. So, in the interest of injury prevention, I have decided to tackle this popular yet possibly injurious exercise. I have been around volleyball almost 30 years now and I have known way too many volleyball players who have had shoulder surgeries, including my own wife. Hopefully, this article can help prevent future ones. As many of you may have noticed, I’m kind of a stickler for form, so let’s dig into this staple exercise.

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head, between the shoulder blades and tailbone. If any of these three spots aren’t touching the stick then your alignment is off. It may take awhile to get in position, and just getting it in the right spot might be enough to be your workout for the day!

PROPER PUSH-UP TECHNIQUE

THREE COMMON MISTAKES

Three of the most common mistakes athletes make when doing push-ups are: 1) Sagging the butt; 2) Dropping the head; 3) Making a hump between the shoulders. Fortunately, you can avoid doing any of these things by using a dowel rod, broomstick or PVC pipe (Photo 1). Get into a push up position with hands slightly wider than the shoulders and feet about hip width. Have a friend or teammate gently place the rod (or whatever you choose to use) in line with your spine. Once it’s there, adjust your body so that it’s touching the back of your

Once you have the right position, slowly start lowering your chest to the ground with your elbows at about a 45-degree angle. Now, you must pay very close attention because the stick will want to move on you. These will be the most controlled push-ups you have ever done. The main benefit of the push-up for shoulder health is that it improves the movement of the shoulder blade. Be aware that you want your shoulder blades pinching together on the way down and then separating on the way up as you lock it out (photos 2 and 3 and then back to 1). If you read the article on the plank in the last issue, then you know it’s also very important to have the anterior core braced with the glutes and quads contracted. This will keep the body in a straight line and make for a nice, pretty push-up.

digbeachvolleyball.com | 2014 #3

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MODIFICATION WITH THE MED BALL AND SWISS BALL

Another technique we use at Jackson Strength is to put a small med ball underneath the chest so our athletes have a consistent place to stop that doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take them too low. Going too low in a push-up can be hard on the anterior capsule of the shoulder, and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something no volleyballer needs. As overhead athletes, we are already hard on it. Once you can complete 10 perfect reps, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready for the progressions. The first one would be to elevate the feet. By now, you should have good kinesthetic awareness and can remove the dowel rod. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t typically go above 14 inches with our volleyball athletes because increasing the angle too much can also be hard on the shoulder (photos 4, 5 and 6). Once you are comfortable with this version, move on to doing them on a Swiss ball (photos 7, 8 and 9). Obviously, we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put a med ball on top of the Swiss ball, but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter. Part of the beauty of this version is that the Swiss ball has a natural curve to it that provides a perfect stopping point. Just make sure you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bouncing off the ball to cheat your way up. You can even add the bench to your feet with this version once it gets easy.

Skip the knee push-ups

A popular push-up for athletes who canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do a push-up is to do them from the knees. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t waste your time! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s out of the scope of this article, but trust me, they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do much to improve regular push-ups. Instead, put your hands on a bench to improve the angle. This version will get you doing regular push-ups much quicker! Hopefully, this article has inspired you to do some proper push-ups to spike harder and stay away from the doctor! DiG

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Curtis Jackson is the head strength and performance coach for Jackson Strength in Solana Beach, Calif., where he specializes in vertical jump, speed and high-performance nutrition. If you would like more info on training and nutrition for volleyball athletes, you can sign up for his newsletter at JacksonStrength.com and follow him on Twitter @jacksonstrength.

Fitness#3.indd 3

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clinic BY BRAD KEENAN PHOTO BY PETER BROUILLET

PRESS FOR POINTS B

locking is a lot different on the beach than it is for indoors. I feel like the eye work is a little different since the blocker is only dealing with one hitter in most situations. First the blocker needs to make sure the pass is not hittable by the setter. From there it is important to watch the set. If the set is anywhere close to the net, it is important for the blocker to go away from their call, and just try and block the ball. If everything is in system, the blocker should stay low and mobile, and turn the outside hand slightly toward the court, and the inside hand should press straight over into the court. If you look at the picture you can see my right leg and hip turning off the net. This is not good. It is important to stay square to the net, in order to extend the amount of time the blocker is over the net. Last thing, as you are jumping to block try to press over as soon as possible. The more time you spend over the net, the more chances you have to block the ball. DiG

Brad Keenan, 32, has been a top pro beach player for nearly a decade after a stellar indoor career at Pepperdine. He picked up his first beach victory in May with partner John Mayer.

digbeachvolleyball.com | 2014 #3

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6/23/14 3:42:34 PM

rewind BY JON HASTINGS PHOTOS BY PETER BROUILLET & MARTY SMILKSTEIN

Pick your defender

beach court has guys who tell stories about how good the old guys used to be. We’re giving readers the McPeak power Every chance to pick a defender between Ty Tramblie (2003-active) and Gary Hooper (1972-1984). Which one of these

similar-sized guys do you want scrambling behind your big block? Hooper won 11 times in his 12-year run and Tramblie has two seconds in his modern era career. Don’t let Hooper’s passing form in this photo fool you – he was just warming up for a 1978 Lake Tahoe event at Kings Beach, inhaling the karma of the era.

Ty Tramblie Ht. 6-0 College: Cal State Northridge Hangouts: Hermosa Beach, Huntington Beach Known partners: Avery Drost, Mike Morrison, Tyler Hildebrand, Russ Marchewka

Ty Tramblie vs. Gary Hooper

Tale Of The Net

Tramblie

Quickness

Tramblie

Cut Shot

Tramblie

Digging

Tramblie

Tramblie Tramblie

Tramblie

4 4 Tramblie 4

4 Hooper 4 Hooper Hooper

Clutch

4 Hooper

Hitting Hairstyle Dialogue

Ht. 5-11 College: UC Santa Barbara

Hooper

Serving Strategy

Gary Hooper

Hangouts: State Beach, East Beach Known partners: Steve Obradovich, Fred Sturm, Jim Menges, Tim Walmer

Hooper

4 Hooper = Hooper 4 Hooper

Tramblie

Conditioning

Hooper

Tramblie

Sponsor friendly*

Hooper

Intangibles

Hooper

* Hooper gets the nod with tobacco companies

digbeachvolleyball.com | 2014 #3

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beach smack INTERVIEW BY CONNOR HASTINGS • PHOTO BY DON LIEBIG

WILLMONTGOMERY

What mental reminder tends to help you the most during a volleyball match? Anything that cues me into the moment. I enjoy some creative dialogue, sometimes more meditative, calm reminders are good, other times it’s along the lines of a “what would a Navy SEAL do?” Each respective situation calls for its own formula. Do you prefer playing opponents that do a lot of talking or none at all? I respect those players with good dialogue, and enjoy the quality of trash talking or heckling they bring to the table. It makes games fun, exciting, and memorable. I feel like Casey Jennings can bring good dialogue and can make an average game something special for players and fans. On the other hand, there are others who have terrible dialogue, and it motivates me to beat them so they have nothing to talk about.

What are your top three sources of motivation? Mastering the moment. Pursuing potential. Never being satisfied. Which would you be more willing to give up control over: Your diet or your exercise regimen? Diet, I can mentally overcome the acute side effects of a poor diet but I can’t mentally make myself jump higher. Or at least I don’t think I can. Maybe I’m wrong though. What’s usually the first thought in your head when you wake up in the morning and your last thought before falling asleep? First thought is something ambitious along the lines of “let’s take over the world”... Last thoughts usually pertain to gratitude or meditation, to calm the racing mind and bring perspective to how fortunate I am. What’s the most mentally stimulating environment you’ve ever been in? Team whiteboard meetings at UCI. Ideas flowed freely, and covered all kinds of topics from how we were going to be the best team in America, to what it means to become a man. Those meetings helped shape who I am today. If you had your own radio show, what would the title be and what would be the format? I suppose I would host a show about people who are extremely successful or unique to their respective field. I would bring on people from all walks of life to keep it interesting; different professions, passions, ages, nationalities, personalities, etc. The name? “Life Lessons with Monty.” What’s the most complex do-it-yourself project you could complete? I would love to build a completely furnished and livable treehouse. Maybe just a room for me or later on in life for my kid, but the livable standard would still be held. I have been fortunate enough to have some great mentors in the field of carpentry and woodwork, and I’m confident I will make it happen when the time is right. Where do you go when you need to recharge? I grew up surfing, and love everything about it. I don’t get out as much as I used to when I was a kid, but I still do derive that same great feeling from a good session. I’m hearing some buzz about El Niño bringing swell this coming winter though so I’m going to have to get in shape for that. DiG

digbeachvolleyball.com | 2014 #3

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Will Montgomery, 24, has already played in 58 pro events worldwide after a college career at UC Irvine.

6/26/14 9:24:46 AM

CONGRATULATIONS TO

CASEY PATTERSON AND JAKE GIBB

@jakegibb

@caseypatt

USAV BEACH

TEAM OF THE YEAR Insta

mizunovolleyball.com

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