SpikeKey Beach Magazine

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For Players. By Players.

East Coast to West Coast Goodbye Silicon Valley...

Hello Beach

Game Of Inches Somersaults, Sand and Sun SKB 2014

For Players. By Players.

FEATURES TRAVEL THE BEACH CIRCUIT 5 The Future of Beach Volleyball 6 Somersaults, Sand and Sun

SPIKEKEY BEACH SPOTLIGHT 14 East Coast To West Coast 20 Game Of Inches

JUNIOR BEACH VOLLEYBALL 33 Junior Instagram Spotlight

BEACH LIFESTYLE 37 Goodbye Silicon Valley..Hello Beach

BEAUTY AND STYLE 45 Protein: Going Beyond Meat 48 Beach Volleyball Accessories Passe & Present

ON THE COVER

Christal Engle, Professional Beach Volleyball Player Russ Dix, Photographer www.rsdphotography.com

Contributing Photographers

Matt Brockway Sports Management

Lou Pucci Executive Designer

Sean Griffin Executive Editor

Megan Wallin Publisher

Tim Britt Mpu Dinani Sean Hays Brian White

The Future of Beach Volleyball As I sit here thinking about the upcoming beach volleyball season, I can’t help but get excited. I have never played in a time or had high enough finishes where beach volleyball alone would be able to support myself. I have have odd jobs, time consuming projects, and lots of coaching jobs to support my habit of playing at the professional level.

But, there is reason for all of us to have hope. I don’t know if I will ever earn enough as a player to support my lifestyle, but there is a sense of professionalism and urgency with everyone who has a voice in beach volleyball. The people in place now seem to know what they are doing.

Beach volleyball will grow and the new product and next generation of players will be amazing.

Sean Scott may be one of the best hires ever for the USAV beach athletes. He and the rest of the USAV team have implemented a system for developing new athletes, as well as helping current athletes. The system is simple and practical at the same time. Players can easily find out how to get into certain tournaments; the USAV didn’t leave a lot of room for choice. Players who have the best finishes in certain tournaments get to play. This is a huge step in the right direction! It is still a work in progress, but there is a sense of security knowing the players are in good hands with the USAV. Collegiate

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Sean Hays Photo

sand volleyball is on the verge of totally exploding. It’s going to be awesome, especially from the women’s side. There are thirty-seven division one programs right now.

As I understand it, the NCAA needs forty teams to start their clock. Those forty programs have to stay alive for two years. Once that happens, the NCAA will pick sand volleyball up as a full-fledged sport and it will gain a ton of momentum with television and marketing from there on.

Youth tournaments are crazy packed.

Living in San Diego, we have five beach volleyball clubs competing for players, finishes, and space on the beach. I coach at Wave Volleyball Club, and we run an Independent Studies Physical Education group two days a week with over 40 kids. On top of that, we have a beach club and an elite invite only group.The result is a ton of kids are getting on the sand 2-4 days a week and playing year round. I guarantee the level of play on the womens’ side is going to be insane. We will no longer wonder why in the FIVB some countries have such young competitors.

It only seems that way for the USA because beach volleyball hasn’t been taught to our youth. All of that is changing now.

• Sean Scott + USAV= good things happening • Scholarships are available for Collegiate Sand volleyball programs • Youth beach volleyball clubs are GROWING across the US • The AVP is back!

Donald Sun cares:) • START TRAINING

Finally the AVP is back! Donald Sun cares. He is a businessman and will make business decisions, but he is passionate about the AVP brand and seeing beach volleyball succeed at a level on par with other professional tours. He constantly makes time for players, and the AVP has consistently adapted to players’ needs and wants as more tournaments have been held.

Every detail was executed so much better this past year in comparison to the other tours. Medical staff, food, facilities, warm up areas, and equipment, everything was better than what athletes had become accustomed to. Still, the AVP should not be satisfied.

They know they can do better. The AVP recently sent all the players a survey asking, “how do we make these tournaments better?” Donald once told me that he wanted an AVP event to look like the Staples Center in the playoffs, with every detail attended to so that, even in the age of high definition TV, you wouldn’t be able to pinpoint any flaws. That is the type of guy we are working with; a guy who cares.

By Kevin McColloch

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such a great sport to transition into. In my head I still identified myself as an athlete. It’s an identity that becomes such an integral part of your selfconcept that it’s incredibly difficult to let go. So I went looking for a new sport.

I didn’t have to look very far. While I’d been spending hours jumping up and down in cold gymnasiums, my mom, dad and brother had all been hanging out at the beach playing volleyball. It seemed like the perfect choice – most of the top athletes were in their thirties so there was time to reach the top level, you spend all your time at the beach, you get to play with a partner instead of doing everything solo. And not to mention there were lots of tall, fit, sun bronzed men playing with their shirts off. What more could I ask for?

Starting out…

Somersaults, sand and sun ‘Jump. Jump harder. Higher. Push.’

You’d think my coach was talking about blocking or spiking. But he was actually talking about a totally different sport.

Trampolining.

Beach volleyball is a sport that few people start at a young age. Most athletes come to it from another sport – a ball sport– anything from indoor volleyball or basketball or soccer.

My beach volleyball career started with something a little different: 17 years of jump training.

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I was the Australian trampoline champion for 12 years in a row, ranked in the top 10 in the World…I could jump as high as a two-story building, and start a routine with a double front somersault with two and a half twists. I didn’t even get dizzy. Well, not often.

But, as I am discovering, trampolining is not nearly as much fun as beach volleyball.

When I retired from trampolining 3 years ago I was incredibly lucky to find

What do trampolining and beach volleyball have in common? Not much is the answer.

I was not talented. In fact I struggled in all aspects of volleyball when I first started. Every pass was a shank, I’d swing my arm to hit the ball and connect with nothing but air and I could barely even catch the ball when my partner threw it to me in warm-up.

I told myself I’d give it 6 months of training hard to decide if volleyball was the sport for me. I simply converted my 10 trampoline training sessions per week into volleyball sessions. I fell in love in the first week.

I played a couple of my first ever local tournaments with my mum. I’d wear my official Australian gear from competing overseas in trampolining and flex my 6-pack when we stepped on court, and they’d promptly serve my mum for most of the first game. It took them that long to figure out that I couldn’t

Dictionary

from down under!

Game............................ Set Match.......................... Game Switch sides............... (Change) ends Sweater....................... Jumper Sweat pants................ Trackies Candy.......................... Lollies Cooler.......................... Esky Sunglasses.................. Sunnies Soda/pop..................... Soft drink Eraser......................... Rubber Fanny.......................... Bum (fanny is ..................................... your front bum) Swim suit.................... Bathers/togs ..................................... /swimmers Shag............................. Get busy in the ..................................... bedroom Root............................. Barrack (rooting= ..................................... shagging) Flip flops...................... Thongs Speedos (for men)..... Budgie Smugglers

air and you could be landing on the ground, or on your head. When you play volleyball and you make a mistake you have a partner to slap your hand and say: ‘don’t worry, let’s get the next point’. There’s not that constant mental pressure to be perfect.

Endless summer…

It’s cold in Melbourne in June. Winter has settled in and it rains often with icy winds blowing up from the Antarctic.

Not the best for beach volleyball.

They say Australia is the lucky country but America must be the generous one – everyone was so welcoming from the beginning. I’ll always be grateful to the people who let me stay at their houses, who befriended me instantly and who invited me to volleyball practice! It wasn’t long before I was playing every single day of the week, often two or three times each day. What else would you do on an extended vacation? I already loved volleyball but now I was practically married to it.

It is often said that immersion is the best way to learn a language (although we all speak English there were still a few language barriers to overcome – I laughed uncontrollably the first time people said ‘let’s shag’ or ‘who are you rooting for?’) But immersion applies also to volleyball. Playing every day with girls who were better than me and being coached by some of the top coaches in the world improved my game beyond belief. They say that your bank balance is the average of your five closest friends – I think your volleyball game must be the average of your 5 closest training partners.

pass, couldn’t hit, couldn’t even connect my arms with the ball most of the time. By the second game they were onto me and my poor mum would have to chase after all my shanked balls…

But at least I was fit. Height is genetic, talent is ingrained, skill takes time to develop, but fitness is something you control. There are many exceptionally tall, talented and skilled players who can be beaten simply because they are not fit enough.

The biggest thing that trampolining also gave me is mental toughness. In the big moments I can concentrate well because one tiny mistake in a 20 second routine at World Championships can mean decades of training were for nothing. One error at 30 feet in the

It was meant to be a two month trip, and it turned into 5 months – I couldn’t bear to leave. Endless summer indeed.

Although I will say that I’m glad I’m trying to make the Australian team rather than the USA team! You not only have the best players in the world, you also have the most players – it’s tough competition.

So craving summer, I quit my job, jumped on a plane and flew to America.

The only place where the metric system still hasn’t caught on, where people have a tendency to ruin perfectly good chocolate by adding peanut butter and the manufacturers of my new favorite food – Cinnabon!

Winning the NVL Hermosa Open I’ll always remember standing at the net, ready to block, waiting for my partner Iwona Lodzik to serve. The score was 18-17 in the second set of the Hermosa Open final. We’d won the first set comfortably, but were battling side-out for side-out in the second. I SpikeKey.com

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wanted to win, wanted it badly. I could taste the biggest victory of my career but I fought to focus only on the ball. Each point had the weight of that want hanging on it.

The whistle blew. The crowd went silent, expectant. I heard the whisper of the ball toss as Iwona started her serve, and the smack of her hand as she connected.

The ball hit the tape at the top of the net. Balanced there while my heart leapt into my throat. Trickled over as our opponents scrambled towards me. And dropped into the sand. 19-17.

I hadn’t expected to be here.

Would have been happy to just make the top 10.. After all, it was a national tournament in the country with the best beach volleyballers in the world. And I was playing with a brand new partner. We’d just barely scraped out of the qualifier with a 15-13 win in the third set. But it doesn’t matter how much you win by, and we’d kept winning, every game all the way to the final.

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My American friends were chanting ‘Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi’ in the stands. Despite the tension it made me smile. The whistle blew.

I saw it in our opponents eyes before I saw the ball. Hope, then disbelief. Iwona had served another ball into the top of the net.

Another ball that had trickled over to be an ace. 20-17.

We’ve done it my brain screamed at me. And my other internal voice shouted back ‘no, concentrate, it’s not over’. After all, in both our quarter and semi finals we’d come from behind to win the second game and then the match in 3 sets.

They sided out the next point.

18-20.

I told myself that they could still win. That now, more than any other point I had to not think about victory, but just think about the ball. The whistle blew.

The serve would come to me, it had all match, the game was in my hands now. Breathe. They served. Pass. Set. They pulled off the net and time slowed down.

The realization that this could be the last ball of the game, of the tournament sank in, just as I launched into the air. Be aggressive, I thought. And smack.

My hand connected with the ball and the sound was all I heard in the silent arena.

Noise. That’s what I remember next. The instant of silence followed by the realization that you’ve hit a winner. Iwona picked me up and we crushed each other in a hug as our friends in the crowd rushed onto the sand.

kicks off in January (we welcome foreign players so come and visit!)

What’s next…

With my USA experience behind me I’ll be looking to challenge some of the top teams in the country. I aim to qualify to play some Asian Tour events as well (the equivalent of NORCECA but for the Australasian region). These are a great stepping-stone to playing on the World Tour in a year or two.

It’s summer in Australia now with everything that brings with it.

Long days, early morning training, fish and chips on the beach and scorching heat waves of over 100 degrees. And the Australian National Beach Volleyball Tour

And of course, I want to make my way back to the USA. I have a whole network of friends to visit, volleyballers to play with and a title to defend. Bring on another endless summer playing this sport we all love.

There are moments in life that are perfect in every way. And that was one of them.

Tips for success: 3 Be an athlete, not just a volleyball player 3 Get the best coach and get coached often 3 Train with people better than you (if your bank account is the average of your five closest friends’, your volleyball game is the average of your 5 closest training partners) 3 Don’t learn from other people’s failures, learn from their successes 3 Set goals that excite you like crazy, and that scare you like crazy. Then turn your goals into decisions. Goals admit the possibility of failure, decisions are immovable.

3 Make excellence a habit – training, and training well, should be part of your routine 3 Master skill (the aim is unconscious competence – you can perform the skill flawlessly without thinking about the technique) 3 Make sure there is chemistry in your partnership, but don’t expect to not have to work on your relationship still (it’s like a marriage except that you probably spend more time with your volleyball partner than your significant other) 3 Look after your mental game – simulate tournament pressure in training 3 Be humble in victory (in particular say thanks to those that helped get you there) and determined in defeat (losing should be motivation to train even harder)

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Brooke

SWEAT

Brooke Goes West...

At the end of the 2011 beach volleyball season, I was at a point in my career where I needed to make the decision to either fully commit to pursuing my Olympic dreams, or be content with my current efforts, training, and results. I chose the first option, and having previously traveled to California on several occasions to train with coaches and west coast players, I knew that training in California, the birthplace of beach volleyball, would elevate my game.

ooke... know Br to g in tt e G ht: 5’8” P Heig 27 : e CA P Ag ta Mesa, ides: Cos rida Gulf Coast s e R P ter: Flo Alma-ma unk City!)

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So, off to California! I packed up my Volkswagen Jetta and drove cross-country from Estero, FL to Hermosa Beach, CA. Instantly, it was a complete lifestyle change. I was able to train with the best players and top coaches every day. Slowly, I became part of the local beach volleyball community, and was fortunate enough to break into the USA Volleyball program. Little by little, opportunities to travel and compete internationally came my way. I took advantage of every single one, and never turned down any opportunity to compete and become a better player. My hard work, dedication, and perseverance began paying off, but it only fueled my desire to work harder and progress even further.

Staying Healthy & Preparing for the Future...

After a successful 2013 season, I’m looking forward to the future. I have surrounded myself with people who believe in me, and they are working to make me the best athlete I can be. My family is back home in Florida, but constantly sends love and support my way. I wouldn’t be where I am today without all them.

One of my primary focuses is my body and taking care of and treating all the little nagging injuries that are part of professional beach volleyball. The team at ProSport Physical Therapy in Newport Beach, CA is an essential part of treating these nagging injuries, keeping me healthy during off season training, and preparing me for the 2014 season.

On a daily basis, I train with the best beach volleyball players in the world. Looking back on my career, it’s sometimes hard to believe that all the hard work paid off and I get to practice with these talented athletes. It’s humbling at the same time, knowing that there is more work to be done and more goals to achieve. Of course, my biggest goal is compete for the USA in the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. I train each and every day with the focus and intent of making this goal a reality. But, I know my life is in The Lord’s hands and He has a plan for my life – maybe that plan includes the Olympics, or maybe not. I trust, believe, and follow Him, for His plan is greater than anything I could do on my own.

Tim Britt Ph

otography

SKB: Talk about the beach volleyball style of play in the USA and on the FIVB Tour.

Brooke: Beach volleyball on the FIVB Tour is fast paced, powerful, hard, and very serious. It’s fun to compete against all the different countries and different styles of play.

Each country has its own strategies and way of playing the game, so each match you may see something completely different on the other side of the net. In the USA, most players play a similar type of game.

This may be due to the fact that most of the athletes train together, or in a very similar fashion.

SKB: Give us a snapshot of your 2013 season?

Brooke: My 2013 season began in March with Jenn Fopma and I playing in NORCECA tournaments in the Cayman Islands and Dominican Republic. Our finishes at these tournaments gave us enough points to be the 4th USA team (only 4 team get to compete) for the first FIVB events in China in April. We gained more points from the events in China, which put us in the position to play the entire 2013 FIVB schedule.

From April through August we traveled and competed all around the world. It was such a blast!

My favorite stop was Gstaad, Switzerland. It is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen! The town is so small, so cute! We also earned our first 5th place finish at this tournament. I also enjoyed competing in Rome, where center court was down in a pit surrounded by statues of gods and goddesses.

There’s no other venue quite like it! In August there was a break on the FIVB tour so we came back to the USA to start the AVP season. We SpikeKey.com

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played five AVP events in consecutive weekends, and then departed for Brazil to compete in an FIVB event before playing in the last two AVP stops in Santa Barbara and Huntington Beach.

I finished the season in Thailand in November partnering with Jennifer Kessy.

SKB: Talk about the most memorable moments of your career domestically and internationally.

Brooke: Winning the 2013 AVP Championships in Huntington Beach with Jenn Fopma is one of my most memorable domestic tournaments.

After losing the first match of the tournament, it was a battle to get back to the finals through the contender’s bracket! It was as much a victory mentally and emotionally as it was a victory physically.

Another domestic memorable moment was winning the 2011 Corona Light Wide Open tournament with Kristen Batt. It was one of those tournaments where everything was clicking, and every match was so much fun. Kristen is one of my best friends, and being able to share that moment with her makes it even more special.

Internationally, winning bronze at the FIVB Berlin Grand Slam is by far my most memorable moment. We had to fight just to make it out of our pool (3 teams make it out of each pool, and all 3 teams from our pool were in the semifinals). At the same time, it was disappointing to be so close to making it to the finals. Looking back, I’m extremely proud of how we battled throughout that entire tournament, and how we earned a spot on the podium with the best teams in the world.

SEPTEMBER 5-7, 2014 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.

ALL PART OF THE VIP ticket packages will TOUR be available.

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

www.DoAtlanticCity.com

Kaitlin Sather Nielsen Age: 26 Height: 6’ 2” Profession: Assistant coach for UCLA Women’s Sand Volleyball Team and Professional Beach Volleyball Athlete Alma Mater: UCLA Sponsor: Asics Website: Kaitlin Sather Nielsen Professional Beach Volleyball on Facebook Position Indoor: Outside/Right Side Position on the Sand: Blocker Best Finish on AVP Tour: 9th

What’s your favorite drill?

I love to compete. One of my favorite drills is left side vs. left side and right side vs. right side. In order to get one point a player has to win three serves in a row. If the player does not succeed, the serve goes to the player on the opposite of the court. It is as close to one on one competition as it gets in our sport. It takes focus and discipline to win points consistently and to put together defensive stops for chances to score.

Is there a brand of volleyball you prefer to play with?

The past few beach volleyball seasons players have had the opportunity to compete on several professional tours.

As a result, the entire beach community has had to train with three different brands of volleyballs.

My favorite brand is Wilson, mainly due to the affiliation with the AVP Tour and domestic beach volleyball.

I have also competed in international beach volleyball events where the official ball is Mikasa. Playing overseas is a great experience full of learning, but playing in the United States and promoting our sport here in America is something truly special.

What’s your impression of junior sand volleyball and where it’s headed?

I was lucky enough to be the assistant sand coach at UCLA last season. It was the first year of sand volleyball at UCLA and the second year of sand volleyball in college. From that perspective, it has been really amazing to see how junior beach volleyball is blossoming with the onset of college sand volleyball.

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As more and more colleges start programs, it seems like club sand volleyball programs are popping up everywhere.

It is so exciting to travel around the country and see young girls playing the sport. I have seen eleven year olds jump serving into the wind and setting juicy back sets to the good side. Needless to say, I don’t think many pro players out there can say they were getting the type of training these kids are as early as they are.

With consistent training for young players and daily training in college at sand programs our domestic tours are going to be GNARLY very soon. I’m really excited for the future of the sport.

What’s the next step in your athletic career?

After a successful college career at UCLA one would think jumping into the sand game would be a smooth transition. However, switching from indoor to beach was one of the hardest and most humbling transitions of my young life. The logical thing to do was to continue to train with the indoor national team and go overseas to play professional indoor; the contracts were there, but my heart just wasn’t.

Brian White • SOS Photography

I decided to make the full-time switch to beach volleyball in 2011 and haven’t looked back.

Although the skill set is similar, passing, serving, setting and so on, there is a HUGE difference between the sports. Not only are you playing in sand, but the court is smaller and you only have one teammate on the court with you instead of five.

There is no hiding in sand volleyball.

Every deficiency will be exposed and potentially exploited.

Not only do you have to be a complete player, you also have to understand the strategy of beach volleyball. There are so many more levels of strategy that sand players are responsible in comparison to indoor players, especially since sand players don’t usually, or can’t have a vocal coach on the bench. Wind, sun, depth of sand and weather all play into the strategy players employ. Heat, rain, even hail haven’t stopped games I’ve been a part of.

There are no short cuts in pro beach. It takes time, dedication and a relentless competitive spirit to be successful. I’m very excited to continue my path in the sand and to continue to learn and develop.

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Game of Inches

By Laryssa Mereszczak

Adrian Carambula makes a one armed dig at the St. Pete AVP Tournament Mpu Dinani • A-Game Photography

I

have always been one to cheer for the underdog. I mean, who doesn’t love a good Cinderella story. My older brother was a bit of a boy genius, and with his engineering/ mathematical mind started plotting out tournament brackets, detailed statistical projections and graphs of how things would turn out for nearly every sport by the time he was six.

Like a lot of younger sisters, I adored my older brother and wanted to be just like him. At a very young age, I became obsessed with watching and playing sports of any kind with him. However, when I looked at his brackets, charts and

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graphs, I always found myself searching for that one longshot team that seemed to have a special something but only a Hail-Mary-prayer for the title. I would constantly look to find that phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes story, that athlete that encountered obstacle after obstacle and still managed to persevere and prevail; I became obsessed with chasing the phoenix.

Turns out, I am not the only one. I recently watched an HBO special about the history of sports in our country called “Sports in America – Our Defining Moments.”

The narrator started one of my favorite segments of the show with: “If you were born without a hand, you can make a list of things you probably can’t or shouldn’t do: fighter pilot is off the list; chef, probably not….I would think that baseball player would be on the list of things you probably shouldn’t do.”

Enter Jim Abbott.

As you may know, Jim Abbott was a pitcher who reached exceptional heights despite having been born without a right hand. In college, he starred at the University of Michigan. He pitched on the 1988 Gold Medal Olympic team. On September 4, 1993, while pitching for the New York Yankees, Abbott pitched a no-hitter against the Cleveland Indians.

Philip Dalhausser poses with fans at the St. Pete AVP Tournament.

Ernie Tyler Photography

Jim Abbott was born with what most would view as a crippling handicap, yet he chose to rise above it and not allow it to stop him from achieving his dream.

A hero like Jim Abbott is the perfect example of maximizing whatever hand you are dealt (no pun intended), even if you are dealt half of what the other guys have. After hearing a story such as his, it seems almost laughable to call something like a few inches a limitation.

As a vertically challenged player at of 5’7” and a strong believer in the “you can do anything you put your mind to” motto, I would like to be able to say that height is not really a factor in volleyball.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. Height is a factor that can provide the right kind of athlete the perfect advantage in this game – case in point: Phil Dalhausser and Kerri Walsh-Jennings.

However, it has been proven by many athletes in this game, including those I just mentioned, that height is definitely not the “winning factor”.

Megan Wallin and Kerri Walsh battle at the net during the Huntington Beach AVP Tournament

I personally believe the “winning factor” is much more about the way you play your hand than it is about the cards you are dealt. Of course it is nice to start a hand with pocket aces vs. a 7/2, but just because the odds are stacked against you out of the gate doesn’t mean there is no chance for success. You just have to sharpen another skill more finely than your taller opponents.

Laryssa Mereszcak

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Here is chart of the height listings of the top 50 players per gender, both defenders and blockers, in the US: FEMALE DEFENDERS Brooke Sweat Brooke Niles Whitney Pavlik Sarah Day Annett Davis Angie Akers Tealle Hunkus Brittany Hochevar Lane Carico Raquel Ferreira Kathryn Babcock Piening Kendra Jackson Van Zwieten Kathrin Winkler Allison Fleming Daley Chara Fehsenfeld Harris Aurora Skarra-Gallagher Gretchen Duffner-Hand Laryssa Mereszczak Rachel Wacholder Scott Tanya White Alicia Zamparelli-Flavia Erin Borske Gray Kim McGiven DiCello Priscilla Lima Brittany Hochevar Emily Day April Ross Jennifer Kessy Michelle Iafigliola Iwona Lodzik Summer Ross

Height FEMALE BLOCKERS Height 5’8 Jennifer Fopma 6’3” 5’8 Kaitlin Nielsen 6’2 6’ Megan Wallin 6’3 5’10 Jenny Kropp 6’2 5’11 Morgan Miller 6’3 6’ Lauren Fendrick 6’2 6’ Kerri Walsh Jennings 6’3 6’ Christal Morrison Engle 6’2 5’10 Heather Hughes 6’2 6’ Dianne Shoemaker DeNecochea 6’4 6’ Kristen Batt 6’ 5’6 Sheila Shaw 6’1 5’10 Olaya Pazo Pérez 5’11 6’ Heather Lowe 6’ 5’9 Traci Morin 6’2 5’9 Traci Weamer 6’ 6’1 Rasa Virsilaite 6’1 5’7 Summer Ross 6’1 5’8 Andrea Peterson 5’10” 5’10 Briana Hinga 6’2” 5’8 Jessica Jones 5’11 5’11 Emily Day 6’1 6’ 5’11

6’

6’1

6’1

6’ 5’9 6’1 6’1

MALE DEFENDERS Casey Patterson Casey Jennings Sean Rosenthal Nick Lucena John Hyden Todd Rogers John Mayer Billy Allen Adrian Carambula Adam Roberts Andrew McGuire Jeffrey Carlson Matt Olson Will Montgomery Kevin McColloch Brian Bomgren Mike Maghy Mark Burik Mike Placek Steven VanderWerp Evan Engle Skylar DelSol Raffe Paulis Brad Torsone Danko Iordanov Derek Olson Paul Baxter

Height 6’6 6’3 6’4 6’1 6’5 6’2 6’1 6’2 6’ 6’1 6’ 6’2 6’2 6’2 6’5 6’1 6’2 6’3 6’3 6’ 6’3 6’ 6’2 6’6 6’5 6’1 6’5

MALE BLOCKERS Jake Gibb Matt Fuerbringer Phil Dalhausser Theodore Brunner Tri Bourne Ryan Doherty Brad Keenan Braidy Halverson Stafford Slick Andrei Belov Jeremy Casebeer Joey Dykstra Ed Ratledge James Avery Drost Steve Grotowski Paul Baxter Pedro Grael Brazão Tim Bomgren Ed Lunnen Nils Nielsen Russ Marchewka Austin Rester Bill Strickland Matt Prosser Jon Mesko

Height 6’8 6’8 6’9 6’7 6’5 7’1 6’8 6’5 6’8 6’5 6’5 6’5 6’8 6’5 6’6 6’5 6’5 6’4 6’2 6’3 6’6 6’7 6’9 6’7 6’5

especially strong as champions of the 2013 Huntington Beach AVP all while being among the shortest players ranked in the top 50.

Referencing the chart on the following page, I have highlighted some of the shortest players who are ranked in the top 50 and have broken into the top 10.

this. What Adrian lacks in height he makes up for in his elevated hand-eye coordination and reaction time. He has carefully fine-tuned his ability to place the ball and put every different kind of spin on it, which allows him to keep his opponent constantly guessing and on the run. On the flip side, he is acutely aware of his opponents strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies, and will use that knowledge to exploit any hint of weakness.

One example of a player who has risen above the limitation of his height is Adrian Carambula. He is one of the shortest players to break into the top 10 and has made it all the way to the finals of a domestic pro event (Jose Cuervo Pro Beach NJ 2012). But, you can bet that he is nowhere near satisfied with

Two players within this highlighted group who have also overcome the height limitation and experienced a great deal of success this year are Brooke Sweat and Nick Lucena. They have both been quite successful throughout their careers, but Brooke and Nick finished the 2013 season

Brooke Sweat may not outwardly project her fire and intensity very often, we all witnessed it after she and Jen Fopma scored championship point this past year at the AVP Huntington Beach Championships. I have had several opportunitiesto watch Brooke play and to compete against heras well. You can

To be constantly underestimated can be an athlete’s greatest curse or their greatest advantage. Those athletes who choose to view it as the latter,­—as a motivating factor,—are those who rise above their challenges, and we tell stories about.

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In watching Nick play, it is evident that he lives to compete. When the pressure is heightened, he meet it full force, with such concentrated fire and intensity, seemingly willing to fight to the death for that extra inch, making him an incredibly exciting player to watch.

see her determination for excellence and she plays every point with an intense level of focus that allows her to take plays that appear impossible and make them look effortless.

These players don’t see limitation; they see opportunity and have proven that height, although it provides an advantage, is not the winning factor.

Most of the players that have reached the higher level in this game have realized to some degree that it is a bit of a human chess match. It is about making your opponent play into your plan. The players highlighted on the included chart have learned to be successful with less height by never giving an inch.

All of these highlighted players possess some very similar qualities that have allowed them to transcend the limitations of their height: 3 They are perfectionists in their craft.

3 They see only opportunities.

3 They immediately identify weaknesses in every opponent.

3 They possess an X-Factor.

The Term X-Factor Defined: 3 Some advantageous quality that someone or something is attributed to have, a quality that is regarded as mysterious and difficult to describe or isolate (Wikipedia) 3 A variable in a given situation that could have the most significant impact on the outcome (oxforddictionaries.com) The Athletes X-Factor: 3 A special, intangible quality or variable that is hard to describe, but is essential for success and undeniably evident by the work produced; a quality that generates an obsession with peak performance within its subject.

so when that defining moment comes, they are able to find the extra inch it takes to conquer.

To me, this is the most influential contributing factor or variable in their success, above all else. If I were to point to one quality in an athlete that I would consider the “winning factor” this would be it­—not height.

One of my all-time favorite sports movie scenes is from the movie “Any Given Sunday” when Al Pacino delivers his halftime speech. I think it hits the nail on the head when it comes to the winning factor.

“On this team, we fight for that inch.

On this team, we tear ourselves and everyone else around Nick Lucena doing what he does best! us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when we add up all those inches, that’s gonna make the f***** difference between winnin’ and losin’! Between livin’ and dyin’! I’ll tell ya this: in any fight, it’s the guy who’s willing to die who’s gonna win that inch. And I know if I’m gonna have any life anymore, it’s because I’m still willing to fight and die for that inch.

Because that’s what living is!”

Photo: Mark Rigney • www.markrigney.com • IG markrigney

The X-Factor is a quality that cannot be measured by number. Call it “killer instinct,” “competitive edge,” “determination,” “resilience,” “the eye of the tiger,” all of the above, these players possess an important intangible quality that sets them above the rest. It comes in different packages, shapes, sizes and as the example of Adrian, Brooke and Nick display, all different styles.

I believe that all of the athletes listed on this chart possess this quality to some degree. It is this quality that drives them to push beyond the breaking point in their workout and then do it all over again in the next day, to strive for perfection in every action, every practice, and do it 1,000 times over,

So, in fact, the inches do matter, but the ones that are crucial are not those measuring our stature. The ones that really matter are the ones that are discovered in those defining moments, the ones that are discovered when we didn’t even think they existed.

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Brian White • SOS Photography

Geena Urango

Most people know that NCAA athletes get four years of eligibility.

That begs the question, just how did you manage to play five years of volleyball in college?

I graduated from the University of Southern California in May 2011 with a BA in Communications. I had played four years on the indoor women’s volleyball team making it to two final fours while I was there. I thought my volleyball career at USC was done when I walked off the court my senior year, but that wasn’t the case...just a year later I walked onto the beach.

Sand volleyball was established as a collegiate sport shortly after I finished my senior indoor season. NCAA rules state that you have four years of eligibility in one sport and a fifth year in a different sport. Since sand volleyball is considered a different sport, I was lucky enough to have had the opportunity to wear USC on my jersey for one more year playing sand volleyball.

Geena Urango Age: 24 Height: 5’10 College: USC Position Indoor: OH/DS Position on the sand: Right side/Defender Favorite Food: Lebanese Pandora Station: Avicii

You may still be wondering how that is possible since I graduated in 2011, and the first sand volleyball season was going to be in 2012.

It was pretty amazing just how perfectly everything worked out. USC offers a progressive degree program that allows students to begin their graduate studies while they are still finishing up their undergraduate degree. I got accepted into the progressive degree program for Communication Management my junior year, which allowed me to take undergrad and graduate classes during my senior year. I still had one more year to finish my Master’s, so ultimately, I was able to play sand for a fifth year. Taking fifth place at the AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championships was the cherry on top to my career at USC. Visit www.athletesabroad.wordpress.com! A welcoming community for athletes and fans traveling abroad.

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Use All Dimensions Of Communication

sand and get that dig up regardless of how much sand you had to eat in the process. Not only that, but you’re getting a great workout while also getting a tan. What more could you ask for?

Foundational Beliefs #6: Use All Dimensions Of Communication Coaches are usually great at talking, but talking is only one dimension of communication. A wise man once said you have two eyes, two ears and one mouth for a reason. It is Vern Gambetta easy to talk, but that is not www.gambetta.com necessarily communication.

Are they listening? Are you delivering a clear concise message that they are listening to that will elicit the desired response or behavior?

Explore listening more. As a coaching improvement exercise today try listening twice as much as you speak. I think you will be surprised at what you learn. I was! When you do speak, make it count. The message should be filled with words that elicit action.

Make it short and on point. Explore watching, you can see a lot by watching. Don’t forget body language. Without saying a word you can convey happiness, approval, anger or displeasure. In some ways as coaches we have to be good actors. I know the hardest thing for me to learn has been a so-called ”poker face.” I am still working on that. Sometimes just being there is enough. After a tough loss or a disappointing performance it is better to say nothing and offer a handshake or a pat on the back, rather than letting your emotions speak and saying things you will regret later.

In today’s world unfortunately a significant portion of communication is in writing via email or text messaging. These mediums are fraught with problems and potential pitfalls. I have become very careful sending emails that are responses to anything significant, a missed practice, a violation of team rules or a poor performance. If I use email in these situations then I hand write it first and let it sit for at least an hour, preferably longer, then reread to make sure the message is clear, then and only then send it. Emails and texts are poor substitutes for face-to-face interaction. Make sure that you master all dimensions of communication to be an effective coach. It will make coaching a more enjoyable and rewarding experience.

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If you had your druthers, indoor or beach?

Do you have aspirations to play beach volleyball professionally?

I’ve played indoor and beach volleyball since I was eleven years old. Both have been huge passions of mine, but the type of player that I had become over the years translated better into the beach game. Being 5’9.5”, a smaller hitter, I always worked hard on my vertical, speed, and shots. And thanks to what look like double jointed elbows, I like to think I have a pretty deceiving roll shot, which comes in especially handy on the beach.

It has been a year and a half since I finished at USC. The first summer after school I was very serious about beach volleyball. I found a great partner and we played in many of the professional tournaments.

We also traveled to Brazil for the World University Championships representing the US and taking fifth.

I then took the fall/winter off to live with my boyfriend in Italy and do some traveling in Europe, which opened my eyes to so many new cultures, people, and ways of life.

I love indoor, but the strategy behind beach volleyball has always intrigued me a little more. The finesse in beach volleyball is beautiful—ball control, wind, sun. The game demands the most of volleyball’s most fundamental skills—passing, setting, hitting, serving, blocking, and digging.

I love that beach volleyball puts a huge burden on each player. I also love the art behind figuring out how to best connect with your partner: learning how they move on the court; what kind of set they like; if they prefer a low-five or a high-five.

Finding that partner that you have so much chemistry with is hard to come by, but when you find it, the game feels so much easier.

Who doesn’t love the sand between their toes and diving without getting raspberry and bruises on my hips or knees. I love that it’s more challenging to move in. And how rewarding it is to run across the

Last summer, I started the beach volleyball season a little hesitant considering the ambiguity of the professional tour. Although my competitive season wasn’t exactly what I had hoped for, likely because of my hesitation, I continued to play with friends because I love the sport.

After taking a little break from the sport, I allowed myself to pursue other passions that I haven’t given myself time to focus on before, such as my writing career.

I have realized that there are more things to life than just volleyball, but I do know that I always want volleyball to be a part of my life. I hope that I can find a partner to play with this summer because after taking my hiatus and watching many of my friends have so much success on the professional tour, I felt this deep desire and motivation within me that knows that this girl’s beach volleyball career is far from over.

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kristen

BATT

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Individual Career Ach ieve me nts

– 2011 • Beach Player of the yea r in Flor ida • EVP roo kie of the yea r – 2008 • MV P for Nat iona ls – 2004 • SEC All-Tourn ame nt team – 2000 – 1998 • Flor ida High Sch ool Player of the year SKB: Fav orite city to com pete in? e tow n KB: I always love com peti ng in my hom stop s was of Sarasot a, but one of my favo rite Virg inia Beach, VA.

2012-2013, Par tne r: Raq uel Fer reir

a

Best Fini shes rg, FL • 5th plac e on the AVP Tou r, St. Pete rsbu , NJ • 3rd plac e on AVP Tour, Belm ar Beach l, • 2nd plac e at Jose Cue rvo Invi tati ona Mil wau kee, WI time wit h SKB: Wh at did you lear n duri ng your Raq uel? ner from KB: Trai ning and com peti ng wit h a part ely new ano ther coun try can give you an e ntir is pers pect ive on the game. Raq uel, who on the from Braz il, one of the power hous e’s was not inte rnation al beach volle yba ll scene,

SKB: Fav orite coun try to com pete in?

KB: One of the best perk s

of being a prof essi ona l beach vo lleyb all p laye r is the oppo rtun ity to travel

and see many of the mos t ld. Fran ce beau tifu l citie s and beaches in the wor s th at I have was one of mos t memorable coun trie in Mon te ever com pete d in. The even t was held city.

Carl o, a m arvelous an d breath tak ing

only a won derf ul part ner but also help ed me to see

the game from a diff eren t ang le. I

quic kly lear ned whe n I did somethi ng very

well , and whe n I did somethi ng wro ng. ned quite a Ove r the past few yea rs, I have lear a little bit a bout the Braz ilian cult ure, and even a Braz ilian Port ugue se! If you have never been to BBQ , you mus t add it to your list.

2010-2011, Par tne r: Bro oke Swe

at

Best Fini shes • C ham pion s of Coro na Ligh t Wide Tour nament, Her mos a Be ach, CA ico • Gold Med al NORCECA , Chi apa s, Mex Beach, CA • 3rd plac e in Jose Cue rvo Ma nhattan

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SKB: Wh at are some of your favo rite memorie s wit h

Broo ke?

KB: Players have all kinds of supe rsti tion s; our ritu al was the pregame mea l.

We trie d to have din ner at Out back Stea kho use befo re ever y tour nament. We still text each othe r pic ture s wh en we eith er of us goes to Out back ! Bro oke and I had seve ral won derf ul volle yba ll memorie s. Our best inte rna tion al finish was tak ing the gold med al in Chiap as, Mex ico. Our

2008-2009, Par tne r: Me gan Wa

Best Fini shes • C ham pion s of Toyo ta Pro Beach East

SKB: Loo king back , what are your fond

KB: Meg an and I have so many grea

est

t volle yba ll

memorie s. We were both very new to

and eage r to play on the prof essi ona

the sport

l tour. I

rememb er whe n we had qual ified to com

in the Bou lder, CO AVP e ven t, ou r first

com peti ng on the AVP Tou r. We flew

pete

time

acro ss

the coun try to play, of all teams, Mis

ty MayTrea nor and Ker ri Wal sh.

Nee dles s to say we lost the match, but our

hunger to play on the

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win ning The Coro na Wide Ope n even t in Hermosa Beach, CA. SKB: Wh at do you adm ire abou t Broo ke?

KB: Broo ke is a great frie nd and part ner; she is defin itely someone who goes afte r her dreams! She is a student of the game and wor ks d ilige ntly to reach her goal s. Sh e is currentl y in Cali forn ia living and trai ning and bec oming one step closer her dream. I hope to be watching and chee ring for Broo ke in Rio in 2016!

llin

, Virg inia Beach, VA • C ham pion s of East End even t, Dom inic an Rep ublic • Bron ze Med al NORCECA , Cay man Islan ds

memorie s of your time wit h Meg an?

mos t me morable domestic finish was

prof essi ona l tour dras tica lly

increase d. Wh en we look

back at the start of our

care ers we laugh abo ut the

bath ing suit s we used to

wea r, the craz y time s we had on the road and the

pure enjo yme nt of play ing

volle yba ll.

SKB: One thing yo u adm ire

abo ut Meg an?

KB: Meg an is the type of pers on who

to ever yth ing she does . I thoroughly

give s 110%

enjo yed trai ning and com peti ng wit h and aga inst Meg an. Meg an exem plifie s hard wor k and dedicati on in volle yba ll and in the busi ness wor ld.

Our frie ndsh ip grew thro ugho ut our part nership.

We’ve deve lope d a frie ndsh ip that I’m sure we will have fore ver.

uld Wh at’s nex t for Kristen Batt, or sho we say, the soo n to be Mrs. Roh r…

tha nk for SKB: Is there anyone you wou ld like to care er? help ing you thro ugh your succ essf ul e so KB: I have been very fort unate to hav Ven ice many wonde rful influenc ers in my life. s a great High Sch ool coach, Bria n Wheatley wa er I am men tor and help ed me become the play bett a today. I wou ld like to tha nk Vern Gam ete at for prep aring me physicall y to c omp in the the high est leve l; he is one of the best tha nk Bob wor ld in his field . I also wou ld like to me on the and Joyc e Park er, who first coached to my beach. I also owe a lot of my succ ess at, and part ners, Meg an Wallin, Broo ke Swe ut t wo Raq uel Ferriera. Beach volle yba ll is abo best peop le and I was fort unate to have the ut my part ners on and off the court thro ugho have enti re care er. My pare nts, Pat and Dick SKB: Wh at will you miss the mos t? e traveled been tremendo us supp orte rs and hav KB: I alre ady miss trai ning ever y day to watch me play. My fian cé, will miss the all over the coun try and com peti ng at the high est leve l. I ere wit h Joe Roh r wh o also traveled ever ywh t I love . joy of traveling the wor ld to play a spor me coaching me in volle yba ll and to aspi ring SKB: Any adv ice you’d like to pass on life! For putt ing beach volle yba ll players? up wit h the life ity you’re KB: Take adv ant age of ever y oppo rtun of a prof essi ona l er. If you give n. En joy ever y pha se of your care athlete, always w you will just sta rted to play have fun and kno being gone and thos e who imp rove if you keep wor king hard. For deal ing wit h the to smile have mas tere d the skil ls, don’t forget emo tion s of loss es. quic kly and enjo y the proc ess. Time will pass He is my rock and upon are and the memorie s you will thin k back the love of my life! ying the thos e whe n you were laughing and enjo I could not be more all your game. Hug and love your fam ily w ith exci ted abo ut our e hea rt and a simp le “tha nk you” is mor next chap ter! imp orta nt tha n you thin k.

reti re this SKB: Wh at wen t into your deci sion to yea r? h KB: I will always love the sport of beac a diff eren t volle yba ll, but I wa s read y to head in I love , and dire ctio n. Travel ing, play ing a sport ama zing being a prof essi ona l athlete has been will soon thes e past five yea rs. The wedding bells hitched this be ring ing as my fian cé Joe and I get . Thi s past yea r and hop e to start a fam ily soon d Educ atio n yea r I started teaching Earl y Childhoo nge a at Ma nate e High Sch ool. I wou ldn’t cha t I love thing! I am now givi ng back to the spor inal at Coa stline Volle yba ll, coaching at Card ven ture— Moo ney High Sch ool and our newest SOU RCE Volle yba ll!

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SpikeKey Beach 2014

Junior Spotlight SPIKEKEY BEACH MAGAZINE

( SPIKEKEY BEACH MAGAZINE SKB Juniors

< 708 likes

SPIKEKEY BEACH MAGAZINE FLORIDA REGION: DIG THE BEACH TOUR 2013 FINAL BEACH RANKINGS: GIRLS 12 U

FLORIDA REGION: DIG THE BEACH TOUR 2013 FINAL BEACH RANKINGS: GIRLS 16 U

RANK NAME 1 JORDAN NARANJO 1 TESSA BOHN 3 MARIAH WALKER 4 ABBY STRONG 5 PAGE CARNEVARI

RANK 1 1 3 4 5

POINTS 314 314 238 231 204

EVENTS 10 10 7 7 6

NAME JAZMINE BARKER ALI GUILFOILE BROOKE KULHMAN SOFIA SANCHEZ ASHLEY ALLMER

POINTS 263 263 234 215 207

EVENTS 10 10 7 6 6

FLORIDA REGION: DIG THE BEACH TOUR 2013 FINAL BEACH RANKINGS: GIRLS 14 U

FLORIDA REGION: DIG THE BEACH TOUR 2013 FINAL BEACH RANKINGS: GIRLS 18 U

RANK 1 2 3 3 5

RANK 1 2 3 4 5

NAME JENNA HAMPTON ABBY STRONG SKYLAR KIDWELL ASHLEY COT EMMA STRONG

POINTS 235 231 228 228 204

EVENTS 8 7 9 9 6

NAME VANESSA FREIRE BRITTANY PELLITTERI MEGHAN CONWAY SHELBY BABOWICZ NICOLE MEJIAS

POINTS 250 244 224 205 202

EVENTS 7 7 6 7 6

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Marley Banton

Junior Spotlight Marley Banton

Age: 12 Started Playing on the Sand: 9 Height: 5’6 Hometown: Saint Augustine, FL Indoor Club: Instinct of Jacksonville

SKB: Do you expect more from your sister than you do out of your other teammates?

MB: Yes, I expect more from my sister because I know she is a talented and competitive player. We have been playing volleyball and < 708 likes peppering in the backyard as long as I can remember.

I rarely play with other partners on the sand, but when I do, I don’t get as frustrated with them as I do with my sister. I guess I hold my sister and I to a higher standard—sisterly love.

SKB: Do you consider your family a “volleyball family?”

MB: The Banton family is a volleyball family. We have enough players to field an entire indoor team, plus two coaches.

Ashlyn Banton

Junior Spotlight Ashlyn Banton

Age: 10 Started Playing on the Sand: 7 Height: 4’11 Hometown: Saint Augustine, FL Indoor Club: Instinct of Jacksonville

SKB: You’ve already earned quite a few accolades, haven’t you?

AB: Yes, I have a box filled with medals and trophies!

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SpikeKey Beach 2014

SKB: Do you overhand or underhand serve?

AB: I never learned how to underhand serve. I’m not sure I can. I learned from the beginning how to overhand serve. The past year I have mastered the

Indoor Position: Outside Hitter/Libero Sand Position: Left side Other Sports: Surfing Favorite Professional Beach Player: Kerri Walsh Favorite Shot in the Sand: A carefully placed poke off an intentionally tight set on the net.

Fun Fact: I have five siblings and three of us share the same birthday!

My mom, Amy, played indoor volleyball for Flagler College.

My dad, Ted, played competitive volleyball for a club team in Orlando. And, as you can imagine, having two parents as coaches, my five siblings and I were introduced to the sport at a young age.

We have basically transformed our living room into our volleyball stage. I am the oldest child, then my sister Ashlyn.

My brother, Grady, plays volleyball too. The three of us share the same birthday. Next on the roster is my sister, Madelyn, who is six years old. She started playing volleyball this year and wants to be just like us. Even my brother, Brody, who is three years old, has a great platform when he passes the ball. Lastly, Cooper John was born last December. With all the volleyballs flying around him, I’m sure he will learn how to block first! The six of us will play together someday. It will be awesome!

Indoor Position: Libero/Setter Sand Position: Right Side Oldest Player you have played against in a tournament? 16 Favorite Professional Beach Player: Misty May-Treanor Favorite Shot in the Sand: A defensive dig of hard driven balls In one word what’s the best thing about beach volleyball? Strategy In one word what’s the worst thing about beach volleyball? Hot

jump float and top spin serves. I was able to serve the ball overhand over the net at age six with my right and left hand.

SKB: Describe yourself as a player in one sentence.

AB: I am smaller than you, but I will win because I am smarter than you.

Emma Strong

Age: 15 Started Playing on the Sand: 12 Height: 5’9 Hometown: Clearwater, FL Beach Club: BeVolley Academy Indoor Club: Tampa Bay Volleyball Academy

Indoor Position: Libero Sand Position: Left Side Favorite Professional Beach Player: Kerri Walsh Favorite Shot in the Sand: Placing of the ball—cut shot and high line.

Favorite Beach Snack: Watermelon

SKB: What are your plans for after high school?

ES: My ultimate goal is to play sand volleyball for a division one college in Florida.

SKB: Do you usually partner with your sister for the beach season?

ES: Abby and I played the 2013 beach season together.

It has been great to compete with my sister; she really understands the strategy part of the game. She adds incredible awareness and positivity to our team on the court.

SKB: Have you traveled outside of Florida to play in a sand tournament or camp?

ES: Yes. I had an amazing opportunity to compete last July in Hermosa Beach, California with Jenna Hampton Accolades and Accomplishments P 2013 Member of Team Florida HP Beach under 14’s P Won 2013 Queen of the Beach Title at Florida HP Championships.

P Won 2013 Siesta Key Classic on Dig The Beach Tour P Won 2013 16’s Open Gold Division on East End Volley America Tour at Clearwater Beach

Abby Strong

Age: 13 Started Playing on the Sand: 10 Height: 5’7 Hometown: Clearwater, FL Beach Club: BeVolley Academy Indoor Club: Tampa Bay Volleyball Indoor Position: Setter

Emma Strong

for the AAU National Beach Championships.

SKB: What do you think makes you successful on the beach?

ES: I believe I have been successful on the sand and in court due to my ball control and aggressive serve. I work with several great coaches: Raquel Ferreira, Paula Roca, Tara Kuk and Feliz Viera to ensure that I am training smart and practicing the proper mechanics to become a great volleyball player.

< 708 likes

P 2nd at Dig The Beach Tour Championships at St. Augustine Beach P 2nd at 2013 Dig The Beach Tour Event at Clearwater Beach P 2nd at 2013 SSOVA Beach Tour Event at Clearwater Beach P 2013 Starting Outside as a Freshman on the Palm Harbor University High School Indoor Varsity Team

Sand Position: Right side Favorite Professional Beach Player: Misty May-Treanor Favorite Shot in Sand: Cut shot Favorite Beach Snack for Tournaments: Peanut butter sandwich Preferred Sunscreen Brand: Banana Boat

SKB: Describe yourself as a player in one sentence.

AS: I would like to think when my competition scouts me they would remark that I have a good sense for strategy and play well under pressure.

Junior Spotlight

Junior Spotlight Abby Strong

my emotions on the court and she has also illustrated through her actions on how to be a better teammate.

SKB: What have you learned playing with your sister?

AS: Emma has taught me the importance of controlling Accolades and Accomplishments P 2013 Member of Team Florida HP Beach Under 14’s Team P Made 2013 Team Florida HP Future Select Indoor Team as Starting Setter at National HP Championships in Ft. Lauderdale.

P Made 2013 Team USA HP Indoor Future Select A1 Camp P 2nd Overall on Dig the Beach Tour

P Won 8 out of 10 Beach

< 708 likes

Tournaments played in 2013

P Won 2013 Siesta Key Beach Classic Dig the Beach Tour

P Won 2013 Clearwater Open Dig the Beach Tour

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Skylar Kidwell

Junior Spotlight Skylar Kidwell

Age: 15 Started Playing in the Sand: 14 Height: 5’9 Hometown: Venice, Florida Beach Club: SpikeKey Beach Indoor Club: Venetian Bay

SKB: What are your athletic goals for the next few years?

SK: My goal is to continue to train hard and improve my skills so that I will have the opportunity to play in college. Realistically, I see myself playing as middle blocker at the Division 2 < 708 likes level. If the opportunity presents itself for me to earn a scholarship for sand volleyball, I would jump at the opportunity to compete at the Division 1 level. My dream school is Hawaii Pacific University; however, that is one big dream! If you dream big and train even harder you can accomplish almost anything.

Indoor Position: Middle Blocker Sand Position: Left Favorite Beach Snack: Peanut butter and bananas Favorite Shot in the Sand: Hitting, hard!

In one word, what’s the best thing about beach volleyball? Exhilarating In one word, what’s the worst thing about beach volleyball? Hot Favorite Beach Accessory: Sunglasses

SKB: Have you traveled outside of Florida to play in any sand tournaments or camps?

SK: Last year was my first full beach volleyball season on the Dig the Beach Volleyball Tour, a Florida based tour. I have not played in any tournaments outside of Florida, but I have plans to this summer. I am headed to California to train and compete with my beach partner Sydni Small in two beach tournaments in Hermosa Beach and Santa Cruz.

WHY SHOULD I ATTEND?

2014

COMBINE November 22-23, 2014 Hosted by MEGAN WALLIN

#1 Improve your skills with instruction from professional players and coaches. #2 We help you with recruiting - SKB Athlete Program: Each participant will have an individual profile in the Program, which will be created by SKB and sent to collegiate institutions. In addition, the Program will be available online at www.spikekey.com. #3 Educational Panel: Parents and players will gain a better understanding of the recruiting process through our seminar. The panel will include current pro players, collegiate coaches and fitness/nutrition leaders.

HOW TO JOIN...

ABOUT THE COMBINE:

Our camp offers participants the chance to compete and showcase their best skills for attending coaches. In addition to recruiting exposure, they will be instructed by professional players. If your goal is to obtain a collegiate scholarship or improve your game, this event is for you.

36 SpikeKey Beach 2014

Who: Female and Male athletes, Ages 10 to 18 What: Skills Camp and Recruiting Showcase and Player tournament Where: Siesta Key Beach, Sarasota, Florida How: Register online at www.spikekey.com

Goodbye Silicon Valley...

Hello Beach

By Aurora Skarra-Gallagher

T

hree years ago, I was living up in Santa Cruz, CA, making a living working as a senior software engineer for Yahoo! , Inc. I had a good life there, and I imagined I would spend the next 1020 years writing code with a bunch of geeks and enjoying the perks of working at a software company. These included uber-smart co-workers, fancy year-end parties, a partially subsidized cafeteria, free lattes, and all the conveniences that aim to keep people on the campus working as many hours as possible.

I was even privileged enough to be able to work two days from home per week, which allowed me to fly down to Hermosa Beach, CA and train as a professional beach volleyball player.

I knew that I loved beach volleyball, but I had no idea that it would inspire me to take a leap that many considered foolish and rash. In the midst of a round of layoffs at Yahoo!, I made the bold decision to resign. No longer could I live my life torn between two passions— my career and beach volleyball. I quit, moved down to Hermosa Beach, and didn’t look back. I didn’t have a

family to support, so I was comfortable knowing I’d only be impacting myself.

The funds I had saved to buy a house were now my sole source of income.

And so, for nearly three years, I haven’t made a real salary. I joke with my friends that I went from a six-figure salary to a four-figure salary. Yet, I am competing against the best beach volleyball players in the country. In fact, many of them are among the top players in the world. The US has such a depth of talent in the sport that I think our top 25 teams could take on most countries’ Olympic teams. How many people can say that they’ve competed against gold and silver medal earning Olympians? How about having been coached by former Olympians? When I am on the beach having a training session on a Wednesday morning in December in my bikini, I can say that I’m truly leading a blessed life.

Some people still can’t imagine taking that leap. I understand; it’s not for everyone. I can say that for me, pursuing my passion in beach volleyball has changed my life for the better. At 34

years old, I’m the fittest I’ve ever been.

I spend my time running and jumping and training in the sand, which is great for building muscles and is easy on the joints, unlike some indoor hard court sports. I have a tan year-round, and always can run to the ocean for a quick “ice bath” after training. Maybe I’ll body surf a few waves while I’m out there.

Maybe I’ll grab my surfboard and make it a real session! I have a lofty goal: to be a member of one of the top 10 teams in the country. I have always tried to exercise and be physical, but having this concrete goal gives me even more motivation to train my body and my mind to be a top athlete.

But, what about the money? Surely, as an athlete in the top 25 teams in the country, I must be making a decent salary, right? Thus far, in the four years I’ve competed professionally, I have yet to even recoup the expenses I’ve paid to compete at this level. Unless you’re one of the rare privileged players who have a financial sponsorship, you pay for your own coaching fees, tournament entry fees, flights, hotels, rental cars, and any other travel expenses you might incur.

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Mpu Dinani • A-Game Photography

One would hope that the prize money would be enough to at least be enough to justify the expenses. Yet, only the top three teams for each gender in the country are able to have beach volleyball as their only career. Six women and six men are able to do this! And, with the unsteady state of the professional tours, people are making less money each year. I’ve taken top seven finishes in the National Volleyball League, and top 13 finishes in the AVP, and I’ve never taken home a check more than $1000. Usually, it is significantly less. Sometimes, even a top 25 finish will not yield any prize money at all. Some athletes are able to get product sponsorships; I’ve been fortunate to be supplied bathing suits by Breathe Volleyball and sunglasses from Maui Jim. However, most athletes aren’t able to get the support of a monetary sponsorship, and are left to come up with creative ways to fund this passion.

My fellow professional athletes have come up with all kinds of ways to be able to train during normal business hours, and to be able to fly out of town on a Wednesday or Thursday for a qualifier before a tournament. I know athletes whose day jobs are as sports trainers, volleyball coaches, bartenders, web designers, and anything else that allows them to

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SpikeKey Beach 2014

schedule their own hours or telecommute. Some people eventually quit to get a “real job,” while others do their real job in tandem with their professional sport. I gave up that real job after 10 years in the software engineering industry, for now. In fact, changing my lifestyle to support my dream has led me down a different path. For the last two years, in addition to playing the sport, I’ve also been training to be a firefighter. Wouldn’t that be the dream - to spend your days at work helping your community, and your days off shift living the dream on the beach, all the while staying in top physical condition for both jobs?

The next time you’re looking out your office window at those people training on the beach on a Tuesday morning, you will have a better understanding of the sacrifice they make to live that dream. Most of us are giving up the comfort and security of a higher-paying job in order to live a life that many envy.

The thing is, it’s worth it to us. We wouldn’t trade our four or five figure salaries and tanned, healthy bodies, and minds sharp from the mental toughness required on the court for the six-figure salaries and comfort of a “normal life.” For us, this is living life to its fullest.

CHRISTAL

morrison-engle

Hanging with the Boys Can females, without fear, really participate in traditionally male dominated sports? I strongly believe that girls can grow tremendously by competing and training with boys. If done properly there can be great benefit to the female athlete. Professional beach volleyball player Christal Morrison-Engle is a prime example.

Christal was fortunate to have two older brothers to prepare her to compete against the boys, and win. Today, Christal directly attributes her successes on the beach to the start of her athletic career, competing on the boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; basketball team. She may have had the advantage of being the tallest player, but she was also arguably the most competitive player on the team.

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SK Did you SKB: alw always have a love for sports? lo CM CME: I was a very active cchild. The ooutdoors w was my pplayground, and at an early age I was playing r ea igB #B g Do a variety e Lik e Mom Lik P RI DT OA #R of sports. #I lovem ydog Growing up in Oregon was a huge benefit. When winter turned to spring, then to summer, I became a multisport athlete changing with the seasons. I started writing my goals down at an early age. To be honest, I have no idea where that came from. I remember writing down a set of goals when I was seven years old. I was very driven and competitive. Neither of my parents played competitive sports past high school. My dad was the stud jock in high school, but neither one of them went to college.

My Dream List 1. To be the first girl in the NBA (This was pre-WNBA).

2. To earn a college scholarship in basketball or volleyball 3. To play a professional sport after college It’s absolutely astounding to think back at those early dreams and to know now that I achieved all three of my goals. My mom and dad still have that piece of paper with my goals.

SKB: How old were you when you had your first boyfriend?

me n at’s a wrap. @o ak ley wo Th atʻ im sw ley ak #o #o ak ley wome n

CME: My first crush was in 4th grade, his name was Evan, and we loved to hold hands. It’s crazy to think my first boyfriend was named Evan, and my soul mate for life is also named Evan.

SKB: Did men have to be as tall as you to date?

CME: I have dated shorter men than me. But, my husband Evan is 6’3”, one inch taller than me, making him the perfect height!

SKB: If you could change one rule about your sport, what would it be?

CME: Not calling the hand set so tight.

SKB: What is your favorite Disney movie?

CME: Pocahontas!

I always wanted to be Lov ing Lif e #m iam isw im Pocahontas, sho w @o ak ley wome n @m bfa and still do. sio nweek

SKB: Do you feel bad for the other team when you win?

CME: NOT AT ALL!

Impressive Resume Christal started being a leader on the court in middle school and continued to take the reins throughout her career.

She was a fierce competitor in high school, which helped her earn the prestigious Gatorade State Athlete of the Year for Oregon in 2002. She w earned a full Black Hawk Me di-Vac Cre scholarship #K oso vo #Troop s to the University of Washington and became the first Four-Time AVCA AllAmerican in the school’s history. She was also a four-time All-American outside hitter for the Huskies.

Christal was voted and named the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player after leading her team to a national title in 2005. it! try She still holds ’t judge me un til you Donʻt ecr y #g ogg les em ak nsm nio several school #o ley ak #o k an rkT records today. ha #s However, her best memory remains winning the national championship with her team. After graduation, Christal played professional indoor volleyball in Puerto Rico for two seasons, then decided she was ready to go in a different direction.

She moved to Manhattan Beach, CA the mecca of beach volleyball to start down a new path.

SKB: Any big bumps along the road to success in college?

CME: I’ve had four arthroscopic, meniscus repairs and cleanups on my knee. It was like clockwork; I had one surgery every year in college. It was pretty crazy, but looking back I have nothing to complain about. I had teammates that had to redshirt or miss a complete season because of an injury. I never had to miss a game, even though the training room was my second home.

Beach Career Highlights • Elite development team for Team USA Beach Volleyball • AVP win in Salt Lake CIty, UT against USA Silver Medalists Jen Kessy/April Ross SKB: Describe your emotions and circumstances around qualifying for your first AVP in Panama City Beach in 2009?

ort ati on #AVP2013 player tra nsp Tou r bri ng ing the BOOM ! @AVP

CME: Holy MOLEY... I remember the tournament like it was yesterday.

Ironically enough, the

Panama City event was the first ever AVP I attended either as a spectator or competitor. I had no idea what to expect, or what it was going to look or feel like. I remember when Ashley Groothuis and I won our last qualifier match. I felt like I had won the whole tournament. It was such an incredible feeling.

SKB: Describe an embarrassing athletic moment.

CME: Every picture taken of my face when I hit or pass the ball. I swear, I make the grossest face when I’m in the middle of action. I need to work on that.

SKB: We all know that professional beach volleyball players are not overpaid and don’t play with the intention of getting rich. Talk about why you play.

CME: We play for the competition. I love competing hard.

Training at a high level is addictive and rewarding, and it’s a great feeling to see improvement in your game. It’s just a cherry on top that my “office” is a beautiful beach!

Love Life SKB: A beautiful, smart and athletic woman like yourself probably had your pick of the boys.

How did your husband Evan catch your eye?

M arr ied the Love of My Lif e #b est frien d #t rue love

CME: I was not searching for the man of my dreams. I just started my career on the beach tour and was looking forward to my travels. In 2009, my beach partner Ashley Groothius and I traveled to Ocean City, Maryland to compete on one of the AVP Tour stops.

Randomly, Russ Marchewka, Ashley Groothius, Evan Engle and I all ended up sharing a two-bedroom hotel for the weekend. As you fellow volleyballers know, crashing on floors and sharing hotels is normal in the beach world. I don’t even remember how it all came to be, I had no idea who Evan was. I had never seen Evan before, and never seen his name on the previous six tournament bracket boards. The four of us spent the entire weekend playing cards, testing our luck at boardwalk carnival games, and cheering each other SpikeKey.com

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on during the tournament.

I remember specifically watching Evan play and just smiling because of how entertaining he was to watch #S oHa ppy I Love Th is M an #Tr uel ove and listen too. I was impressed by his on court dialog, tenacious defense, and of course, his hot body. The last night of the trip we had a great conversation, and I remember thinking “I don’t know how or when, but you are the man I am supposed to marry.” I called my mom, dad, and my best friend and told them that, but would not tell them his name or any other details. As you can guess, we started to hang out shortly after the Maryland AVP stop, and we officially started dating July 4th, 2009, the weekend of the Coney Island, NY AVP Event. We had our first kiss on the end of a pier overlooking the Hudson. It was very special. All I can say is that I am the luckiest girl in the world to have Evan by my side. He is such an amazing man.

SKB: I am sure volleytalk is a constant in your life. Do you separate your personal life from the sandbox?

CME: HA! No. We actually enjoy talking volley together. I think he enjoys it more than I do, but I still ask for his advice about everything volley. It’s such a big part of our life, and always will be, but we enjoy so many other activities that it doesn’t seem overwhelming.

SKB: Is being an athlete and a volleyball player beneficial for your relationship with Evan?

CME: Volley is such a big part of who we are and where we came from that it gives us common ground. However, volleyball doesn’t define who we are individually, and one day when we walk away from playing professionally and it becomes a once or twice a year occasion, we will be just fine.

Friend’s Corner (according to Jackie Misuraca-Brooks) SKB: What profession to you see Christal in if she wasn’t play beach volleyball?

JMB: I could see Christal as a stewardess, but not just any 42

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stewardess, a Pan Am stewardess with her own reality TV show.

She would look nice in that blue blazer and skirt they wear. But she might be Gir ls Jus t Wa nt To Have Fun considered #B oun cyBall @L augh too tall for the job. Her dashing personality, fun spirit, and love of travel makes for a perfect fit in the industry.

SKB: If you were to pick a song to describe Christal, what would it be?

JMB: “She’s a Maniac” or K-Ci & Jojo, “All My Life”, since we know how much Evan means to her.

SKB: If Christal was stranded on an island, what three items do you think she would pick for her survival pack?

JMB: Assuming there is food, drink, and Evan, she would take toilet paper (because she is a clean person), her Oakley sunglasses (she never leaves home without them), and her organic bug spray that smells weird.

Be ach Vol ley ba ll Gir ls #F rie nd sfo rlif e

SKB: What animal does Christal remind you of?

JMB: I had trouble with this one. Do I go for personality, or looks? Well, I took a test on her behalf, and found out her personality. She’s a badger. Personally, she reminds me of a flamingo. They are sweet looking, have funky attitudes and they have some pretty crazy mating rituals.

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Chara Harris, Professional Beach Volleyball Player and Biology Teacher

Protein: Going beyond meat.

Athletes are always looking to train hard, get stronger, and perform at their best to beat out the competition. There is no question that healthy nutrition is a major factor in an athlete’s success. One of the biggest concerns among athletes is whether they are getting enough protein in their diet, because consuming the right amount of protein is critical for repairing and strengthening muscles. Current recommendations are 1.2 to 1.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass each day for an endurance or teamsport athlete.

That means, for a female weighing120 lbs, she should consume approximately 65 to 93 grams of protein each day.

But, in the case of protein consumption, more does not necessarily mean better. Your protein sources are equally important. When we think about protein, typically chicken or steak are the first foods that come to mind.

While meat is a good source of protein, you should keep in mind that some meats contain saturated fat and the bad type of cholesterol (LDL), which increases blood pressure and your likelihood of getting heart disease.

Similarly, processed meats like sausage, bacon, deli meats, and hot dogs are typically high in sodium, which can lead to increased blood pressure and kidney damage.

Furthermore, most of the meat that is purchased and consumed in the United States is non-organic. This is due to the use of antibiotics and hormones. An often forgotten alternative to meats is fish,

which not only is a good source of protein, but also provides a dose of “heart healthy” fats, like the omega-3 fatty acids. So, do we need to eat meat or fish to get enough protein? The answer is a resounding “No.” Eating a balanced diet that includes a variety of protein sources from all the different food groups can easily meet an athlete’s daily protein intake needs.

Protein can be found in a variety of non-meat sources, including eggs, dairy products, soy, beans, nuts, seeds, grains, and even vegetables! However, you should consider buying organic produce and eggs to realize the full health benefits of these foods. Integrating more non-meat sources of protein in your diet also provides many other critical nutrients such as vitamin D, calcium, fiber, antioxidants, and other vitamins and minerals.

The best way for athletes to meet their protein intake needs is to eat every few hours. These meals and snacks should contain a balance of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. There may be times when you are on-the-go, or need a quick source of protein after a game or workout. In this case, a protein bar or shake may be a convenient and easy way to get what you need. However, most of your protein should come from whole foods.

Final thoughts on protein: Moderation is the key to all things in life. You should not give up meat if you enjoy it, but be mindful of the quality and type of meat that you are consuming. You can greatly improve the quality of your nutrition by broadening your sources of protein to achieve a healthy balance!Trying different foods like lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, chia seeds, and other vegetables can boost the nutrition in your diet while also providing new sources of protein.

TIP: Try lentils, chickpeas, quinoa, and chia seeds to boost the nutrition and protein in your diet.

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Chara’s Healthy ked c a P n i Prote Day Breakfast:

½ cup oatmeal 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk 1 tablespoon chia seeds 2 tablespoons PB2 (powdered peanut butter) 1 banana Total grams protein: 15 g

Snack:

Light string cheese 1 ounce almonds 1 gala apple Total grams protein: 12

Lunch:

1 cup raw spinach 1 cup chopped kale ½ cup chickpeas 1 hard boiled egg 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds 1 medium tomato ½ cup white mushrooms 1 ounce goat cheese Total grams protein: 28

Dinner:

4 ounces of salmon ½ cup quinoa 10 spears roasted asparagus Total grams protein: 37

Snack:

Non-fat Greek yogurt Total grams protein: 12 Daily total: 104 grams protein

For more healthy nutrition information check out the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at www.eatright.org

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Beach Volleyball Accessories...

Passé Present &

By Alic ia Zam pa

re lli

You can probably say goodbye to TYR, Panama Jack, Maui and Sons and Jantzen and their omnipresence on the beach scene. But, while brands come and go from beach volleyball, many original styles have been and are here to stay.

The trends in today’s beach volleyball accessories are ever evolving, but are they original or have they just resurfaced in different variations? The answer: most looks in accessories have been done before. The styles of today originated at the birth of beach volleyball. We make them our own by tweaking the colors, prints, fabrics and such, but ultimately, it is the same look that some of history’s best players wore back in the day.

Which looks have carried over to today’s standard? Who originated them, and why have they stood the test of time?

I will start with the wrap around glasses, the Oakley “Jacket” to be exact. This look was originally worn

by Angela Rock, Adam Johnson, Karolyn Kirby and Kent Steffes, just to name a few. Who is wearing them now? You will see Ryan Doherty, Pricilla Lima, Lauren Ka ro ly n Ki rby Fendrick and Sean Rosenthal rocking them. You will see these glasses in white, black or the same neon we saw in the Jacket’s early days. Practically speaking, they are completely functional eyewear for blocking out the gnarly sun from all angles as well as having changeable lenses for variety.

However, my most entertaining memory of these shades is not the outlandish colors, but seeing a ball crushed on a Pr ic ill a Li m a face wearing them, causing a lens to go flying like Steve Timmons or Leonel Marshall.

Ke nt Stef fe s

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Continuing the flashbacks, all the guys used to wear the short shorts in the early years of beach volleyball. They were worn with either tie or elastic waistband.

Today, Adam Roberts is the only player I have seen wear the shorter length with confidence. Personally, I like the shorter style with a little

SpikeKey Beach 2014

man-thigh showing. Why not wear less fabric when you are sweating and running around? I can’t wait to get in a bikini when it is time to play in the sun. I say bring back the short shorts boys!

Ohhhh, the trucker hat…”so hot right now!” (yes, a Zoolander reference) Brian Lewis sits in my memory as one of the first to bring this on to the beach scene.

Now you see just about everyone wearing them. These trucker hats are extremely sensible for a beach volleyball player and their fun-in-the-sun lifestyle. The hats are mesh for breathability, light, easy to throw on and off, adjustable, cheap and have a built in sweatband!

John Hyden is one of many guys who wears his hat backwards today. What a great trade-in from the rubber visor flipped up look of the 90’s. Dennie Schupyt-Knoop and Eric Fanoimoana helped Todd Rogers set the trend back in the day. Todd Rogers not only helped start this craze but still sports the look. Todd’s consistency on the court is matched only by the consistency of his facial accessories. He’s been sporting that goatee and hat backwards for most of his two-decade professional career. Whether it is for superstition or he is a creature rs ge of habit, it’s working for him!

Ro To dd

Speaking of decades, Karch Karily, whose fame has long since transcended his play and pink hat, always wore a watch. Most people today recognize the watch from Keri Walsh-Jennings, but it was first a necessity for Liz Masakayan and Karch, a pair of America’s all-time ni ng s en -J sh al greats! Now, there are cell phones W ri Ke in every pocket and beach bag, which make keeping time easy as pie.

Still, I am wondering…considering Liz and Karch are such amazingly accurate players, maybe Keri saw a proficiency in it others have missed.

Let’s talk headbands. They’ve been a powerhouse look for Jose Loiola and Randy Stoklos, but more recently, Misty May-Trainer has made the headband her signature look. The headband went from powerhouse to crafty/scrappy and on to three gold medals, talk about an upgrade! s lo ok St dy Misty has used headbands for R an sponsor advertisement, sun protection to keep youthful, keeping sweat from dripping in her eyes, as well as holding hair and glasses in place for optimal performance.

Most importantly, she never loses a ball from the feared hat-bill blind spot; her defensive stats prove that. Personally one of my favorite stylistic comebacks!

Check out one of my favorite brands Living one Love M is ty M ay-Tra headbands. iner On to the sensible visor, formerly worn in a rubber material, flipped up, with sponsors names flashing outward like a walking forehead-billboard.

Barbara Fontana, Sinjin Smith, Holly McPeak and just about everyone partook in the madness. It was the thing to do.

Today, players like April Ross and

even the youngster Emily Day have been wearing canvas visors, without the flip, gaining maximum coverage from the sun. I say if you can wear it while you play, it will save you from a lot of skin damage. For me, it’s an off-season training tool to keep Si njin Sm it h the ball in front of me. During tournaments I like to stick to headbands so I don’t lose a point to lack of peripheral vision.

I have enough odds to work with.

As we wrap up this stylistic walk down memory lane, let’s harken back to some of the originals that mercifully haven’t been brought back to life or revisited with a new spin. Thankfully, we got rid of the permanent sand trap of the one-piece bathing suit for ladies; the Oompa Loompa puffy man shorts are out; and wonky rubber visors have advanced to sturdy ones. Karolyn Kirby’s double bicep sweatband advertisements are long gone since the advent of the temporary tattoo. Why ruin a perfectly good tan with bulky advertisements, I say? Although, if bicep bands gave me hands like Karolyn, I would wear those things! We also tried the colored Zinka. Marsha Miller was able to get away with it because of her awesomely zany way. Colored zinc is fun if you feel like acting like a clown for a day, but not as a trend to stay. When it does make an appearance, I want to let them know they have something on their face and give them my sarong to wipe it off. Speaking of sarongs, they will always be in as the all-purpose utility tool on the beach for ladies in this country and worldwide.

Last, there was Nancy Reno, who was known for her tie-dye hair bandanas. We won’t miss those, but the love of the game she fueled wearing them will be missed for sure.

N an cy Re no These accessories are gone for now but there is always tomorrow.

Who’s game?!

We all recognize Karch Kiraly for his pink hat. No one has been able to do that pink hat justice since Karch and that’s all I have to say about that unfillable hat! How did it start for him?

“

I had four different colors of hats, one of which was pink. I just got on a roll with the pink hat. So what started out as a superstition grew into a tradition and an easy way for my family to find me at tournaments because I am the only one with cojones big enough to wear a pink hat.

–Karch Kiraly

”

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www.ellavickers.com â&#x20AC;˘ trisha@ellavickers.com

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)

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