PREVIOUS PLAYER'S CORNER QUESTIONS MAY 2000 JUNE 2000 JULY 2000 AUGUST 2000 SEPTEMBER 2000 OCTOBER 2000 NOVEMBER 2000 APRIL 2001 JUNE 2001 JULY 2001 AUGUST 2001 SEPTEMBER 2001 NOVEMBER 2001 SEPTEMBER 2002 OCTOBER 2002 FEBRUARY 2003 APRIL 2003 Question: I'm 5'10 and love playing but recently I have had a problem with my nerves. In the first half of a game, I was literally psyched out. My heart was beating really fast and I wasn't playing the way I usually tend to play. How do I get around this? I am fairly sure this is from overidoliziing the guys I play against and not instilling enough confidence in myself.     Answer from Adam Jewell   (AVP "Young Gun" - nickname "Skywalker" - 36" vertical in the sand - hardest hitter in the northern hemisphere)   Travis, Thank you for you question.  I think it is natural to have "butterflies" before a match, but once the match gets underway, the nervous excitement should turn to focus.  But, I can relate to what you are saying.  There are a couple of players on the AVP Tour that I "idolize" and I, too, have a tough time with and staying relaxed and focusing on my objective.  What works for some players may not work for others, but what I try to do is breathe deep, shake out all of the nerves, and play as hard as I possibly can.  Don't think about who you are playing, but rather what you can do on your side of the court to help your partner.  Give him or her the best possible pass, or set, so that he or she or you can put the ball away.  Another way you can "shake the nerves" is to take a time-out when you feel overwhelmed.  Drink some water, breathe, have your partner slap you, do anything to keep yourself centered and focused on your side of the court.  If all else fails, get that guy or girl that you idolize to be your partner.  It worked for Brent Doble.  Good luck, and keep flyin' and bangin'!!! Adam Jewell   February 2003 Q & A with National Team player Brook "The Hammer" Billings (Brooke recently graduated from USC, where he was a two time All American.  He is now playing in the European leagues and will return to states in April) Q. How do you like living in Europe? A. Living in Europe has it benefits and downfalls. I would not give up this experience up for anything in the world yet at times I would like to be home with family. Thankfully, I have four of my friends playing on the team with me, otherwise it would get fairly lonely. Europeans live backwards from Americans. They drive different, eat differently and deal with confrontational issues differently. They like to yell. They definitely have the best Gelateria ice cream though. I am thankful for that. The pizza is not that bad either. The weather took some time to get used to as well. It was hard to adjust to the freezing cold rain and snow. Austria is a beautiful country with a lot to do and a lot to see. I highly recommend visiting. Q. What is your training schedule like? How often are games? When does the season begin/end? A. Our training schedule has varied in the past month. For the first few months we had practice twice a day. Easy in the mornings and then get after it in the afternoon session. Mainly just serving and passing with a little stretching. Twice a week we substituted our morning practice with weights. But this past week, and from here on out, will only be one practice in the morning and then have lunch as a team at the club house next to the gym. We practice six days out of the week and usually have Sunday's off. Our match schedule has been hectic the last month. We had something like sixteen matches or something crazy like that. That can wear you down physically and mentally at the same time. Our season began in August, but since the National Team went through the end of September, it started then for me. Our season will end on April 26th. I can already start to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Q. What do you like and dislike about the European Leagues? A. I must admit that the Austrian league is not as strong as many European leagues but there are some pretty descent teams to give you some competition. I like playing in Europe because it gives you a chance to see how other countries develop the sport that we have all grown up with the beach and our club programs. It is very different out here in the way of preparing for matches. I love the fact that we get to travel all around the world for free is probably what I enjoy most about playing in a European league. Q. Are you planning to play on the National Team when you return? If not, what are your future plans? A. I have very high hopes of playing in the Olympics in 2004, so it would be in my best interest to return to the National Team over the summers to come. I would love to spend some time playing on the beach, but playing in the Olympics is something I have wanted to do since I started playing volleyball. Story of my life, right. I am actually looking forward to playing with the National Team this summer. It is definitely a humbling experience. I hope the beach will wait for me when I am ready to change. October 2002 To: Adam Jewell - AVP "Bomber"  From: Joe Vedna, Wilmington, DE  Question: You seem to be the hardest hitter I've ever seen on the beach. Can you think of anyone who might have ever hit harder? Do you know the speed of  your hardest hit? Is your arm swing "a genetic freaky thing" or did you train hard in the past?  Answer: Before my era, there was a man by the name of Pat Powers who in my opinion was the hardest hitter ever. Yes there was Randy Stoklos, who brought a lot of heat, and Scott "the bomber" Ayakatubby, and Mark Kerins, all of which hit with a lot of velocity. Today's big arms with power are a little different than yester years. For example, we now play with a lighter ball which has a little more bounce off the sand. There are a handful of new big hitters. I really like watching Jason Ring, out of University of Hawaii. Canyon Ceman still whips his arm pretty quick. Another "Flyin' Hawaiian" is Mike Lambert, with his 7 and a half foot arm span, who has a great swing.  The speed at which a ball goes off your arm is pretty exciting to watch for the spectator. It's the pinnacle of a rally, the end all of a game. I love to see a game end on someone just absolutely crushing a great transition set to finish off their opponent. I honestly do not know exactly how fast the ball is traveling after someone hits it, but I can tell you that each time I swing for a ball, I'm trying to reach the speed of sound! Thanks for the question and keep hitting harder. Adam Jewell  September 2002 To Jeff Nygaard From: Joe Hancock, Memphis, TN Can you explain your feelings during and after your first AVP victory in Hermosa. Is there anything you and your partner did differently to win? My feelings during and after the finals: During the match, I really didn't even see much of the crowd. This is a common thing for me. The more I'm into a match, the less I see in terms of outside distractions. I see everything inside the court in slow motion, yet outside the court doesn't exist. And I wasn't thinking much either which can be attributed to my lack of beach experience. Indoors, once to that point, I simply become aggressive with everything and good things happen.  With beach, I need to utilize better strategies than "hit ball hard," which is something I need to work on. After the match, I was simply put--all over the map. I couldn't focus on one thing to save my life. Things were too surreal to verbalize. I only knew I had to get away from the beach for a spell and collect myself. About four hours later I rejoined the Albert Hanneman-spearheaded bar rage in Hermosa and do a little basking in the moment. The only thing that we really did different was our cohesion. Sometimes is feels like we're oil and water out there, going in separate directions, but from the get go on Sunday morning, we were on the same page. Things simply clicked for us. We had many good breaks in the final, but I attribute that to playing well. Of course, Albert siding out like a champion didn't hurt our chances either. NOVEMBER 2001 Question: "How do you train in the off season and when do you start playing in anticipation of the upcoming season? What can amateurs do to get in volleyball shape?" Collin Smith - "In the past, I've been relaxed about my off season training program. Not putting in the time necessary to excel in a very competitive sport. In Volleyball, as in life, you have to give yourself every opportunity possible to be successful. Being physically fit plays a big part in the success of any professional athlete. I recently hired a coach and athletic trainer to get me in shape. I work out with my trainer three days a week. Concentrating on core strength and agility. My coach puts me through beach workouts two days a week in the off season. Your off season beach workouts should focus on skills you need to improve on. Don't work on the skills you're already good at. As an athlete, it's important to have variation in your workouts. Beach workouts, weight training, surfing, basketball. Good luck and focus on improving and having fun doing it. Can You Dig It?? Smooth

MAY 2000

Question: "Where do you usually train and is this where you also hang out on off-weekends?" Adam Jewell - "I often times train either in Laguna or Hermosa Beach. That is where most everyone trains so it is usually easy to get games. When I want to just hang you can find me playing 4 man at the Mecca of beach volleyball - the Manhattan Beach Pier. Paul Boyd - "Since I have a full time job, and don't have any free time during the week (till after 4 pm) I usually spend my time training on the golf course. I too will play at the Manhattan Beach pier on the weekends." Anjihno - "I play most of the time at Marine St. in Manhattan Beach. However, since I am now the Brazilian TV network's volleyball commentator, I am often traveling to FIVB events and many other professional events. It's tough to find time to train." Question: "How does Mark Kerins find time to work full time, take care of a family, and still place in the top 5 on a consistent basis?" "Well, it's not easy. I am lucky to have an understanding wife who will allow me to travel on weekends and train a few nights a week. Although most players are bummed about fewer AVP events, it actually is a blessing for me since it allows me to spend more time with my two daughters." Question: "What is Hov's plans for 2000?" "I am all over the place. I write an editorial for Heat Magazine each month. I am also the color commentating for the AVP events on Fox TV, and plan to play in a few events this year (Hermosa Open, Manhattan Open). I'm looking for my 6th Manhattan victory. Besides the volleyball stuff, I'm also very busy with my new business as a real estate broker. If you are planning to move to Southern California, please contact me at Thovland@aol.com" Question: "Adam, what is your favorite tournament of the year?" "This depends. On the AVP tour, there are many since the fans are so supportive all over the country. Obviously Hermosa holds a special place for me because four years ago, while I was on the qualifier tour, Paul Boyd and I finished 9th. This was a major accomplishment at the time. In terms of the most fun, that would definitely be the Surf Festival 6-Man Tournament held in Manhattan Beach. Picture sixty-four teams (with the best beach and indoor players in the world), on the beach ... sun beaming down, beautiful women, and thousands of spectators. Over the last 3 years, Team Smack has finished 3rd, 4th, and 5th. We won it 5 years ago, but I didn't play on that team and am looking forward to August 5th when we bring the 1st place trophy back to the Smack office (just up the street)." Back to Top

JUNE 2000

Question: Can you give me some pointers when it comes to passing. Also, do you have any special training drills for siding out, as well as passing/defense? Adam Jewell - There are 4 three keys to passing, all of which are equally important to passing a perfect ball. First, you must move your feet, get to the spot that the ball is coming down, and get set. Second, always try to face your target. Get directly behind the ball if you can, ie. don't get lazy and take it on your side if you don't have to. Third, get your butt down and make a straight platform. Watch the ball hit your forearms. And lastly, don't swing your arms. On deep float serves, you may have to push through the ball a little with your legs and arms, but make it smooth. Regarding drills, the best thing to do is just have a friend serve you balls over and over again ... and if you make a bad pass, analyze what you might have done wrong and correct it. Question: I was at the Hermosa Open in early June and saw you in the finals. What did you do differently in order to beat teams like the #1 seeded team of Reno & Hanley? Nancy Mason - Rachel (Wacholder) and I have been practicing together for over a month now and we really made an effort in the last two weeks to be more communicative on the court and in practice. We have confidence and trust in each other and we just decided that we needed to start playing more aggressively and eliminating our own errors. Often times the team that makes the least amount of errors and works the hardest enjoys success. Question: What do you think the AVP needs to do to regain the kind of energy and excitement the sport had in the early to mid 90's? The HOV - It is not going to be one or two up and coming players that will bring the AVP back to where it was in the late 80's-early 90's. It will be the attitude and actions of 15-25 great players devoting time and energy to bring the fans back to the best game on the beach. Promoting a lifestyle and expressing a love for the game is great, but we need the best of the best to lead the rest. The sport needs more personalities, more rivalries, and more heroes and villains. If you are not on top and winning, nobody will listen. I loved the 80's-early 90's... sometimes I wish I was 10 years younger so I could lead the charge, but it's time for these young guys to take control and reinvigorate the sport of beach volleyball. Back to Top

JULY 2000

Question: What is your opinion of the new international rule allowing serves to hit the net? To me this seems a terrible rule since it is almost always an ace, is not a skill shot that can be practiced, is not exciting for the crowd and may encourage people to serve lower resulting in more serves into the net. Nancy Mason - The intent of the new ruling is to be fan friendly, keeps the game moving along. Honestly, it hasn't had that great of an affect on our matches, we can usually get a pass off of the let serve. However, there is always that one little blooper that you seem to remember and I'd hate to see something like that decide a final match or even the gold medal match in Sydney. Question: Who were your major influences in the game when you were growing up, Rachel? Also, who taught you the game of volleyball? Rachel Wacholder - I would have to say my biggest influence and teacher of the game was Charlie Brande, my coach at Orange County Volleyball Club. As for players, it is tough to say. Growing up in Laguna Beach, I always seemed to pay more attention to the locals. Adam Johnson, Cammy Cairelli, Linda Hanley, Leif Hanson- they were all wonderful players, that I heard all about growing up. My sister Ashley was also one of the best. Question: What is your opinion of the new international rule allowing serves to hit the net? To me this seems a terrible rule since it is almost always an ace, is not a skill shot that can be practiced, is not exciting for the crowd and may encourage people to serve lower resulting in more serves into the net. Paul Boyd - I think it is bringing down the skill level of the game even more. Let alone the fact that it completely changes the original rules of the game. They seem to be trying to take all of the skill out of the sport with all of these rule changes. Adam Jewell - I understand their reasons for developing the rules, however as a So. Cal native, I grew up watching beach legends such as Hov, Karch, and Dodd. I consider myself a "volleyball purist" and believe that many of the rules being instituted (by the FIVB) make the game less exciting and more aesthetic ... loose calls on setting, rules on the dimensions of our clothing and our sponsor logos, etc. I am "old school" guy. The sport was born on the beaches of So Cal, and that is often what draws people to the sport. This newer, structured approach will surely take some of the uniqueness and fun out of the sport (especially for the fans). Question: Can you please give me some helpful pointers on setting? Paul Boyd - Always square up your body in the direction you want to set the ball. Keep your knees bent and feet apart for a stable base. Move your feet quickly to get to the spot, so you can get into position to set the ball. Always try to stop your momentum before setting the ball, for optimum control. Hand setting: Try to take the ball into your hands completely, then push it out towards your target. Start out by practically catching it first to work on your control. The ball must be stable in your hands before you push it out, so squeeze your fingers around the ball for a split second (this helps to take the spin off the ball as well). Then speed up the release as you get comfortable with it. Follow through with both your hands and arms straight towards where you are setting to. Bump setting: Try not to swing your arms to much for this type of set. Start with your arms almost horizontal to the ground, with a very flat platform. Use your legs ... push through and just lift the ball as it hits your arms. You can control the direction of the set by moving in a forward direction as you are setting it. Remember, always try to stop your movement while setting so that you are stable and under control, and always try to face your target. Back to Top

AUGUST 2000

Question: What's your favorite stop on the AVP tour and why? - Brad Swient Adam Jewell - My favorite tour stop on the AVP is the Chicago Open. Although the Manhattan Beach Open is a local favorite, Chicago has an unusual feel with the surrounding skyscrapers and the "big city" atmosphere. The reaction we get in Chicago from the fans is very special. They go crazy and wild and love the sport of beach volleyball. I think it is due to the fact that they don't get to see beach volleyball often so they let it all hang for us players and the AVP. Thanks for writing in. Sean Scott - The Manhattan Open. It is the "grandaddy of them all", the home of beach volleyball, and always has huge crowds with lots of friends and family It's also my favorite because I was fortunate enough to have won in 1998 (if you are ever on the MB pier, they list all the past winners of the event). Back to Top

SEPTEMBER 2000

Question: What's the funniest thing a fan has ever done or said to you? Sean Scott - Can I have your autograph Mr. Scott? Question: What sort of off the court training do you recommend, weights, plyometric training or a combination of the two? Any specific weight exercises that you recommend? What are your thoughts on "jump soles"? - Kenny Horneman Albert Hannemann - I recommend a combination of both weight training and plyometric/sprints. I work out at the gym 3 days a week. One day I will concentrate on legs, another on chest triceps and shoulders, and another on back and biceps. I used to do plyos and sprints twice a week until I found a new workout called "Fast Twitch." It is a workout that hits all parts of your body and afterwards leaves you virtually fresh. It has worked very well for me this year as I feel stronger and faster. The machines are designed to make your fast twitch fibers work harder. It is similar to plyometrics without the pounding on the body. Do a search on the web for "fast twitch" or call Frank @310-214-9881. Hope this helps!! Good luck. Back to Top

OCTOBER 2000

Question: What would you consider the most important aspects in choosing a 2's partner? Sean Scott - If it's for money, someone you win with. There are many factors, such as rankings, chemistry, as well as finding someone who's strengths may be my weaknesses. If it's for fun, someone you enjoy playing with. Nancy Mason - Chemistry, definitely! You certainly want to look for a partner whose strengths accommodate for your own areas of weakness. But if you find that one player that you really have good court presence with, it is worth the time and effort to make the partnership work. I made a choice at the beginning of this season to play with a rookie rather than a tour veteran with at least ten years of experience . Rachel had only played in two professional events. It was definetely the right choice, I made it to my first final and we had a very solid year. Question: Can Adam Jewell give me some pointers on hitting? Adam Jewell - The key to hitting is in one's footwork. You need to move your feet so you are always in a position to hit where the ball is straight above your shoulder and you are hitting with an extended arm. If you take the set outside your hitting shoulder, or over your head, it is not only difficult to hit, but easy for the defense to read. Concentrate on a consistent approach, plant your feet and convert your momentum upward by swinging your arms up. While in the air, keep your non-hitting arm up (helps your timing), pull your hitting arm back, then swing and reach high, snapping your wrist while hitting. Always attack the ball like you will be spiking it, in order to keep your opponents on the heels. Back to Top

NOVEMBER 2000

Question: Adam, can you kindly describe your recent "King of the Beach" tournament experience? Adam Jewell - I have mixed emotions about my first KOB experience. One of my goals going into the 2000 season was to qualify for the KOB. I injured my shoulder in the Manhattan Open and wasn't able to finish high enough to make it into the top 14 individual rankings. I was disappointed, and also injured and facing an off season of rehabbing my shoulder. So when I got the call the day before the event in Vegas that I was in the qualifier, I hadn't touched a ball since Manhattan. Loiola and I got off to a slow start on Thursday morning, but then I got things going and had two great matches, losing both 15-13. The rest of the weekend was an experience in itself. The KOB is an exciting event, great volleyball and other "fun" events. So, for my first time, I just kind of took it all in, next time I plan to play more volleyball. Question: Can you give me a good workout program that will help my jump and speed? Eduardo "Anjihno" Bacil - Lift weights, cardio/running, and plyomentrics. Specific training which includes sprints, footwork and coordination drills (the key to every aspect of volleyball is footwork. Question: You are one of the best defensive players in the world... please tell me some of your secrets. Eduardo "Anjihno" Bacil - Well, first you need to have a game plan in mind. Knowing your opponent is the most important factor in order to succeed defensively. Other pointers include: 1. Start cross court as often as possible, 2. Keep a low base with your body in good balance. Your feet should be on a solid platform, 3. Read the player (where the ball is in relation to the shoulder, which way the body is facing, where the ball is being contacted, and how hard the arm is swinging) and react with an explosive first step. If you are able to master all those secrets, give Mike Whitmarsh a call. Back to Top Question: What were some things you enjoyed about the King of the Beach? Eduardo "Anjihno" Bacil - The KOB is as much fun as it is serious competition for the players. I like that we don't get to choose our partners - it's luck of the draw. I also enjoy actually betting on the matches. Since I know everyone's strengths, weaknesses, and personalities, I like to challenge myself by analyzing each match and betting accordingly. Question: Is there a different approach or attitude to jumping in the sand so it doesn't steal as much of your hops? Colin "Smooth" Smith - The major thing to remember when playing in the sand is getting your feet to the ball and jumping straight up and down. A lot of times it's extremely tough to make the transition from indoor to the beach because of technique. The indoor game calls for broad jumping to the set. The exact opposite technique is used on the beach. If you want to be a good jumper on the beach do lots of "Olympic lifts". The more explosive you are, the better. Work on getting your fast-twitch muscle fibers strong. Remember, you're not training for a Marathon!!! Albert "Albee" Hannemann - Use your arms to pull yourself up and jump hard every time. You will make your opponent's defense that much better if you don't make it look like you are going to hit the ball every time. Also, try not to broad jump like indoors. Back to Top

APRIL 2001

Question: What do you think the future holds for the AVP and the BVA? What factors did you consider when making your decision on which tour to play? (Submitted by A. Phan) Colin Smith - (A) People need to stay positive about the future of beach volleyball. we all know things are tough financially at this point in time. Let's direct our attention away from the negatives we can't control, and start developing ideas that can help the growth of the sport. Whether it be BVA or AVP, we need to focus on gaining popularity amongst the youth in this country.In regards to the BVA and AVP coexsisting, It would be great to see both tours do well. I'm excited that fans are going to be exposed to two different brands of volleyball. It'll be interesting to see how the public responds. (B) I have not yet decided as to what tour to play on. If I start playing internationally, the BVA would definately be more suitable. When the time comes to make the decision, I'm sure I'll make the right one. Let's keep our fingers crossed for both tours. Volleyball is a great sport, and compared to the major spectator sports within the U.S., is very new. Give it some time to develop. Spread the word Peace, Smooth Question: How are you doing in the first FIVB event held in Macau, China? (Submitted by Meg) Nancy Mason (submitted while in China (4/6/01): Hello everyone from China! (Not the most hospitable place to be if you're an American right now). We did not qualify, though we played very well and feel pretty good about the start of the season. We dropped the first match to another US team, in hurricane like conditions (the top blew off of center court during our match). We did not play very well in that one, and the other did. The sand is very shallow here and that is ideal for the team of Denechochea and Stammer who are 6'4" and 6"0. We had to play our way back through and win 6 matches in one day to qualify, however we fell one match short of that, dropping the second match of the double final in three games. In all, we played over 4 hours of volleyball in one day. Rally scoring makes it a much different game. We are happy with our siding out, all the games in the final were decided by only 2 or 3 points. It's very frustrating though, seeing some of the teams that get in due to country quota, and we bust our butts just to come all this way and play other US teams. But this is the path we choose! We're off to Hong Kong for a day of shopping (spend the money we didn't make!) Thanks to everyone for your support, always! Back to Top

JUNE 2001

Question: How do you feel about the creation of one tour (AVP and BVA) and what do you think they need to do to build the sport back up to to where it was in the early-mid 90's? (from Carla in Denver) Tim Hovland - I think that combining the tours would a provide a better resource in which the sport can grow, as well as provideÊcapital necessary to build the tour back to where it was years ago. A unified tour will also bring all the competition together. Paul Boyd - Unified Tour - Great !! Growing the sport - Bring back the bikini contest !! Back to Top

JULY 2001

Question: "How does Nancy Mason feel about her travels with the FIVB? Is it fun traveling, meeting new people, or more of a hassle? How does she spend her days, playing and not playing? Do they have anywhere to practice in places like Europe? " (Joe, Grand Rapids, Iowa) Nancy Mason - "The world tour sometimes sounds more glamorous than it really is. True, we get to travel to some amazing places, but if all goes as planned, we are spending most or our time competing. It is interesting spending time with players from other countries, and everyone is super friendly. The language barrier can be an issue. I can understand some Spanish, Italian and a little bit of French. We just returned from a German-speaking part of Switzerland and couldn't understand a word. My partner and I have bought audio tapes to help with some languages. It seems that only the US players don't attempt to learn other languages, I'd like to change that. It is also very hard to work out being on the road for weeks at a time. I am used to the facilities here, and sometimes it is difficult to even find a gym or a place to run. Also, we bring alot of our own food (it's not always easy to find something you like in foreign places). For the most part, I enjoy the travel and competition. (though it is always so nice to come home) Leanne and I haven't had a very good start, internationally...way below our expectations. So I am looking forward to having more success on our second European stint in July." Question: "What do the pros think about the new rules, court, and ball? How about the sport's growth? " (Andrea, Virginia Beach, VA) Collin Smith - "From a players prospective, the new rules and the smaller court size is forcing the players to adjust different techniques of the game. For example, in Huntington Beach I hit a number of shots angle that landed barely out. For players, the adjustment might take some time, but by mid-july the fans will see the players raise their level of play as they become more and more comfortable with this new brand of volleyball. Overall I feel that the changes will benefit the sport of Beach Volleyball. With the success the USA has had at the international level both indoors and on the beach, the sport will continue to grow. Leonard Armato and his management group have already shown us things within the first few months of acquiring the AVP. We're all excited to be a part of what's going on right now. Keep spiking!!!!" Back to Top

AUGUST 2001

Question: How can I improve on my defense? - Joe IN MI Albert Hannemann - "You must first be set when the ball is being hit by your opponent. Stop moving, gain good balance, dig your feet in the sand, get your arms out to your sides, and have your hands open. If you are not stable when the ball is being hit, you will only get a ball that is being hit to the spot you are moving towards ...changing your momentum towards a different direction makes it more difficult. Once the ball is hit, move fast ...push hard off the sand and get to the ball. Also, the reason why we have arms out to the sides and palms up is because we can dig almost any ball without a whole lot of movement, whether it is hit at your head, sides, or waist. Best of luck!!" Question: Can Collin Smith please explain his strategies in winning his first AVP Tournament (Virginia Beach on 7/29) and how he felt afterwards? Collin Smith - a) As far as specific strategies are concerned, I don't have any. But since I started playing on the AVP, I've always made an effort to watch other players compete. Every athlete in every sport has tendencies or habits. Studying these tendencies has allowed me to properly position myself on the court. My first year on the tour I was losing quite frequently, so I had tons of time to watch the top players compete. I've always had great respect for the beach greats like, Karch, Dodd, Hov, Lewy, Sinjin, Stoklos, etc. I've tried to incorporate little pieces of each guys game into my own. b) The feeling I had after my first open win is indescribable. I feel very fortunate to be in the position to win a tournament. There are so many great athletes out there all competing for the same prize. To win the last match in a tournament is the goal of every professional beach volleyball player. But I'm definately not satisfied with just that tournament. It's very difficult to win an open, and I don't want to take that for granted. I'm looking forward to competing in Santa Barbara!!!! Back to Top

SEPTEMBER 2001

ON THE ROAD by Albert Hannemann Playing on the AVP tour is always an adventure. We always hope the tour will be born again but no matter what happens we find our love for the sport forcing us back on the courts. This year Leonard Armato bailed us out after Charlie Jackson's failed attempt to run a tour. The late start to the season left a lot of players in limbo. The Brazilians decided to stay home. The rule changes chased some older veterans away. I say adios to these guys as we all focus on growing the "new tour." Leonard Armato has given us a fresh start and the vibe is definitely back on tour. I prepared myself for an interesting road trip with lots of new players. Traveling on the AVP tour is like riding a roller coaster. From cancelled flights to food disappearing from the player's tent, many things can happen that really test your patience. A strange opportunity presented itself this year for all current players on the tour. Many of our top teams left for greener pastures or shall I say "greener pockets" by trying their luck on the FIVB tour. With the disappearance of the Brazilians, the retirement party, and the AVP world travelers, the tour supremacy was up for grabs. Me and my partner Sean Scott were ready to take a big bite out of the pie. We were hungry. So were a bunch of new guys. The first tournament on the road trip was in Muskegon, Michigan. First round was against this guy Chad Turner. Sean and me discussed this guy as a basketball player without many skills. We figured it would be a quick match and we would get a lot of rest before our next match. We almost lost two straight and pulled it out in 3 games. We learned that Chad Turner could play volleyball too. Upsets were happening all over the place. We battled hard and finished at third place. The surprise here was AK and Anjihno finishing 13th as they had won the tourney the week before in Huntington. Fonoi and Dain finished 7th. Both teams were casualties of a new player named Jason Ring. Fonoi and Dain flew back to Europe and realized that they should have never left. Next was Belmar New Jersey. Great crowd again and a very hot weekend. We had another first round game against some qualifiers. I tried to change my initial thought about this team as they were both under 6 feet tall and I felt pretty confident we were going to wax this team off the court. I thought this guy was for sure a recreational player that must have careered to make it out of the qualifier. I was in cruise mode and all of a sudden it was game three and we barely pulled it out again. The next day a big problem occurred in the tent when I went in to eat some lunch to fuel up before we played in the final. One problem was that there wasn't any food left. I looked around and noticed all the new qualifier guys were still in the tent with girlfriends, parents, and one guy even had his dog in there. This is not allowed at tournaments but we didn't have anyone there to enforce it. I did my best Stoklos imitation and over reacted, as I was very frustrated and really hungry. I made it clear that the food was there for the players still playing in the tournament. It wasn't a picnic and Spot should eat a bone, not my turkey sandwich. We lost in 3 games and took home the silver medal. Next weekend comes quickly as I arrive at the airport early for the Friday 6am morning flight to Virginia Beach. Only one problem. When I looked at the departure board my flight had been cancelled. I thought that I would just get on the next flight, which would be in a half hour or so. All flights were full until 2pm. I finally arrived in Virginia after 11pm. Got to the site early Saturday and put my stuff in the tent. I felt something was different and went for a warm up jog to figure it out. I realized that I didn't recognize 80% of the people in the tent. It seemed that the players' tent was full of new guys and all the veterans would go hang out on stage with veteran announcer Geeter. Our first round match was against some kids that had almost beaten Whit and Canyon a few weeks earlier so we were not taking them lightly. We won in two straight but all the other matches with the qualifiers seemed to go three games. There seemed to be a little west coast, east coast thing going as we started to pull for our young west coast players. Young stud rookie Scotty "Fast" lane pulled out a tight 3 gamer with some local qualifiers and came running back to the tent and yelled, "they don't f...... respect west coast volleyball. Look at em now." It clarified that there really was a rivalry between these qualifier teams and more importantly that the sport is really changing. Sunday morning came and the tent looked familiar again. Whitmarsh looked annoyed as the rain was coming down pretty hard. I told him to cheer up cause we all know each other in here. Then Matt Furbringer sits up and shakes Whits hand and introduces himself. We all bust out laughing. We pull out another third place and feel awful about it. The road can be tough but at least we are playing ball again. We also met a lot of new people this summer. The strange thing is that we met them before we served the first ball at them.