A local volleyball player digs into the South Bay’s beach scene.
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04/23/12Love Is A RacketI’m trying to convey that I’m interested without coming on too strong. I like her athleticism. Quick arm. How she carries herself on the court. And I like playing beside her. So, without an instruction manual, I’ve been doing what I think anyone in my position would attempt in this business: set up as many dates as possible. I’m proud to say that my entire week is booked. I’ve been especially pro-active in organizing training sessions and setting up games based on the simple logic that the more court time we share the more opportunities we have to figure out if we click…do we have a future? To be perfectly honest—and I kind of hope that she isn’t reading this—my wish is that one or two weeks of diligent dating will... |
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04/04/12Pearls Night OutFrom the sand to the grape vines to the city lights, this weekend was one disorienting game of landscape roulette. I left the South Bay for my sister’s bachelorette party in the quaint town of Yountville, wine country, where the festivities included a flurry of buttery baked goods (thanks Bouchon Bakery), vino, hot-tubbing, more vino, non-traditional shaped straws, and breast-pumping. Yes, I said breast-pumping: bachelorette parties take on a slightly different shape when most everyone has a ring on their finger, though I would take a relaxed girls weekend over matching a feather boa-wearing, bride-to-be shot for shot any day. Anyhow, the scenery was pristine as we dodged puddles traveling from one tasting to another and celebrated the fast-approaching nuptials of the... |
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03/28/12From A to Z-urichAttention all Southbay residents: if you see a 6'5'' Chinese woman, she is not here for the bacon & cheddar buttermilk bisquits at MB Post. She is, however, here for the weather and elite beach volleyball competition. Each passing day is one step closer to the London Olympic Games, and to prepare for competing on the largest stage that our sport can offer--as well as several FIVB events leading up the torch lighting ceremony--male and female teams from around the world are flocking to our beaches. Why, just yesterday I brushed shoulders with the Canadian and British national teams as I was finishing up a training session with Angie Akers & coach Scott Davenport. Beach volleyball training--or "adult summer camp" as I like to call... |
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03/21/12Yes...I Can-Can!I’ve seen what fire does to good family-friend’s home, engulfing photo albums, furniture, and carpet-lined stairs in its merciless blaze. I’ve seen fire char the soft, innocent skin of my marshmallow because more times than not I’m too impatient to wait to slide the gooey goodness between two pieces of chocolate and graham cracker. I’ve seen those quintessential flames glowing atop sticks like little soldiers—the only things standing between a wish and a frosted cake. And now I’ve felt fire metaphorically, the kind that is lit inside of you, setting off a fury deep within your belly that makes you want to scream and cry at the same time. That fire was lit last Wednesday, and all over a pair of pants. A little explanation... |
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03/21/12Spin CitiesFar more than something that gets you from point A to point B, a bicycle exudes distinguishable character and is an integral part of our coastal lifestyle. Yes, you can still hit rush hour traffic pedaling on The Strand over the weekend, but you certainly can’t beat the view. With a little help from my friends, I put together the ultimate South Bay ride—just in time for spring. Like what you see? Give your sweet ride the "bells & whistles" that it deserves. |
01/31/12the one that got awayMistakes. We make them. And after we make them we (hopefully) learn from them. I’d like to tell you about a particular mistake I made during last season…the story of the one that got away. Her name was—and still is—Pri, short for Priscilla, even shorter for professional beach volleyball player priscilla lima. The brazilian-born ball of fury blessed the beach of Hermosa last summer—specifically, the court that I had been training on all season with Adriano Ticao. I didn’t exactly know what she was trying to gain from her (late in the season) West Coast trip but we ended up side by side on numerous drills, and playing like so many others across our long stretch of sand. My coach gave Pri full clearance to... |
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12/22/11Dear SantaI’m making a list, Checking it twice, Gonna find out who plays left and who’s right. Partner season is coming, To town. Posted at 02:18 PM | Permalink | Comments: 1 |
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12/09/11Your Royal Shine-nessYour Royal Shine-ness “Blessed are we to be in a sport where our legendary players are still alive,” bellowed the MC of the evening. Goosebumps. Tonight was the first ever Beach Volleyball Hall Of Fame and Inductee Ceremony held right here in Hermosa (as it should be). As the lights dimmed and the hoots and hollers of the crowd escalated in anticipation of the preliminary slideshow, I scanned the room for faces that I recognized, faces of a younger generation. The auditorium was packed alright, and heavily so, by an older crowd of past players along with their families, friends, and fans who’d watched them compete in the 70s and 80s. Where are my peers? Where are my contemporary role models? You know who you are because you are the ones who have been traveling... |
I’m pursuing a dream that spits on my diploma and pretty much goes against left-brain logic: a career in professional beach volleyball. You wont find my “associates” and I wearing skinny ties or clicking our heels, but underneath our sunglasses is a fierce conviction to find the best games, the best partner, and compete in the best tournaments on the most beautiful beaches. I may report to the sandbox for work but after we RoShamBo for sides it’s all business, baby. Join me for the ride, won’t you?
