IanClarkVolleyball.net-AVP Tour Y2K7 2007 NEW Season Schedule Part I

Ian Clark Volleyball

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2000 & 2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

Seaside Heights,NJ 2006

PART I (1st 10 AVP 2007 events)

PART II (2nd half 8 AVP 2007 events)

PART III (last 4 AVP 2007 events)

Ian Clark's I-MAN I-News Headlines:

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AVP TOUR Y2K7-YEAR 2007

SCHEDULE

2007 Schedule Announcement

Current schedule for the AVP Tour in the year 2007
*All Confirmed Dates

Date Event Site TV

*Febuary 13th 2007 AVP PRO BEACH VOLLEYBALL TOYOTA CHALLENGE Times Union Cntr Albany,NY * Cable,FSNet

*April 13th-15th 2007 AVP QUERVO GOLD CROWN MIAMI OPEN Bicentenial Park Miami, FLA. * Cable,FSNet

*April 19th-22nd 2007 AVP QUERVO GOLD CROWN TEXAS OPEN Ameriquest Field Arlington,TX . * Cable,FSNet

*May 3rd-6th 2007 AVP HUNTINGTON OPEN Huntington Beach Pier Huntington Beach, CA * Cable,FSNet

*May 10th-13th 2007 AVP GLENDALE ARIZONA OPEN Westgate City Center Glendale, ARIZ. * Cable,FSNet

*May 17th-20th 2007 AVP HERMOSA BEACH OPEN Strand Hermosa Beach, CA *Cable,FSNet

*May 24th-27th 2007 AVP LOUISVILLE OPEN Festival Plaza at Waterfront Park Louisville,KY * Cable,FSNet

*May 31st-June 3rd 2007 AVP TAMPA OPEN Tampa, FLA. * Cable,FSNet

*June 7th-10th 2007 AVP ATLANTA OPEN Atlanta,GA * Cable,FSNet

*June 14th-17th 2007 AVP CHARLESTON OPEN Daniel Islnd Family Circle Tennis Center Charleston,SC * Cable,FSNet

*July 5th-8th 2007 AVP SEASIDE HEIGHTS OPEN Seaside Heights,NJ * Cable,FSNet

*July 19th-22nd 2007 AVP LONG BEACH OPEN East Shoreline Drive Long Beach, CA. **LIVE on NBC

*Aug 2nd-5th 2007 AVP McDONALDS CHICAGO OPEN North Avenue Beach Chicago, IL **LIVE on NBC

*Aug 9th-12th 2007 AVP MANHATTAN BEACH OPEN Manhattan Bch Pier Manhattan Bch ,CA **LIVE on NBC

*Aug 16th-19th 2007 AVP BOSTON OPEN Boston Boston,MA * Cable,FSNet

*Aug 23rd-26th 2007 AVP BROOKLYN OPEN Coney Island Beach Brooklyn ,NY * Cable,FSNet

*Aug 31st-Sept 2nd 2007 AVP CROCS CUP CINCINNATI Lindner Family Tennis Center Cincinnati , OH ** NBC,Live

*September 06th-08th AQUIFINA 2007 AVP Vegas Shootout Harrah's Las Vegas, NV *TAPE on NBC

*September 14th-16th 2007 AVP SAN FRANCISCO OPEN Bayside SanFrancisco,CA * Cable,FSNet

FIVB 2007 Swatch Beach Volleyball Tour Men's & Women's Schedule

AVP Professional Men's Beach Volleyball
2007 TELEVISION SCHEDULE Volleyball.org

AVP ON NBC TV !!! :>p~

TV Air Dates:

NBC

EVENT BROADCAST DATE / TIME

The AVP is proud to bring you over 10 hours of NBC broadcast coverage and over 40 hours of cable coverage of Fox Sports Net! Check out the television schedule below and be sure to watch all the AVP tournaments throughout the season. All broadcasts are listed in local time unless otherwise specified.*

Location Event Dates Network Coverage

Miami, FL Apr. 13 - Apr. 15 FSN
Dallas, TX Apr. 19 - Apr. 22 FSN
Huntington Beach, CA May 3 - May 6 FSN
Glendale, AZ May 10 - May 13 FSN
Hermosa Beach, CA May 17 - May 20 FSN
Louisville, KY May 24 - May 27 FSN
Tampa, FL May 31 - Jun. 3 FSN
Atlanta, GA Jun. 7 - Jun. 10 FSN
Charleston, SC Jun. 14 - Jun. 17 FSN
Seaside Heights, NJ Jul. 5 - Jul. 8 FSN
Long Beach, CA Jul. 19 - Jul. 22 NBC and FSN
Chicago, IL Aug. 2 - Aug. 5 NBC and FSN
Manhattan Beach, CA Aug. 9 - Aug. 12 NBC and FSN
Boston, MA Aug. 16 - Aug. 19 NBC and FSN
Brooklyn, NY Aug. 23 - Aug. 26 NBC and FSN
Cincinnati, OH Aug. 30 - Sept. 2 FSN
Las Vegas, NV Sept. 6 - Sept. 8 FSN
San Francisco, CA Sept. 14 - Sept. 16 FSN

*All air times are regional. Please check local listings for viewing times.

The AVP Is Back on NBC

Five Live/Tape Broadcasts During the 2007 Season Marks the Return Of Beach
Volleyball to Network Television for the fourth year in a row

The AVP is proud to bring you over 10 hours of NBC broadcast coverage and over 40 hours of cable coverage of Fox Sports Net! Check out the television schedule below and be sure to watch all the AVP tournaments throughout the season.

FOX SPORTS NET

EVENT BROADCAST DATE / TIME

*Check you local listings for Broadcast times yet to be announced actual event dates below only not necessarily brodcast dates

Location Event Dates Network Coverage

Miami, FL Apr. 13 - Apr. 15 FSN
Dallas, TX Apr. 19 - Apr. 22 FSN
Huntington Beach, CA May 3 - May 6 FSN
Glendale, AZ May 10 - May 13 FSN
Hermosa Beach, CA May 17 - May 20 FSN
Louisville, KY May 24 - May 27 FSN
Tampa, FL May 31 - Jun. 3 FSN
Atlanta, GA Jun. 7 - Jun. 10 FSN
Charleston, SC Jun. 14 - Jun. 17 FSN
Seaside Heights, NJ Jul. 5 - Jul. 8 FSN
Long Beach, CA Jul. 19 - Jul. 22 NBC and FSN
Chicago, IL Aug. 2 - Aug. 5 NBC and FSN
Manhattan Beach, CA Aug. 9 - Aug. 12 NBC and FSN
Boston, MA Aug. 16 - Aug. 19 NBC and FSN
Brooklyn, NY Aug. 23 - Aug. 26 NBC and FSN
Cincinnati, OH Aug. 30 - Sept. 2 FSN
Las Vegas, NV Sept. 6 - Sept. 8 FSN
San Francisco, CA Sept. 14 - Sept. 16 FSN

*All air times are regional. Please check local listings for viewing times.

AVP on TV
2007

To catch all the Men's and Women's 2007 AVP Crocs Tour action make sure to visit Fox Sports Net and check your local listings for viewing times.

New to the AVP last year was OLN televising the Men's and Women's semifinal matches. OLN has gone back to televising Hockey & Soccer in 2007 no more Volleyball.

AVP Womens News - TV Update
* OLD 2002 information below,stay tuned as to what AVP women's events will be
scheduled for broadcast on this network in 2005.

NEW YORK (Variety) - Geraldine Laybourne's Oxygen Media will cablecast five of the seven women's Assn. of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) tournaments this summer. The deal is consistent with Oxygen's recently announced strategy of focusing only on high-visibility women's sports. Six weeks ago, Oxygen laid off 20 people in its sports division, reducing the number of events from 31 per year to about 12. Lydia Stephans, president and executive producer of Oxygen Sports, called the AVP tournaments "the premier women's beach volleyball competition in the world." In addition to the five Oxygen cablecasts, the AVP will get three live broadcasts on NBC.
Oxygen's five cablecasts will run on consecutive Sunday afternoons at 2, beginning June 9.

EVENT BROADCAST DATE / TIME

*Check you local listings for Broadcast times yet to be announced actual event dates below only not necessarily brodcast dates

Oxygen will no longer be carrying Volleyball in 2007.

AVP Hour on the radio

Courtesy of Hugo Rec.Sport.Volleyball

In yesterday's LA Times (May 17, 2002), a column
written by Larry Stewart, he mentiones that:

"Karch Kiraly and Sinjin Smith will co-host a new
weekly show, "The AVP Hour," on KMPC (1540 AM) Thursdays,
7-8 p.m., beginning next week (May 23, 2002)."

However, I listened to KMPC earlier today (Sat. May 18)
and I heard a commercial for it and "Geeter" (Chris McGee)
said that he and Sinjin will be hosting this new
weekly show. He also said that if you don't listen
you'll get sand kicked in your face! ;-) Anyway,
whoever is hosting, it's good to know that the
vball community is getting high profile ambassadors
of the game to get the word out about beach
volleyball on the radio!
Yay volleyball! I hope that we can continue this
well into the future. :-)

Hugo

Hey Hugo,Thanks for the info.Any coverage of the AVP by its Players
is welcome news.By the way Ian Clark has had his own radio show of
sorts on Live365 for over 2 years now.Take a listen to DJ
Slimknicky1 at the following link:

Listen!!! to "I-RADIO AVP" IMAN'S Broadcasting in Stereo!!!24/7

Featuring "DJ- KNICKY" playing all the hits for AVP fans!!!

Coming SOON,Player I-Views & Past Years &Current AVP Event coverage in Real Audio!

http://www.live365.com/stations/slimnicky1
I-RADIO AVP

"Karch Kiraly and Sinjin Smith will co-host a new
weekly show, "The AVP Hour," on KMPC (1540 AM) Thursdays,
7-8 p.m., beginning next week (May 23, 2002)."

You can listen to it live on the internet on your computer here,follow this link:

KMPC
Sporting News Radio
Los Angeles
1540
Los Angeles, CA.

Click Here

The AVP Hour

**HAVE NOT HEARD YET IF THERE ARE TO BE RADIO BROADCASTS IN 2007 STAY TUNED but for now listen to archives above.........

Dig Magazine

Click Here

First Issue: April 2003 (40-pages, around 80 volleyball photos)

Articles:
This month on tour - Ft. Lauderdale, Tempe

Locals only - where AVP players eat, drink and kick it in Fort Lauderdale and Tempe

The scene - Huntington Beach

Ten ways not to break into the AVP tour

Beach Vocabulary 101

Hot tunes

AVP 2003, Photo Profiles
Misty May - Kerri Walsh
Holly McPeak - Elaine Youngs
Jenny Johnson Jordan - Annett Davis
Carrie Busch - Leanne McSorley
Lisa Arce - Rachel Wacholder
Women's Contenders

Eric Fonoimoana - Dax Holdren
Stein Metzger - Kevin Wong
Mike Whitmarsh - Canyon Ceman
Karch Kiraly - Brent Doble
Albert Hannemann - Sean Scott
Men's Contenders

Hot Gear - Spring Wraps

Fashion Flashback

Legend Connection Ron Von Hagen - Karch Kiraly

The Clinic - Beach Facts & Myths on Hitting Big

Beach Smack with Brian Lewis

DIG
The next best thing to being at an AVP event!!
Official Magazine of the AVP Tour
Volleyball • Lifestyle • Competition
6 issues for just $18
Call toll free to subscribe:
# 1- 800-999-9718
Get a DIG t-shirt or Hat for just $6 when you subscribe for six issues.
DIG is published six times April through October around AVP events.

Articles 2006-2007 Off Season

-Catch up on your reading as to what happened after the end of last year's AVP season here.

May-Treanor dominates awards while Rogers is MVP
October 6, 2006

Todd Rogers wins MVP on men's side; May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, and Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert awarded Team of the Year honors at 2006 AVP Players' Banquet
LOS ANGELES, October 5, 2006
Misty May-Treanor and Todd Rogers took home top honors Thursday night as MVPs of the AVP 2006 season at the Players' Banquet. For the fourth consecutive year, May-Treanor and partner Kerri Walsh were voted 2006 Team of the Year. The honor of the men's Team of the Year was awarded to the CROCS Cup winning team of Stein Metzger and Mike Lambert, who teamed up for the first time this year. All of the awards presented were voted on by the athletes of the AVP.
The star of the evening was May-Treanor, who captured four titles, including the 2006 women's MVP award, Team of the Year, Best Offensive Player for the third year in a row, as well as her first award as the Best Defensive Player. May-Treanor became the first player on either the men's or women's side to win both Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year in one season.
May-Treanor's stats with her partner Walsh provide a resounding exclamation point to her unprecedented awards: This season, they became the winningest team in domestic women's history, finishing with 39 career titles together in U.S. tournaments and a single-season most 13 of 16 domestic titles; they ended the season with 35 straight victories; compiled an astounding 82-3 match record; have played in the finals 44 of 45 AVP events together; and will take a seven-tournament winning streak into the 2007 season. As an individual, May-Treanor finished in the top five in four different statistical categories in terms of per game averages: digs (fifth), kills (fifth), kill percentage (fourth) and hitting percentage (third).
"My husband told me to just say thank you and get off the stage," May-Treanor said. "I just want to say thank you to everyone including my partner and CROCS for all their support. I also want to thank my teammate Kerri Walsh. Sometimes I feel like I want to say I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but that isn't right. I want to say that, but I really mean the rest of my volleyball life."
"Misty May-Treanor is a doll and a pleasure, and I look forward to playing with her for years to come," Walsh said.
On the men's side, the teams of Rogers and Phil Dalhausser and Metzger and Lambert battled throughout the season for domination on the AVP Tour. A closely-contested Team of the Year award went to Metzger and Lambert. The duo played in 14 of 15 Final Fours this season, more than any other team; their 11-match winning streak at one point tied for the longest this season; won the inaugural CROCS Cup by a slim six points; and compiled a 67-15 match record.
"In the middle of the season, we just picked up and took care of business," Metzger said. "We didn't care who led the way. We just needed to find our way home."
Rogers captured two titles, including the 2006 men's MVP and the Defensive Player of the Year. Rogers and Dalhausser won eight of 16 titles, including Rogers winning both post-season events: King of the Beach (best individual player) and the Best of the Beach (best team on the beach). Rogers won nine AVP CROCS Tour titles, the most since Kent Steffes in 1998; had a 9-1 mark in AVP championship matches; his 10 finals appearances were the most of any player this year; and will take an 11-match winning streak including the last three titles into 2007.
"This whole year has been so surreal," Rogers said. "If somebody had told me this, I wouldn't have believed them. I couldn't be happier in the way this year has turned out for my career."
Dalhausser captured the award for 2006 men's Offensive Player of the Year as well as the Most Improved Player. The "Thin Beast" collected $143,375 in earnings, more than two and one half times what he made last season; led the tour in blocks for the second year in a row (432), in addition to kill percentage (.627) and hitting percentage (.481). Last year, Dalhausser won only one event his first ever win with partner Nick Lucena and finished first in blocks (405) and sixth in hitting percentage (.588).
Nicole Branagh, last year's Rookie of the Year, took home Most Improved Player on the women's side. In her first 19 pro beach events, Branagh had a best of fifth, while in her last 12 events, she was in the semifinals nine times, including two finals appearances.
"You know the beach is our office, and we are the luckiest people in the world," Branagh said.
There was a tie on the women's side for Rookie of the Year between Logan Tom and April Ross, with Brad Keenan earning the honor for the men. In Hermosa Beach, Keenan went in through the qualifier, then placed third, tying for the best finish from a qualifier in AVP history. Tom finished as high as fifth. Ross finished ninth in back-to-back tournaments her career best knocking off three top-10 teams in the process.
The 2006 AVP tour had 16 stops and has scheduled 18 for the 2007 season. This season the AVP was telecast on NBC, Fox Sports Net and FOX for the first time.
Updates on the 2007 season can be found at www.avp.com.

2006 AVP Awards Winners:

Men:

MVP: Todd Rogers
Offense: Phil Dalhausser
Defense: Todd Rogers
Improved: Phil Dalhausser
Rookie of the Year: Brad Keenan
Team of the Year: Mike Lambert and Stein Metzger

Women:

MVP: Misty May-Treanor
Offense: Misty May-Treanor
Defense: Misty May-Treanor
Improved: Nicole Branagh
Rookie of the Year: April Ross and Logan Tom
Team of the Year: Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh

AVP 2007 VOLLEYBALL VIDEO:

Over the winter the AVP has join forces with MLBAM. Which stands for Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P., is a subsidiary of Major League Baseball.
Meaning AVP.com is now managed by MLBAM.

Five Tips with Kerri Walsh
October 13, 2006

What skills immediately transferred over from the hardcourt to the beach?

All of the skills are fundamentally the same. Adjustments must be made/learned because of the changing elements. Learning to use to wind, learning to read the wind, learning to run/jump in the sand...all of these things affect a players' timing on the beach. Timing counts for a whole lot on the beach but patience is needed when making the transition because timing changes all the time depending on how hard the wind is blowing, and how deep/shallow the sand is.

What new skills did you have to improve on?
I had to learn the subtleties of the game. My timing on blocking was terrible when I made the transition from the hardwood. On the beach it is very important to be late and quick so as to not let the hitter know where you are blocking and what you are taking on the block.
The earlier you jump to block, the more it helps out the hitter. Learning to wait was difficult for me. I still jump too early way too often.
Overall, I had to improve on every skill. Like I said, the "elements" make a very simple straight forward game potentially very tricky if one does not know how to adjust. I had to work on all of my skills and still have to work on everything because the game is changing, getting better, and being able to grow with the game is huge.

What is the biggest difference?
The biggest difference is how much responsibility each player has with regard to touches on the ball and court area to cover. Learning to take care of every ball and to "better" the ball on "off" plays is very important because there are only 2 players compared to 6 in indoor v-ball. So, I would say responsibility and timing are two of the biggest differences when comparing the two.

What is the biggest similarity?
The fundamentals of the game do not change from indoor to beach.
Communication is extremely important, ball control is a must, and being competent in every skill-bump, set, spike, serve- is necessary; actually, it's is more necessary to be competent in every skill on the beach because there are no substitutions and no where to hide.

Why did you cross over?
I was 22 at the time I decided to make the switch and it was actually just really good timing. I had been playing for 12 years on the hardwood, had just finished with the Sydney Olympics, desired a change because I did not want to play overseas and the biggest blessing was that Misty May was looking for a partner. Sign me up!! To be able to play with he best player in the world right off the bat was an unbelievable opportunity and made the decision very easy.

Give five tips for the Indoor Player that helped you be the most successful on hard court.
1. Tall or Small be the best passer you can be
2. Defense wins championships
3. After you attack the ball check out where the other team is on defense....lets you know where the open court is and where they are vulnerable.
4. Hitting the ball as hard as you can is impressive but learning to have a soft and smart touch on the ball is just as good.
5. Talk to your teammates, tell each other what is open, support them and cheer them on in good and bad times. Knowing that your team has your back is a wonderful thing.

Off-Season Plans: How Up and Coming AVP Stars will spend their off-season
By Colleen Murray
October 16, 2006
For die-hard AVP fans, it's jarring to see your favorite players compete weekend after weekend and then, once September hits, lose track of these athletes. We asked some players: What are your off-season plans?

Aaron Wachtfogle
"I would like to get some more work experience and use my education a little bit. Also, a little bit of travel. I have a trip to Hawaii planned, but also doing some work in finance." -Aaron Wachtfogel
"No sure plans yet, but I'm sure I'll be going to the East Coast for the holidays, going home back to Florida. I'll probably head up to Myrtle Beach, S.C., to see all my buddies up there and just hang out. We've been pretty busy this year." -Phil Dalhausser
"I'm going to go to a training facility in Arizona again. I went last year and it's called Athletes Performance. It's an elite training facility where they work with athletes that are going through the NFL Combine. They do a bunch of baseball players. Everything is very sport-specific, and the people there are incredibly knowledgeable. And everything is so intertwined with the nutritionists and the strength coaches and the speed and the jumps. Everybody's all on the same page, so I don't have to worry about what I am eating, what am I doing, they all just take care of it for me. It's kind of living the dream. I've got a sponsor that's going to pay for it and I'm fortunate enough to have that opportunity."-Ryan Mariano

John Mayer
"I plan on maybe taking like a month off and then play as much as I can. We're looking at going to New Zealand and Australia. They have a tour over there in January. We kind of figure, considering where we're at, the more we play, the better we're gonna get, so we'll be doing reps everyday. We want to take a month off, and play for the next 11 to try and get ready. This season fired me up so much to play. I feel like I can do it, but I need to work this hard to get there. I figure in the off-season, we're gonna do some non-volleyball stuff, like some plyometrics, and stuff to get in better shape and get more athletic. We'll play wherever we can and as much as we can, eight days a week, play everyday." -John Mayer
"I think we're both going to play indoor so we're not going to be training for the beach or anything." -Keao Burdine on her and partner April Ross's plans
"Well, I'm heading over to play indoor again [in Korea], so I'll be playing indoor for 6 months, I'm going to concentrate on the weight room a lot over there, see if I can put on some weight, be a little bit scarier on the beach." -Sean Rooney
"Taking at least month off, hopefully, because we played a long season. Then, we just get back on it. Go to the gym, train, play, and try and get better for next year." -Sean Rosenthal
"I'm going to Spain. Luckily for me, the place I'm going to is an island, it's called Tenerife. I've talked to other players out here and there are players that play for the FIVB that live out there and train year-round so hopefully I'll be able to do that." -Logan Tom

Brooke Hanson
"Going on my honeymoon. I got married in December. We like Hawaii, so we'll probably go there." -Brooke Hanson

"I'm gonna work with people, a blocking specialist maybe, just do different skills and repping it. Just getting the different techniques." -Nicole Branagh

"In the off-season, I am directing the Wave Boys Volleyball Club in Del Mar, San Diego." -Matt Olson

"Taking a couple weeks off. It's going to be Jen Snyder, my partner, and my first off-season. So we're gonna train a couple days a week. We're actually thinking about traveling and trying to train in other countries." -Janelle Ruen

"Playing a lot of video games, like Halo 2. I'll probably hang out in Florida for a while." -Nick Lucena

Brent Doble has been a steady fixture in the men's top ten for the past ten years
By Matt Zuvela
October 18, 2006
Brent Doble has been a steady fixture in the men's top ten for the past ten years. He has five career titles to his name and finished ninth or better eight times in 2006. Doble is one of a few players on the AVP tour who did not come from California. In fact, Doble is from St. Paul, Minnesota, and is one of a growing number of players from the Midwest. Doble told us his thoughts on the Midwest presence on the tour and some of his favorite things to do in the off-season.
When you think of the off-season what is the first thing to come to mind?
Hanging with the kids. Spending some quality time with my family. I really enjoy being around them. The kids are at such a wonderful age. We get to do all kinds of cool stuff. I look forward to that, and it's hard in the summer to be apart from them. So I really look forward to that, and I look forward to the pace of my life and how it slows down.
And the second thing that comes to mind?
Beer. [Brent Laughs]
At what point do you start looking forward to the next season?
I don't know! I've got a renewed sense (for the game). Playing with Ryan [Mariano] has been great. We've had a pretty good year and we've beat some good teams. My body feels fantastic. So I'm excited. Usually about January 1st I get real serious about it. Last season I was injured, so I had those three or four months in the weight room and doing therapy, and I'm going to do the same thing. I'm going to get two or three days a week in the gym working out, and then come next season, I'm going to be ready to beat down some young kids.
Speaking of young kids -- and ones from the Midwest -- what do you think is in store for Hans Stolfus?
I think it's great for Midwest volleyball - guys like Jeff Nygaard from Wisconsin, me from Minnesota, Paul Baxter from Minnesota. Hans has been playing some unbelievable, really steady volleyball, and I just wish him the best of luck. He and Aaron [Wachtfogul] have been a force to be reckoned with all last season, and I just look forward to more years of competing against them.
Do you play any other sports during the off season?
I used to play basketball regularly, but then the body just wouldn't heal. It just got too beat up. Now, I'll play some four-man volleyball down in San Onofre. Lots of BBQ's, watch lots of sunsets, and hang with the kids. That's what I'm really looking forward to are BBQs on the weekends in the fall before the time changes.

8 Titles Short: Volleyball Lingo 101 (Part I)
By Hans Stolfus
October 19, 2006
Hans Stolfus is just 8 Titles Short of being the winningest player in Midwest history. Hans, a native of Iowa, knows that if he plays until 2015 and everyone else retires, he might have a chance to catch Brent Doble of Michigan with five career titles and Jeff Nygaard of Wisconsin with seven career titles. After 12 top-ten finishes including a third in Hermosa Beach in 2006, Hans is just 8 Titles Short of being the best from the Midwest.
Join Hans Stolfus, the 2005 AVP Rookie of the Year and half of the seventh best team on tour in 2006, as he blogs about volleyball, the tour and anything else top of mind. Got a subject you want Hans to cover, you can email him at 8titlesshort@avp.com.
Let's get one thing straight. I love talking volley. Ask anyone I know, especially my girlfriend. It dominates my being; almost in a bad way. Regardless, it is what it is, and at the risk of becoming a bore, I'm always trying to use new verbage in my dialog. Did I single handedly create any of the words I'm about to explain? Not a chance. Do I use them incessantly? Absolutely! So much so that when the AVP asked me to have a seat courtside and contribute to the play by play in Lake Tahoe, I was compelled to break out some new volley lingo in hopes of sprucing up the live updates. Now, maybe it was the outside air temperature of 37 degrees and the fact that I could not feel my fingers or perhaps I was just delirious, but at the time of broadcast, I thought things were going over quite humorously.
And not until I was notified by the AVP of a fan's email did I realize that my style of commentary certainly isn't for everyone;
"Could you please not let Hans Stolfus do the play by play anymore. I can't understand anything he is saying." She's not anonymous but I won't use her name...
So, let's get after it. We have a lot to cover...
Why don't we kick it off with a couple of different shots:
Jumbo Shrimp - A high loopy shot perfectly placed into the opposite corner. The defender must be sitting in the angle as the shot goes over their head and most importantly, their knees must buckle as they realize they have no chance to play it. Karch Kiraly is one of the best at this shot and also defending against it, but I did see Jason Ring jumbo him in Huntington Beach, 2004 -- Not going to lie, one of the best shots I've ever seen.
Shallow Shrimp - Basically when your partner yells "HIGH LINE!" and instead of listening you roll the ball ever so slightly into the angle with just enough arc that the defender has time to actually wave their hand -- signaling for a fair catch. If the defender's knees buckle at any point while this shot is played, they are mandated to retire immediately following the match.
Cutty - More often referred to as an angle shot or simply a cutshot. Keith Dobkowski calls it the cutter -- either way; numerous players have made lengthy careers off this shot, combined with just a hint of misdirection. Casey Jennings, John Hyden, Misty May, Holly McPeak and Karch Kiraly are a few who have mastered the cutty.
Knuckle Pokey - Arguably the worst name of any shot in the game. (It actually limits our street cred) Pinky and Ring fingers close into a fist with the thumb while the first and middle fingers imitate bent bunny ears and form a mini platform between their knuckles; hard to describe to say the least but easily one of the most effective shots in the game when used correctly. The knuckle pokey can be used on offense when the set is 50/50 and the attacker just needs to rise up a few additional inches over the block; or on defense when a blocker pulls off the net and they need to play that ball that is rolling over their head onto the back line.
Cobra Kai - Ben Koski and Jeff Minc's outfits at any formal function - paying homage to Johnny and his crew from the Karate Kid; OR, the knuckle pokey on steroids, either way. It involves forming your hand like the shape of a cobra's head and contacting the ball directly with your fingertips. If not performed perfectly, you run the risk of getting called on a 'Push' by certain unknowing referees like...
Roge - Said with a French accent almost like 'Row-Che,' but the che is deeper and there is definitely an accent over the e. Coined and created by the Professor himself, 2006 MVP Todd Rogers; the shot involves skills no ordinary human could ever possibly possess. However, if you feel like trying to impersonate the master, here's his signature shot... Start off on the right side of the court; ask for a rather high, up and down set, jump higher than it looks like your body is capable of, hang in the air for around 10 seconds, wait for the blocker to return to the sand and then slap the ball sharply back to within 6 inches of the right side line -- EVERY TIME.
Yahtzee - Possibly my favorite term, wait, what am I talking about? It is my favorite term and one that I am not afraid to yell out from the stands during marquee matches when a guy like Phil absolutely crushes a ball straight down and J. Roueche taps the BOOM button over the loud speaker. First off, a Yahtzee must connect with the opposing team's sand without a touch from either defender. Second, it's not that hard hit to the corner your college coach preached about every day in practice; it's an absolute smashdown with enough velocity to create a divot. How about an example...
Vegas Line (see the video above) - This phrase is going to last a lifetime. Hell, I even heard some kid at the Jay-O Invitational tell his friends - in a really high voice - how he just hit 'Vegas Line!' I don't know about that but I do know the term was coined in Las Vegas, 2005 when Sean 'Rosie' Rosenthal decided to absolutely deliver the word of GOD on a ball - hard line. The result? The ball bounced about 80 feet straight into the air off the sand; all while Mike Lambert was also blocking line. The crowd gasped in amazement and FSN replayed it in slow motion three times to make sure what everyone just saw, actually happened. It was most definitely a Yahtzee!
Adjectives often used during the course of a match (playing or spectating) include: Sick, Sweet, Nasty, Ludicrous and of course Ridiculous -- or Ridunculous if something is super out of control. And all of those are equivalent to the word, "Good."
As for setting:
Sauce - As good as it gets. If this was a spelling bee and you needed it in a sentence, "Dear Lord. Did you see that back set from off the court? It was absolute Sauce." In the same breath, one could substitute either Butter or Nectar and do just fine. I personally prefer the plural forms of both of these; like, "Canyon only sets butters, his hands are like mint." Of course the definition of a great set is very subjective but universally a ball with zero spin and an uncanny ability to float at the apex of its arch would be considered Sauce.
Chowder (Play the Video below to see Chowder) - Not just the opposite of Sauce but quite honestly the worst thing to witness during a professional volleyball match. When a ball leaves the setter's hands and helicopters to an undesirable location on the court, all fans should simultaneously yell, "Chowder!" So ugly and grotesque that it reminds the casual observer of an old bowl of clams from New England and gets its name from the broth.
Chopsticks - Anyone who pokes at the ball with their fingertips while trying to set their partner. Not necessarily always a bad set, this term merely presents a certain kind of Szechuan style. However, when the ball doesn't leave the setter's hands in the desired manner, the phrase, "Do you honestly eat with those hands?" often follows.
And Blocking:
Dome - That short FSN commercial where John Hyden yells, "High Line!" and his partner Jeff Nygaard gets absolutely domed straight down by Phil, the "Thin Beast" Dalhausser is the best example I can think of. Dome, Domed, Domie; they're all referring to the same thing; Getting blocked so hard straight down you temporarily forget your own name. Roof is also used under the same context...
Joust - Most amateurs know this one but just in case -- when two players make contact with the ball simultaneously above the plane of the net and then proceed to battle for bragging rights. I, for one, have never won a joust; maybe it's my ridiculous physique. A joust presents the only time beach volleyball players are allowed to attack the ball with an open hand. So if you are super sneaky and see your competitor approaching the 50/50 ball with only one option in mind, pull your hands last second and they will get called for an illegal contact; unless of course, the referee is ... who probably won't see it.
How about some defense:
Lippy - Or Lip if you prefer. Basically the defender lips a ball that ordinarily would have made its way to the sand, allowing the rally to continue. It goes down merely as a dig in the stats column but there are many names (Up, Scoop) for this incredible skill mastered by the likes of Misty May, Todd Rogers, Rachel Wacholder and Casey Jennings. I personally think each term presents an ideal opportunity to place the word Sick before it, such as; "My word, that was a sick up!"
Platter - Also called the "Waiter." Both terms help make this extraordinary defensive maneuver almost self explanatory. The defender holds up one hand - similar to a waiter carrying a platter of food - and digs the ball straight up and down, giving their partner enough time to turn off the net and set the sauce. Usually executed out of pure instinct, the platter is generally not the first choice of defense. Kerri Walsh had more than one sick platter dig in the Manhattan Beach Finals and she is 6'3". I know because I have my DVR set for all things volley and the match came on at 5:00 AM Sunday morning -- so I watched it; over and over and over. It's all I got here in Minnesota.
Lingo Jason Ring and I would like to see disappear and never return:
Netty - Grown men (some of whom work out, a lot) yelling at the top of their lungs, "NETTY! NETTY! NETTY!" when they think one of the opposing players has committed a net violation. It's just embarrassing and should be replaced with, "Sir, I honestly believe with all of my heart that Mike touched the net with his nipples during the culmination of that play." And if that summons no positive results; throw your hat at the stand, lean on the net for at least ten seconds rolling your eyes and then take a seat in the sand proclaiming, "This is all a conspiracy, I'm not playing anymore until you start calling their nets!" See how that goes over for you...
Hans will return to AVP.com throughout the off-season. Make sure to stop by often as Hans gives you the inside scoop on the tour and more...

Catching Up With Bob Samuelson
What a difference a few months and some controversy can make.
Early in 1992, 6-foot-5 Bob Samuelson was a 26-year-old substitute middle blocker and opposite for the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball team. Known for the enthusiasm and emotion he used to motivate the team, but not considered one of the stars, he worried that he might not make the team that would compete in the Olympic Games in Barcelona that year.
“Every day in practice I felt like I had to play well or I would be cut that day,” he said. “I always thought I was going to be cut.”
Fast forward to December 1992; Samuelson, who shaves his head due to a skin condition called alopecia, is on the cover of Volleyball Monthly Magazine and there is an article entitled “Barcelona Bob.” The term “volleybald” has become synonymous with the team that won the bronze medal in Barcelona after they shaved their heads in support of Samuelson, who was involved in a yellow-card controversy in the opening match against Japan.
Later in 1992, USA Volleyball has offered Samuelson a six-figure contract to keep him in the United States instead of playing for an Italian club team. Samuelson has signed endorsement deals with Club Sportswear and Oakley Sunglasses. An ad featuring a photo of a very serious Samuelson with the words “No More Mr. Nice Guy” is plastered around New York City to promote a match against Japan at Madison Square Garden.
Was Samuelson ready for all this notoriety?
“No. Unfortunately, no,” says Samuelson. “I wasn’t prepared to take on a lot of the responsibilities that came with being that person; the face of the team.”
These days, Samuelson lives in El Segundo, Calif., and works in sales for Verisign. He has been married for seven years to wife, Liza, and has triplet boys – Magnus, Hunter and Jackson – who are 4 and a half. If things go as he hopes, next year he will qualify to play in the main draw on the AVP Tour.
“I played some (beach) tournaments two years ago for my friend Coley Kyman,” Samuelson said. “We had a good time. Last season (playing with Andrew Vazquez), it got to be where we were just good enough to almost make it into the main draw. We’re going to spend the winter working out and getting into shape and see if I can get lucky.”
Samuelson says he is sometimes recognized at these events, and it still surprises him that people remember him. But he also admits that his “look is pretty unique.”
Like many future volleyball players, Samuelson thought he was destined to be a basketball player when he attended Pierce Junior College in Southern California in the late 1980s. His plan was to play basketball at Syracuse. But that changed when he took a volleyball class at Pierce.
“Ken Stanley was a teacher of the class. He suggested I try out for the team,” Samuelson said. “I loved the guys on the team and I loved the coach.”
A volleyball player was born. Samuelson got some national notoriety when he made the team that competed at the U.S. Olympic Festival. He was recruited by many top programs, but chose to play at Cal State Northridge because he knew a lot of the guys and also knew he’d get playing time in spite of his lack of experience.
With his time at Northridge nearing an end in 1989, Samuelson went to Pepperdine University for an open tryout for the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team. Somewhat to his surprise, he was called back to attend the “invitational” tryout that was going on in San Diego.
“We played four hours a day for three days. Every time you did something, coaches were standing around writing feverishly. I was a nervous wreck,” he said.
Samuelson returned to Northridge for finals week; but his studying was interrupted by a call from Jim Coleman inviting him to join the team. Samuelson asked when he should leave.
“Coleman said, ‘We want you to dome down and start training immediately. We leave for Russia in two weeks and you have a chance to make that trip,’ ” Samuelson remembered.
Samuelson begged he professors to let him make up his exams later, but while they were excited for his opportunity, they said they would have to fail him if he missed his finals.
“I literally just quit the last week of school. I made the travel team, and two weeks later I was in Moscow,” he said.
By the time the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona rolled around, Samuelson had become a key to U.S. Head Coach Fred Sturm’s lineup. He could substitute Samuelson either for middle blocker Bryan Ivie, or for outside hitter Steve Timmons. But in the second set of the first Olympic match against Japan, Ivie injured his knee. Samuelson came in as a substitute and tried to kick-start the team with his enthusiastic and emotional play.
In the fourth set, with the U.S. team leading 7-4 (Japan was leading the match two games to one), Samuelson was issued a yellow card for loudly disputing a call. Later, with Japan ahead 14-13, Samuelson, upset with a line call, snapped at the linesman. A second yellow card was issued. Then, the scorekeeper’s table let the referees know that it was Samuelson’s second yellow card and that it should be a red card. However, a red card would mean that Japan would get a point and win the game and the match. Not wanting the match to end on a technicality, the referees waived off the second yellow card and let the teams continue to play.
“I was kind of piecing it together,” Samuelson said. “I didn’t remember getting the first yellow card. The second one was so quick... All of a sudden I see the down judge. I remember thinking “Oh no, this could be bad.
“I remember looking at the head official. I could see his mind turning. You could see him realizing the implication: ‘If I give him another yellow card, I give the match to Japan.’"
Japan’s coach tried to argue, but to no avail. Japan served for match point, but didn’t get it. The game continued and the United States ended up winning 17-16 in the days before rally scoring. Team USA also won a dramatic fifth set, 16-14, and the match. Or so it thought.
The next morning, the FIVB Control Committee met with representatives from Japan and the United States, and ruled that the U.S. victory would be overturned.
“It is impossible to feel any smaller,” Samuelson said. “I was trying to step up and accept responsibility and take ownership, but I just wanted to go away and hide.”
However, Samuelson’s teammates weren’t going to let him give up. It was Timmons, the team captain, who told Samuelson to “buck up” because the team would need him if it was to have any hope for a medal. And by the way, the team had come up with a plan… A little while later, Samuelson found himself with his electric razor in his hand and Timmons’ famous red flat-top hairdo in front of him.
It was Timmons’ idea to have the team shave their heads in support of Samuelson. But the rest of the team would not do it unless Timmons went first.
“I wasn’t sure what to do, logistically. Do I start with the ear? Then I took it to the skin right down the middle so there was no turning back,” Samuelson said. “Everyone was cracking up.”
The Americans went on to win the bronze medal, losing to Brazil in the semifinals and defeating Cuba in the third-place game. Looking back, Samuelson says, the team was not disappointed with the outcome.
“Obviously, we were shooting for the gold. In all reality, we knew we were long shots even to medal. People had us picked to finish anywhere from fifth to 10th.”
Samuelson returned to the United States a media darling. But his status as “the face of USA Volleyball” did not last long. He was having problems with his knee and not getting along with the U.S. coaching staff. In 1994, a Japanese team made him an offer he couldn’t refuse and he headed for the country that had inadvertently helped him gain his fame.
He spent two happy seasons in Japan before returning to the United States in 1996.
In 1998, Samuelson went back to Northridge to finish his degree. Professors warned him that many of the classes were full and, although he was welcome to stay, he might not be admitted to the class. But Samuelson, perhaps volleyball’s most successful substitute, knew that if he had patience, he would get in the class and that he could be successful.
“Once I had some discipline in my life, it was amazing how easy it was,” Samuelson said.

Torrance High, LMU Standout Blankinship Dies at 31
B.J. Hoeptner Evans
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 20, 2006) -- Former beach volleyball player Kim Blankinship, considered the greatest female athlete in Torrance High School history and set for induction into the Loyola Marymount University Athletics Hall of Fame, died suddenly on Oct. 16 of an apparent heart attack.
Blankinship, who turned 31 on Oct. 14, died Monday night at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, hours after her fiancé awakened in the morning to find her unconscious in bed at their Seal Beach home, said her father, Mike Blankinship.
After starring in soccer, volleyball and track at Torrance High School, Blankinship played volleyball at Loyola Marymount from 1993-1996, leading LMU to three West Coast Conference titles and three NCAA postseason appearances.
As a junior, Blankinship was named WCC Defensive Player of the Year. That 1995 season, she also set the LMU record for single-season service aces and service ace average. Her records of 66 aces and .68 per game still stand today. In her senior campaign, Blankinship became the third athlete in LMU history to earn an All-America honor. She also earned LMU Female Athlete of the Year and WCC Co-Player of the Year honors that year.
She was scheduled to be inducted into the LMU Hall of Fame in January 2007.
Blankinship played beach volleyball for the Women’s Professional Volleyball Association in 1997. She also played in a 1999 USA Volleyball beach tournament and on the Beach Volleyball America tour in 2000.
Blankinship served as the General Manager of the Marketing Division at Student Sports, a Torrance-based media and marketing company where she worked since 2000.

Click here to read the article in th Daily Breeze.

Click here to read the article on the Student Sports web site.

Click here to go to Loyola Marymount's remembrance page.

Click here to view Kim Blankinship's profile and photo in the Beach Volleyball Database.

One Piece of Advice
By Colleen Murray
October 24, 2006
The beach is, in a word, different. From the sand to the bikinis to the two-player court, beach volleyball and indoor volleyball are two separate balls of wax. The younger players on the AVP tour clearly remember the time when they were first adjusting to the transition from indoor to beach and we asked Keao Burdine, Sean Rooney, John Mayer, Logan Tom, and Nicole Branagh to offer their advice to indoor studs looking to put away their uniform and kneepads for a bikini or board shorts in the near future.

Keao Burdine is a Southern California native but she recommended that everyone feel like a beach baby before joining the AVP.
"Get your sand legs," Burdine advised. "Train in the sand, don't even worry about working out in the gym. Just go down to the beach and work out everyday."
For Sean Rooney, he made a big name for himself indoor and became a full-time AVP player amid a lot of hype. The hype, however, did not detract him from noticing the other stellar players out there.
"I would say just to watch the best players and learn from them," Rooney said. "Come out and watch and try and pick up things from their game and try to add them to your game because there are so many good players out here. You can learn a lot just by watching."
Rooney's former Pepperdine teammate John Mayer noted the value in practice.
"Play every day, eight days a week, there's nothing that can replace pass-and-hit, and you know, doing the reps," Mayer said.
But Mayer also realized that the cliché goes, "Practice makes perfect," not "Practice makes rich." He reminded players coming to the beach of this reality, too.
"The talent levels are really good," Mayer said. "You have to earn what you get out here, and nothing's gonna come easy. But it's so fun. It's like I would pay to do this, but sometimes I get paid to do it."
Money at the beginning might be discouraging, but Logan Tom urges young players to not give up.
"Stick with it," Tom advises. "There's been a lot of times where I've been like, I don't want to play anymore. From a volleyball standpoint and from an ego standpoint, it's hard to get out here and lose. I don't like losing."
As an indoor player, Tom ensured that she would rarely lose. At Stanford, she was a four-time All-American and a two-time National Player of the Year. When Stanford won the 2001 National Championship, Tom earned MVP.
"When you've had a good career indoor and I know what I'm doing indoor, and it's easy at the beginning to say, why am I doing this? Why do I have to go through all this crap? I just want to hang up the bikini. But it passes. I'm praying it passes. But it's getting better everyday, but like I said, stick with it. It's hard, it's tough."
It paid off for Tom as she won the 2006 AVP Rookie of the Year and set a career best 5th place finish in Brooklyn.
For Nicole Branagh, her success came fast as well. She was the 2005 Rookie of the Year and in her second season, saw the Sacramento and Hoover finals and was seeded 2nd in Manhattan Beach.
Her sentiments sum up those of other young players.
"Get your sand legs. That takes some time. But don't get discouraged in the beginning because it is different than if you play indoor. Being on a hard surface and coming out here, it's different and it's hard," Branagh said.
"This is hard work, but it's so much fun. I'd say just don't get discouraged in the beginning, just hang in there, get those sand legs, and things just come together."

Adding to the Family mid-season
By Matt Zuvela
October 26, 2006
John Hyden went through one of the biggest changes of his life during the 2006 season: he became a father. However, in terms of his training and commitment to volleyball, he hardly missed a beat. John gives a lot of credit to his wife, Robin, for shouldering the majority of the baby responsibilities while John was in season, allowing him to stay focused on his game until the season was over. Now in the off-season, John is spending some much anticipated quality time with his daughter, Samantha, while also getting ready for another season with his partner, Jeff Nygaard, who is going to be a father soon as well.
John and Robin answered a few questions about being a volleyball family and discussed their unusual agreement for changing diapers.

Was it difficult for the baby to come during the middle of the season?
John: We actually planned to have her at the end of the season in September, but we messed up somewhere along the way (laughs). She came four months early. We thought it was going to be a problem, but Robin has been so great. She's not like every wife. She said 'you know what? Go sleep in the other room, you need sleep and you need to play well.' It was like every other season for me. I got my rest and everything was great. Robin's a trooper.

Robin (laughing): He was happy that we had the baby in the middle of the season.
John: Yeah! When I look back on it, it's a lot better.

Was it difficult to stay 100% focused on volleyball?
For me, no. I was really focused this year. I had picked up a new trainer and was excited about the direction I went. Robin has single-handedly taken care of the baby. She took charge, and basically said 'You need to play well, you need your sleep, and you need to stay focused.'

Has having a new member of the family changed your approach to the game at all?
Not really. I don't look at it like 'Ok, now I have a baby I have to win money.' I still like to just go out and have fun. I really like to compete, so it hasn't changed much on my focus or anything.

Have you given your partner (expecting father Jeff Nygaard) any parenting tips?
John (points to Robin): That would be her! We call her 'the Baby Whisperer.' She seems to take care of the baby pretty well, so Jeff usually goes to her for the tips.

Robin: Jeff and [Jeff's wife] Renee were with us in New Jersey seeing first hand what its like to have a new born. It was an eye opener for them. Jeff always asks John about pregnancy -- which trimester does it get easy? When do (the wives) actually become pleasant again?

Is there anything unique about being a volleyball family?
Robin: We traveled with her. She went to New Jersey and Chicago before she was six weeks old, so we're basically training her, saying 'this is what your life is going to be like, so get used to it.' And she was great -- she's a good traveler.

During Robin's pregnancy, her and John made a deal. He would clean the cat box during the nine months of her pregnancy, and she would change the first nine months of diapers. Robin explained this arrangement a little further:

Robin: I couldn't clean the kitty litter for nine months, so I told him I would change all the diapers for the first nine months.

John: That didn't work out so well.

Robin: Yeah, I started adding it up in my head. He changed the litter three times a week for nine months, and I'm changing eight diapers a day. He got two months.

Four Tips with Holly McPeak
October 27, 2006
What skills immediately transferred over from the hardcourt to the beach?
Basic Ball Control Skills. Hitting, setting, bumping and serving all are basically the same. The difference is in the footwork where you have to get used to pushing off sand.

What new skills did you have to improve on?
Mostly Footwork and dealing with the wind. For instance, in Las Vegas a thirty mile per hour wind was sweeping North-South across the court. The wind forced us to make adjustments that we would never face indoors. Having to dive for a ball and have to adjust midair to combat the movement caused by the wind is one of the most fun and most challenging parts of the outdoor game.

What is the biggest difference?
The biggest difference has been footwork and covering the whole court. While we do play on a shorter court than indoors, with only two of us, there is just so much more area to cover. As a defender on tour I have to cover the entire backcourt. The communication changes as my blocker must close off half the court and I am responsible for covering the other half. Throw in a floater or roll shot and there are times I am covering most of the court. This does not happen indoors. Unless both my partner and I are able to communicate perfectly, we will not win.

What is the biggest similarity?
Technique. Setting, bumping, serving and passing are all the same. You hit the ball the same way and therefore your arms, hands, and eyes are always in the same place as they would be indoors. However, the outdoor elements, wind and sand, often forces your body into positions it would not otherwise be in. The adjustment to get your hands, arms and head into the right place is the challenge that exists on the beach.

Why did you cross over?
Beach is more physical and more mentally challenging. With only two of us on a court, the unpredictable nature of the wind and pushing off sand, the game becomes more physical and therefore more mentally challenging.

Give four tips for the Indoor Player that helped you be the most successful on hard court
1. Repetition of Skills
2. Leg Strengthening
3. Competitive Drills
4. Good Technical Coaching

8 Titles Short: Working Out with Jason Ring (Part I)
By Hans Stolfus
November 3, 2006
Hans Stolfus is just 8 Titles Short of being the winningest player in Midwest history. Hans, a native of Iowa, knows that if he plays until 2015 and everyone else retires, he might have a chance to catch Brent Doble of Michigan with five career titles and Jeff Nygaard of Wisconsin with seven career titles. After 12 top-ten finishes including a third in Hermosa Beach in 2006, Hans is just 8 Titles Short of being the best from the Midwest.
Join Hans Stolfus, the 2005 AVP Rookie of the Year and half of the seventh best team on tour in 2006, as he blogs about volleyball, the tour and anything else top of mind. Got a subject you want Hans to cover, you can email him at 8titlesshort@avp.com.
So, when I got to the University of Hawaii back in 1995 and walked on to the Men's Volleyball Team, I was Skinnier -- if you can believe it -- than I am today. No; for real. I didn't freshen up in the WC after meals or anything; I've just always had a ridiculously high metabolism. Regardless, that didn't stop every coach who ever saw me from swearing on their mother's grave that, with enough time, they could pack on the pounds and turn me into the next Jason Ring. Yeah, he played at Hawaii when I was there -- I mean, he actually played when I was there -- I was stoked to try and bounce balls with Mason Kuo in warm ups. And on that note, nobody won warm ups like Jay Ring (upper deck -- Stan Sheriff Center) but that's another story. Or maybe it's not... Maybe Jason Ring bounced balls like Rosie in Vegas because he possessed a certain level of upper body strength that I have only read about in Men's Health (I have included the Rosie Clip again because it is just that good).

Frankly I've tried the almighty 6-week program that guarantees nothing less than perfect pectoral muscles and unlimited success with the ladies at the local municipal pool - and I think it's all a load of crap. Okay, okay; maybe I haven't. Maybe I've done nothing more than a few push ups before I went to bed each night... you know, trying to get pumped up in order to assist my social agenda. BTW, you need muscle present in order for exercises such as push ups to create that pumped up look, FYI. Unfortunately, acquiring that kind of base muscle structure would require regular visits to this guy's place off of PCH; I'm pretty sure his name is Jim but I have yet to meet him. Either way, one thing I have been able to do in spite of all the strength coaches I have come across in the last 11 years and their endless preaching of the same concept, "Muscle Mass = Good" - is play volleyball. Weird huh? I haven't won an open or anything but I have had some success and all I have going for me in the strength department is some really tight -- yet incredibly explosive -- tendons. Not to take away from the people who actually can arm wrestle, they're able to hit the ball really hard too.
So, I thought I would get to the bottom of what I've been missing out on all these years by talking to the source himself, the guy who (I've heard through the grapevine) did nothing but shoulders two hours a day, five days a week in his down time at Pierce Junior College before he ever arrived at UH. Maybe, he knew how many beach days were available on the sands of Waikiki and he was just making sure he was ready -- why don't we find out?
Talk to me Jay; it's all for the ladies, isn't it?
Well Hans, I need to be honest here. I grew up on a farm watching guys like Hulk Hogan, Bo and Luke Duke and Magnum PI. I watched Movies like Rocky and The Predator (starring a ripped Arnold). I watched Bo Jackson run over the Boz; and you know what all these guys had in Common? Well I do... Muscles. Magnum pulled chics, but not as many as the Duke Brothers, and as for the other guys... I'm sure they did well for themselves too. So Yes, I quickly learned that Muscles helped men drive cars better, chase down bad guys, kill aliens and beat up Russians.. What can I say, I am a product of my own era.
If you were in Tahiti right now; and it was you and 50 absolutely smoking hot Tahitian beauties, how many push ups do you think you could do? Be honest...
About a thousand... No, really.
Okay, let's get more serious for a moment... You're one of the hardest hitters on tour with arguably the highest vertical jump in all of the world? How much of that is natural and what percentage would you contribute to working out in the gym?
Ok, I honestly think most of it is Genetic... I've always been a good jumper. Throughout the last 10 years my vertical jump has gone up a little every year - which I think is a result of: A) 75 percent playing all the time, and B) 25 percent weights. Plyometrics are helpful, but everyone should be careful not to overdo it. On the other hand, I've always wanted to feel like no-one else on tour has "out-worked" me off the sand. I often close my eyes in the gym and think about bitter losses. Nothing motivates me like remembering bad beats.
Would I have done better with the ladies in college if I was ripped?
Hans, you're kinda in a league all your own. I remember you lingering around the weight room showing moderate interest, but never really gettin' after it... This kind of puzzled me. Until this point in my life, I'd never seen anyone so skinny. Granted, you had a pretty live arm, but when coach Wilton was teaching you how to dive, you literally couldn't support your own body weight. I watched the doc stitch up your chin at least 3 times... no? I figured after the 3rd, you would at least do some push ups. However, in some sort of bizarro Superman kind of way, I think you being skinny might have been the exact reason you had success with the ladies...

Describe for the readers a typical day in the weight room for Jason Ring during his lifting heyday and how it differs now; during the 2006 AVP off-season.
I admit... The heyday had a different look for me. I think I was just so excited to have muscles I figured that more and more must be better right??? I would sometimes do 10-12 sets of different chest exercises, 10-15 reps each. It was a bit too much. Now I'm all about balance and core strength. Most of my time is spent on the muscles that chics don't really dig that much. However, don't think I won't sometimes do bench presses before I go to sleep just to remind myself I've still got it...
You were part of one of the most physically intimidating teams in tour history when you partnered with George Roumain in 2004. A lot of people felt that you and big George possessed the style of physical play necessary for FIVB success; and in turn would have better represented the United States at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Are the Olympics a goal for you today? And if so, how intricate a role would physical preparation play in your decision making?
Thanks! I always think back to that season and wonder what could have happened if George and I would have tried for Athens. I like that style of play and really think it could be successful. My thought has always been that strong physical play and good ball control would be the recipe for success in the future. I always hear from other players that "shooting the ball," should be a bigger part of my game, and I agree. But don't kid yourself, when it comes down to it, I like jumping real high and hitting real hard. I would love to take a shot at the Olympic Games and if I felt like it could be a reality with my partner heading into 2008, I'm sure I would continue to work hard in the weight room as well.
Do you watch Grey's Anatomy on Thursday nights?
I don't watch it... but, my girlfriend makes me Tivo it for her.
If you were to partner up with Hans Stolfus next season on the AVP Tour, how often would spectators get the two of us confused?
Umm... not likely.
You were voted "Most Handsome Man in Honolulu," in 1996 by both Television (K5) and Radio (Hot I-94). You don't have to answer a question here; I just wanted everyone to know.
Is that why you started doing tons of arm curls late in the season??? Making a run at the title in 1997?
I spent last season working out with Rett Larson at Velocity Sports Performance in Irvine, CA and realized for the first time how important extra strength and plyometric training is in relation to success on the AVP Tour. I didn't gain any weight or look any bigger but I felt stronger down the stretch during long tournaments and directly attribute my success to his willingness to help me do more than I ever have before. And let me be clear, I have had the opportunity to work out for years... but not until the work out was sport specific and executed in an enjoyable manner with one outcome in mind (winning), did I realize and fully appreciate its potential. My question for you is: How long have you known what I didn't learn until last summer? And what do you plan on doing differently heading into 2007 in order to keep the love of the gym alive?
Honestly... Here's what I think. The days of bodybuilding and tight buns are just no longer cool. I used to live in Hollywood and it's easy to see that the muscled up jock is kind of out of place these days. In fact, it's probably easier to be on the other side; or skinny - so you can make fun of the gym rats. Truth is, we are professional athletes. It's a good idea to be in the gym doing sit-ups, pull-ups, and everything else. You will perform better if you are stronger. You will play longer if you are stronger. Just ask the Great Karch K. He works harder than anyone for sure; but you're right in thinking that biceps and pecs are basically worthless for spiking. Young players should be working on core strength and flexibility in order to build better (overall) muscle balance and stability.
You know what; I've got a good story to close. I once played professional indoor volleyball in Vienna Austria and a huge part of my daily routine was lifting weights. While I was there, someone asked, "Which muscles are most important for Volleyball?" My immediate reply was, "The ones that look the best." Well, to say the least, things have changed a bit. I'd like to think I'm a little smarter now in the gym. Which if you break it all down is probably the most important thing to a long, successful career. But if that doesn't work, you'll find me doing preacher curls about 4 times a week... for sure.

Five Tips with Sean Scott
By Sean Scott
November 9, 2006

What skills immediately transferred over from the HardCourt to the Beach?
The fundamentals are very similar. How you make contact with the ball for bumping, setting and serving all transferred over immediately. As did my eye-hand ability.

What new skills did you have to improve on?
Because the indoor game has six players you are able to hide weaknesses and build particular strengths. You can be a big net player where you are able to put the ball down and block your opponent, however you may lack the ability to pass or set well. For me, I had to work on improving my all around game. Unlike the indoor game, I am involved in every single point on the beach. I need to be able to block, dig and set on every play. All of my skills needed improvement.

What is the biggest difference?
The biggest difference is two-fold, the elements and the two person team. Having to play with the sand, wind and sun is obviously a huge change from indoor. And being responsible for hitting the ball at least once every time the ball crosses the net is also a huge difference.

What is the biggest similarity?
At the end of the day, it's still volleyball.

Why did you cross over?
When you finish playing College Ball and want to pursue Volleyball as a professional, you are given two choices, indoor or beach. I had been playing indoor my whole life and while I loved it, what could be better than getting paid to play on the beach. You hear about the lifestyle repeatedly and it is all true. I am at the beach nearly everyday playing and training. The sport is great and the atmosphere could not be better.

Give five tips for the Indoor Player that helped you be the most successful on hard court

1. Balance -- As in every sport, make sure that your center of gravity and balance are always in check. With good balance, you will be able to jump higher, recover faster, pass smoother and hit the ball harder.
2. Pepper -- Peppering may seem like a mindless way to warm up, but it is actually a very good tool in learning how to improvise when hitting. It forces you to work on your hand-eye coordination.
3. Repetition -- To improve at any skill you need to practice it over and over again. Only at that point will be you be able to convert consistently when the game is on the line.
4. Accuracy -- As you are practicing your angles and line shots put greater emphasis on hitting you spot than on spiking the ball.
5. Enjoy Yourself -- At the end of the day this is sports. It should be fun and a stress reducer.

Hot Topics: Share Your Thoughts
November 14, 2006

The 2007 AVP schedule will feature 18 events. With the ability to set up an event in any type of venue we want to know:

What city should the AVP add to its schedule?

Should major cities such as Boston, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Seattle, Portland, St. Louis, Dallas or San Francisco be added to the schedule?

Should the AVP return to San Diego, Belmar, Honolulu or Austin?

Email comments@avp.com to share your thoughts on what city the AVP should visit and WHY. Make sure to include your name and home town.

We have received over 500 emails on what cities the AVP should visit. We will continue to read every email and publish your thoughts throughout the next week. Check back daily to see what AVP Fans are saying...

Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan!
Brent Doble - AVP Star from Michigan

You should include Dallas. You will have all the amenities of a major market, a ton of volleyball junkies and to top it off, the awesome Texas weather (excluding that little mini tornado that came through the last time you guys were here)
Michael, Dallas

Think of the fantastic venue opportunities that exist in the Bay Area: you could take it back the Embarcadero in downtown San Francisco, and what about the hills surrounding the Cal Berkeley campus? How about Lake Merrit in downtown Oakland? Can't you just hear Geeter belting out "This is the AVP, and we're live in Oak-town!... the 5 and Dime, the Biggety-Biggety-O"? "Rosie's Raiders have come back to the home-country". The possibilities are endless.
Jonathan - Oakland

Why the LOU? I for one love it for not only the volleyball, but for Paul Mitchell...yeah I am a stylist!!! Seriously, it has been a while since it has been in the STL and there are sooo many people here who enjoy volleyball too. It would be awesome to have it here and of all years with us being the World Series Champions. Having volleyball here too would only make this one of the best sports years ever for us volleyball fans. St. Louis has the best fans ever!
Amanda - Smithton, Il

Please come back to Austin. AVP made a huge difference in this city
Marcus - Austin

I might be the only one from Salt Lake City to write in, but I know I'm not the only one that feels like the AVP would benefit from being here. I hope you consider us, Jake Gibb would. Take care!
Brandon - Salt Lake City

Philadelphia! Sean Rooney is my cousin and I will get such a big crowd to root for him all his opponents will be scared
Jake - Philadelphia

I have been a huge fan of the AVP for many years now. I love every minute of it, but I am still waiting for the day that I see them live in Washington, D.C. The nation's capital deserves to host the greatest sport ever.
Charles - Washington DC

Why not come to Minneapolis, Minnesota! With over 10,000 lakes, how can you go wrong???
Kathy - Minneapolis, MN

Karch Kiraly on his Off-Season
By Matt Zuvela
November 16, 2006
Karch Kiraly wrapped up his 28th season on the beach in 2006 and proved that even at forty-five years old, he is still one of the best players on tour. Although Kiraly missed a few tournaments due to a knee injury suffered part way through the season, he and his partner Larry Witt finished in seventh place twice and took home a fifth place finish at the beginning of the year in Fort Lauderdale. Kiraly also spent some time in the broadcast booth for the televised men's and women's finals throughout the season.

When you think off-season, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
The great one-on-one workouts with my coach Mike Rangel. He and I still get together one or two times a week and we have a blast just down at the beach by ourselves. In fact, those are some of the best months of the year at the beach. We have the beach all to ourselves.

How important is having a good off-season routine in terms of staying healthy and strong for the next season?
It's crucial for me, because I'm 46, and I need to try and keep myself in the best condition possible. I figure once I stop and lose it, I'll never get it back. I've got to just keep working out.

When do you start looking forward to the next season?
Around February or March, I start getting excited about actually competing. But I really enjoy just the training and the preparation work. How can you not? You're at the beach! So I enjoy my time at the beach working out. I'll be doing a little coaching for this next season in the spring at the high school where my two boys go to school. That will be a new experience for me, too.

A lot of teams swapped up at the beginning of 2006. Should fans expect to see more of that as the Olympics approach or will teams tend to stick together.
I think a little of both. Dalhausser and Rogers, Metzger and Lambert, and Gibb and Rosenthal all feel comfortable with the realignment and how they are competing. Dalhausser and Rogers won an international event for the first time in three years on the men's side last year, and Gibb and Rosenthal just won the last FIVB event of the season in Mexico. All three of those teams are the leading contenders for those Olympic berths. For the other teams you may see some more realignment in an effort to try and find a last minute combination to try and challenge one of those three teams for one of those two berths.

8 Titles Short: Jake Gibb on his latest victory
By Hans Stolfus
November 17, 2006
Hans Stolfus is just 8 Titles Short of being the winningest player in Midwest history. Hans, a native of Iowa, knows that if he plays until 2015 and everyone else retires, he might have a chance to catch Brent Doble of Michigan with five career titles and Jeff Nygaard of Wisconsin with seven career titles. Join Hans Stolfus as he blogs about volleyball, the tour and anything else top of mind. Got a subject you want Hans to cover, you can email him at 8titlesshort@avp.com.
Saturday, October 28 -- 3:47 PM CST -- If memory serves me correct, I was in the kitchen circling the island while peeling an orange that wasn't quite ready to be peeled. You know the kind, where the outside skin doesn't seem to separate from the juicy goodness. Anyway, while I lacquered the hard wood floor with errant citric acid, my phone rang and pulled me away from trying to open a new canister of Lysol Clorox Wipes with one hand.

"Hey. You got a score for me?" (Good friend John Braunstein, a regular in the AVP Qualifier who boasts three 17ths in his career, as Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal look for their first FIVB Title)
HS: "Bro. Are you not watching this? It's 8-6 in the 3rd." I was circling the island in the kitchen because I was too nervous to sit still on possibly the most comfortable office chair in the history of time while the Acapulco finals were updated live on the internet.

JB: "No. What? Are you serious?"
HS: "I'm serious. They lost the first 19-21, crushed them in the second, 16. And now they're up 8-6 in the... no, wait. 8-7 in the 3rd. Emanuel just sided out." I actually have no idea who Jake and Rosie served or who sided out for the Brazilian's 7th point, the FIVB Website doesn't help out fans across the globe with an extensive Play by Play like Keith Dobkowski and the AVP. I was forced to merely track the score&and speculate.

JB: "I'm going to have to stay on the phone. I don't think I'm going to make it home in time to get the finish."
HS: "10-8. Dude, I seriously think they are going to do it."

JB: "What is this, their 3rd final? Two in a row? They must be playing unbelievable. Did you see their score against Fabio and Marcio in the winner's semi? 20-18 in the 3rd. Ridiculous."
HS: "11-11. We're getting down to the wire. Do you think they're serving Rosie? You ever talk to Jake about who gets served more on the FIVB tour? Ahhh... crap. 11-12, they just turned it."

JB: "4 POINTS! All they need is 4 points! They better have taken a timeout. They have to sideout here or it's over."
HS: "12-12. They sided out. We're back on track. What would you do here? 12-12 in the 3rd for an FIVB Open Win against the 2004 Olympic Gold Medalists. This is so sick. Wait, what am I talking about? You would hit the cutty. 13-12!!! They just won a real point! Holy smokes, they're going to do it!"

JB: "What?" Kind of high pitched. "Just imagine if they won this point too. They could sideout for the win." Pseudo laughing the entire time in utter astonishment. "What are you eating?"
HS: "Orange. No score change yet. So what would you hit, you still haven't answered me. It has to be your go-to shot. Regardless of the set. 14-12!!! They just won another real point! Are you kidding me?"

JB: "14-12?"
HS: "14-12! They're going to have a chance to sideout for the win!"

JB: "This is unbelievable!" Still somewhat laughing in amazement.
HS: "Do they serve Rosie?"

JB: "I don't know."
HS: "What does he do? He's got to hit it. No way he shoots a ball for the match against the Brazilians."

JB: "What if they win this point? They could win it right now with a block on Rego."
HS: "But they're still going to have a swing for the match, regardless."

JB: "And if they don't win this point right now..."
HS: "14-13. Emanuel sided out." Once again, I have no idea who they served... I'm mostly all about assumptions.

JB: "Ooohhh... 14-13. I guess, here it is. Rosie's got to hit it. Maybe they're serving Jake? Or maybe they served Rosie the whole match and now they're going to go to Jake on match point?"
HS: "All they need is one sideout!"

JB: "Either way, no way they shoot... they have to hit. They cannot shoot this ball for their first FIVB win. Are you kidding me?!"
HS: "No way he shoots this ball. How could he?"

JB: "There's no way."
HS: "Well, Jake pretty much shoots everything half speed anyway so if he gets served, then I could see him going high seam with medium pace. But if Rosie gets the ball, he better jump as high as he can and absolutely deliver the word of God! What if he went Vegas Line for the win? That would be so sick."

JB: "He's got to bring it cross court. Ricardo is like 6'10", he's not going to dive into the angle on match point. So Vegas Line is probably out of the question."
HS: "No way he blocks angle. But wasn't Lambert blocking line?"

JB: "Is this the biggest swing of their careers? Has either of them had to win a tournament on the last sideout of the match? Ever?"
HS: "I don't think they have. In Florida they crushed Stein and Lambo and I'm not sure if any of their other finals came down to the last point. So, yes, this could be the biggest point of their lives."

JB: "I think it is. This is the biggest swing either of them has ever taken up to this point in their volleyball careers. Crazy isn't it?"
HS: "So, if you were in their position, you're saying you wouldn't hit the cutty?"

JB: "No. Jake or Rosie should swing away. I would, of course, hit the cutty. Has the score not changed yet? What, did they take a timeout or something?"
HS: "Listen, I'm hitting refresh every three seconds. They must have called a timeout. Probably deciding who they are going to serve for all the marbles."

JB: "All those Brazilians have coaches right?"
HS: "With a 6'10" monster at the net, who would you go after?"

JB: "I'd go for the ace."
HS: "Of course you would. Wait, I think we're finally getting something."

JB: "They tied it up didn't they?"
HS: "15-13!!! Holy Crap! They did it!"

JB: "No way! It's over?"
HS: "Final Score."

JB: "Well, they did it. Jake and Rosie are the front runners for the Olympics."
HS: "This puts them in pole position for the FIVB going into 2007."

JB: "Unbelievable. I can't believe it."
HS: "This is a huge deal when you think about it. The fact that we (Americans) only get to play a certain number of events and each one of them next year is going to count towards Olympic Qualification."

JB: "I know. I think they've got the best shot. Hey, what do you think they did for the match?"
HS: "Rosie...Vegas Line."

JB: "Yeah. Rosie...Vegas Line. Sick. Late."
HS: "Late."

If you think any of that was even remotely fabricated, you are sorely mistaken. John and I happen to be two of the biggest beach volleyball fans on the planet, and we both happen to be pretty good friends with Jake so when you combine the two -- even if the tournament we're discussing is in Mexico -- the results can be devastating.

Don't get me wrong here, there was more at stake that afternoon in Acapulco than a good friend's first international victory. You see, Jake and Rosie had something very cool written across the chests of their extra small/small FIVB singlets, and that something happens to be the most profound acronym ever created, U.S.A. Perhaps readers of this will find that to be a tad clichéd. And hell, in today's political struggle taking place across the globe, where American fans aren't exactly gracing the stands, it's quite possible that the role as the "Ugly American" is far more popular for our athletes than one of historical representation and altruistic pride.

But that aside, anyone with a brain in their head should be able to comprehend how special it is to represent one's country on an international platform; especially when it's for the greatest athletic nation in the world, the United States of America. And to take that even one step further, Jake and Rosie not only placed U.S.A. before their own names on the scoreboard but they succeeded while doing so for only the second U.S. Men's FIVB Gold Medal since June of 2003. Pardon my verbiage, but that is just sick.

So, I guess I am making it pretty obvious how important it

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