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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 Y2K6-YEAR 2006

SCHEDULE

2006 Schedule Announcement

Current schedule for the AVP Tour in the year 2006

Date Event Site TV

March31st-April 02nd 2006 AVP FT. LAUDERDALE OPEN South Beach Park Ft. Lauderdale, FLA. * Cable,FSNet

May05th-07th 2006 AVP TEMPE ARIZONA OPEN Tempe Beach Park Tempe, ARIZ. * Cable,FSNet

May 18th-21st 2006 AVP SANTA BARBARA OPEN West Beach Santa Barbara, CA *Cable,FSNet

May 26th-28th BUD LITE 2006 AVP HUNTINGTON OPEN Huntington Beach Pier Huntington Beach, CA * Cable,FSNet

June 09th-11th BUD LITE 2006 AVP HERMOSA OPEN Hermosa Beach Pier Hermosa Beach, CA. * Cable,FSNet

June 15th-18th BUD LITE 2006 AVP SACRAMENTO OPEN Cal Expo Sacramento,CA * * LIVE,Cable,FSNet

June 29th-July 2nd BUD LITE 2006 AVP SEASIDE HEIGHTS OPEN Seaside Heights,NJ * Cable,FSNet

July 06th-09th BUD LITE 2006 AVP ATLANTA OPEN Atlanta,GA * Cable,FSNet

July 13th-16th BUD LITE 2006 AVP BIRMINGHAM OPEN Hoover Metropolitan Stadium Birmingham,AL * Cable,FSNet

July 20th-23rd BUD LITE 2006 AVP CHICAGO OPEN North Avenue Beach Chicago, IL **LIVE on NBC

Aug 10th-13th BUD LITE 2006 AVP MANHATTAN BEACH OPEN Manhattan Bch Pier Manhattan Bch ,CA **LIVE on NBC

Aug 17th-20th BUD LITE 2006 AVP BROOKLYN OPEN Coney Island Beach Brooklyn ,NY * Cable,FSNet

Aug 25th-27th 2006 AVP BOULDER OPEN Boulder Reservoir Boulder,CO * Cable,FSNet

Aug 31st-Sept 03rd 2006 AVP CINCINATI OPEN Lindner Family Tennis Center Cincinati , OH ** NBC,Live

September 06th-09th AQUIFINA 2006 AVP Vegas Shootout Caesars Palace Las Vegas, NV *TAPE on NBC

September 14th-17th CUERVO 2006 LAKE TAHOE INVITATIONAL Monte Blue Resort&Spa Lake Tahoe,NV * Cable,FSNet

AVP 2006 Beach Volleyball Tour Men's & Women's Results To Date

AVP Professional Men's Beach Volleyball
2006 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.*

April
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Ft. Lauderdale, FL Fox Sports Net

May
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Tempe, AZ Fox Sports Net
Austin, TX Fox Sports Net
Ft. Lauderdale, FL Fox Sports Net

JUNE
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Huntington Beach, CA Fox Sports Net

JULY
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
San Diego, CA Fox Sports Net
Belmar, NJ Fox Sports Net
Hermosa Beach, CA * live on NBC

AUGUST
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Belmar, NJ Fox Sports Net
Hermosa Beach, CA Fox Sports Net

SEPTEMBER
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Chicago, IL* live on NBC
Las Vegas, NV NBC (tape delayed)
Hermosa Beach, CA Fox Sports Net
Honolulu, HI NBC (tape delayed)

OCTOBER
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Chicago, IL Fox Sports Net
Las Vegas, NV Fox Sports Net
Honolulu, HI Fox Sports Net

NOVEMBER
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Honolulu, HI Fox Sports Net

The AVP Is Back on NBC

Five Live/Tape Broadcasts During the 2006 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

April
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Ft. Lauderdale, FL Fox Sports Net

May
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Tempe, AZ Fox Sports Net
Austin, TX Fox Sports Net

JUNE
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Huntington Beach, CA Fox Sports Net
Manhattan Beach, CA Fox Sports Net

JULY
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
San Diego, CA Fox Sports Net
Belmar, NJ Fox Sports Net

AUGUST
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Belmar, NJ Fox Sports Net
Hermosa Beach, CA Fox Sports Net

SEPTEMBER
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Hermosa Beach, CA Fox Sports Net

OCTOBER
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Chicago, IL Fox Sports Net
Las Vegas, NV Fox Sports Net
Honolulu, HI Fox Sports Net

NOVEMBER
Event Location Broadcast Date Broadcast Time Network
Honolulu, HI Fox Sports Net

AVP on TV
2006

To catch all the Men's and Women's 2006 AVP Nissan Championship Series 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 2006 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 2006.

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 2006 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 2005-2006 Off Season

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

Stein Metzger and Jake Gibb named 2005 AVP Team of the Year
October 12, 2005
Courtesy Of AVP
Awards for the 2005 AVP season were given last night, October 12, at the annual AVP Player's Banquet. Stein Metzger and Jake Gibb, who won more tournaments than any other players on the Men's side, were named 2005 AVP Team of the Year.
Metzger and Gibb started the season and their playing partnership on a high note as they captured the Fort Lauderdale Open the first weekend of April. Just a few weeks later they were at it again as they won the second event of the year in Tempe. Having never played together before, Gibb and Metzger became the first team to win their first two events together since 1991 when Adam Johnson / Ricci Luyties accomplished the feat.
Starting off a season with two straight wins had not occurred since 1997 when Jose Loiola / Kent Steffes won the first three events. Since that time, seven teams have tried, but failed, to defend their season-opening win.
Metzger and Gibb were far from done after the Tempe victory. They were back in the winner's circle in Belmar and Manhattan Beach. Metzger and Gibb were the most consistent team on the Men's side as they made the final four in 11 of the 12 regular season tournaments. Cincinnati proving to be their only blemish as the duo finished fifth.
When Metzger and Gibb did lose it was only to the best teams on tour. In fact, Metzger and Gibb only lost to teams in the regular season that won a championship in 2005. Their 15 regular season losses came at the hands of six different opponents. These six opponents combined to win the remaining nine team events that Metzger and Gibb did not capture.
"I think we have accomplished all of the goals that we wanted to this year: win the most tournaments, be the number one team on tour and be the most consistent team on tour and we have accomplished all that," Metzger said.
During the regular season, Metzger and Gibb won over 79 percent of their matches in compiling a 58-15 record. Their average margin of victory was over four and half points per game. During the season Metzger and Gibb recorded 38 blowouts, a game won by seven or more points. Yet only twice in 2005 did a team blowout Metzger and Gibb.
Individually, Metzger and Gibb put up great numbers as well. Metzger tallied more digs than anyone else this season, and was able to convert efficiently. He was second in hitting percentage and eighth in kill percentage while ranking third in the number of kills. He also had his fair share of aces, ranking 13th in that category. Gibb had the second-most blocks on the Tour and the fourth highest ace total of all players this year. He was also in the top 15 in kills and hitting percentage.
Entering 2006 Metzger and Gibb will be the number one seed. They will face stiff competition in 2006 as Mike Lambert will be playing with a new partner, Matt Fuerbringer and Casey Jennings are coming off their best season, and Todd Rogers and Sean Scott will be looking for their fourth straight tournament win. With qualification for the 2008 Olympics starting next season, fierce competition is sure to follow. Today, however, Metzger and Gibb celebrate their 2005 accomplishments.

Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh named 2005 AVP Team of the Year
October 12, 2005
Courtesy Of AVP
Awards for the 2005 AVP season were given last night, October 12, at the annual AVP Player's Banquet. For the third consecutive year Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh were named AVP Team of the Year.
It is no surprise that the duo earned this honor as they won 10 of the 13 team events, captured the Nissan Championship Series title, lead the tour in points earned and money won. The duo finished second in the three events they did not capture.
The dominant performance by May-Treanor and Walsh is shown with a statistical breakdown of the 2005 season. The duo won 69 of 72 matches in 2005, a winning percentage of over 96 percent. On average, opponents were outscored by 6 points per game and 29 times during the season the Gold Medalists won a game by double digits.
In 2005, May-Treanor and Walsh dropped just 16 games. Only Elaine Youngs / Rachel Wacholder and Holly McPeak / Jen Kessy took more than one game off the Gold Medalists, winning ten games and three games respectfully.
Individually, May-Treanor and Walsh dominated as well. Statistically, May-Treanor is the only person to rank among the top 20 on the Tour in all six major categories (kills, 5th; blocks, 18th; digs, third; aces, 17th; kill percentage, fourth; hitting percentage, second). While Walsh finished number one in blocks, kill percentage and hitting percentage.
May-Treanor and Walsh started the 2005 season right where they had left off in 2004, running through the competition. On their way to winning the first five events of the 2005 season, the duo dropped only two games. Entering Cincinnati, talk surrounding the Gold Medalists was on the possibilities of a perfect season. May-Treanor and Walsh did reach 50 consecutive victories, but the perfect season talk was short-lived as they fell in the Cincinnati finals to Youngs / Wacholder.
The setback in Cincinnati did not deter May-Treanor and Walsh from continuing their torrent pace. They ran through the second half of the season by winning five of the final seven team events including the historic Manhattan Beach Open and the regular season finale in Chicago.
The win in Chicago clinched the AVP Championship Crown for May-Treanor and Walsh, who were rewarded with keys brand new Nissans. Walsh was thrilled to secure the title spot. "I wanted to win the points series championships," Walsh said. "I wanted the car so badly."
Their success continued into the post season as May-Treanor won the AVP Las Vegas Aquafina Shootout, an individual tournament whose winner is declared the best on the beach. While Walsh sat out the Las Vegas tournament with an abdominal injury, May-Treanor claimed the title in stellar fashion by dropping just one game in the process.
The duo was back together for the final event of the season, the Paul Mitchell AVP Best of the Beach in Hawaii. As they had throughout the season, May-Treanor and Walsh rolled through the competition, dropping just one game in winning the final event of 2005.
May-Treanor and Walsh will look to continue their success in 2006, especially as the run for Olympic Qualification will begin next season. As the competition has grown deeper, especially with the anticipated return of Jenny Johnson-Jordan and Annett Davis, the Gold Medalists are sure to have their hands full in 2006.

Lang inducted into Volleyball Hall of Fame
By Paul Soriano // USA Volleyball // October 27, 2005
Visit USA Volleyball
HOLYOKE, Mass. – Six international greats were inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame Thursday in the birthplace of the sport. Together, Ron Lang of the United States, Bernard Rajzman of Brazil, Cecilia Tait of Peru, Stanislaw Gosciniak of Poland, Eugenio George of Cuba and Konstantin Reva of the USSR/Russia make up one of the most diverse groups of inductees. They were welcomed into the Hall of Fame in an afternoon ceremony.
The Hall’s 20th enshrinement increased the number of Hall of Fame members to 70.
Ron Lang, of the USA, made his mark on the game of volleyball both on the court and in the sand. He was a member of the first-ever USA Men's Olympic Volleyball Team in 1964. Lang was also a long-time standout player at the USA Men's Open Volleyball Championships. From 1958-1967 he earned nine First-Team All-American selections, one Second-Team All-America honor, three Open National Championships and was an eight-time Open National runner-up.
The USVBA named Lang an All-Time Great Male Player in 1982, and he was honored as a member of the organization's 75th Anniversary Men's 1953-77 All-Era Team in 2003. He paired-up with Gene Selznick (VHF Class of 1988) and later Ron Von Hagen (VHF Class of 1992) to form two of the most successful beach partnerships of all-time. With Selznick, he earned more than 20 tournament championships. With Von Hagen, he won 28 events. Lang was also a member of USA Volleyball's 75th Anniversary Men's 1928-87 Beach All-Era Team.

Interviewing Dane Selznick
Blake Cantrell
October 28, 2005
Courtesy Of AVP
In 2005, nobody spent more time on center court during the finals than Coach Dane Selznick. He was in the players' box for all thirteen women's team event finals as well as five men's team event finals. Dane's team won twelve of those matches. Now Dane sits down with us to discuss his thoughts on 2005 and more...

Q: How did you get started in coaching beach volleyball?

A: Well, my Dad was a coach, I have 50 years of volleyball in my family so I think it starts there, but I first started coaching beach volleyball in the early 90s. I would go to the beach and see players training and realized that there were a lot of things I could help them with and that they could improve upon. The first player I took on as a coach was Linda Hanley on the WPVA and it's just grown from there.

Q: What teams did you coach this season?

A: Misty and Kerri, Fuerbringer and Jennings, Rosie and Witt, and Jason Ring. I trained quite a few other players as well.

Q: Do you think you need to have been a high level player to be a successful coach?

A: It can only help to have lived the sport and know what it takes to win. Some coaches can be good without playing experience, they can be self-taught and study, do coaching clinics but nothing is better than experience and having been there. I learned from my father how to be a teacher, how to make common sense to players and I think that's really helped in my career.

Q: Is this your full time job?

A: Yes, it's been my full-time job since I started in the early 90's and I was doing 12 hour days when I first started out.

Q; What would you say is the difference between a coached and an uncoached team?

A: With a coach on the sideline you get a different perspective, different angle, an extra set of eyes on the sideline, just a different vision of the game that the players on the court can't really see.

Q: When you agree to coach a team what is the process? How does one get signed up with Dane Selznick?

A: It usually starts with a phone call and a guy asking "do you have any time for me?" and we kind of go from there. It's really informal, I'm a hands-on type of coach and I've been doing it long enough that at this point it's second nature for me to assess a player's skills just by how they toss a ball. I can tell immediately what they're skill level is and what they need to work on. A problem I encounter at times is that I see so many things going on that could be tweaked here and there that I give the player too much information, I overload them at the beginning and some people get a little bit intimidated by that but then I have to assure them that it's going to beneficial for them down the road.

Q: What do you do as a coach that sets you apart and leads to such a high success rate?

A: I'm a very technically oriented person. I see a player's idiosyncrasies, their movement, what will work best with their body type. Volleyball is really a simple game and I like to remind people to not make the game so difficult. The problem often is that you get a lot of players that have grown up playing strictly indoor volleyball and when they try and transition to the beach they are stiff, they aren't fluid, you need to be able to flow, be smooth and explosive but not tight. A good example of a guy that has made that transition really well is a guy like Sean Rooney, he's big but still fluid, he doesn't move like a big guy.

Q: You were the first beach volleyball coach ever nominated for USOC Coach of the Year, can you tell me about that and the whole process?

A: It began when the USAV nominated me and I won National Coach of the Year, then they put me in for the running for USOC Coach of the Year, I made a few of the cuts and then there I was in the Final 5 nominees. They had a huge banquet, my father was there, it was a real special moment even though I didn't win it was a real honor just to be there and to see beach volleyball on that level.

Q: I have been told to ask you about the 1979 World Championships that you played under the lights against Karch and Sinjin at the Redondo King's Harbor?

A: I should have won. Fishburn and I lost our first round match even though we were the top seed so we sat down and promised ourselves we wouldn't let anybody else score more than 8 points on us for the rest of the day. We did it for the rest of tournament, well, O.B. and Hooper got more than 8 points but still, we got all the way through the losers bracket to the finals, it was best 2 of 3. Finals end up going to three games, it's a two and a half, three hour endurance contest, old rules, it got dark, Karch and Sinjin are up 17-16 in the third game, I block Sinjin. The ref calls me for being over the net even though it was dark and he was on the opposite side of the play, game over.

But we won next year.

2005 AVP Rookie of the Year Hans Stolfus
Hans Stolfus
November 7, 2005
Courtesy Of AVP
Hans Stolfus wins 2005 Rookie of the Year
Congratulations on winning the 2005 AVP Rookie of the Year award. Please share your thoughts on the honor:
First off, I want to say thanks, because as of this moment, I have yet to show my appreciation. Unfortunately during the AVP Awards Banquet I was out of town so not only did I miss a very enjoyable evening (from what I've seen in the photos on the website) but I also missed out on receiving the greatest athletic award of my young career. To say that I am honored doesn't really express my full gratitude.
If you really want to break it all down, I guess it kind of stems from my Midwest roots... I grew up in Iowa, never played competitive volleyball until I went to college at the University of Hawaii (where I somehow miraculously walked on - long story worth being heard over a Starbucks) and then transferred to San Diego State University for a partial (books would have been enough) scholarship. After graduating, I fled to Eastern Asia to write a book and teach English as a Second Language... volleyball almost entirely forgotten. That is until my good friend, Esteban Escobar, also an ex-teammate at both UH and SDSU, sent me a little email reminding me why we are alive (or at least, since we are alive -- and both still healthy -- why am I in Asia and why is he sitting behind a desk at Qualcomm) and how, most importantly, we could still be playing the game that made up 92% of our previous daily conversation base. (Other 8% = food and ladies) Only this time, on the beach... (It couldn't be that much more difficult, we were pretty adept indoor players so the transition would obviously be rather quick)
So, I boarded a Singapore Airlines trans-pacific flight and landed back in Southern California on a Thursday afternoon in June ready to play my first CBVA - AAA tournament in Ocean Beach that Saturday morning. Glowing white, pasty skin accompanied by super soft soles underneath my feet were probably the first visible signs for the rest of the competition to realize I was somewhere I did not belong; how I wish someone would have told me. After getting bageled my first round of pool, the first beach volleyball match of my career, the first time I have ever heard skin actually sizzle like bacon gristle, I wanted to re-board the plane and have shabu shabu waiting for me at my favorite restaurant in Taipei. 11-0... old scoring, old ball, old court- whatever... it didn't matter, I was absolutely terrible. Esteban was embarrassed to be on the same court, watching me get aced as if Fred Souza was across the net rolling off a barrage of service winners traveling so fast they were unseen by the naked eye (or at least mine, maybe it was the glare) Who knows, perhaps Fred was there... in the hunt for the free t-shirt, backpack beach chair and unprecedented 75 dollars for the winner/split. All I know is my short-lived beach volleyball career should have ended there; that day in OB after a burger from Hodads and a bottle of aloe from the local liquor store (Ocean Beach's definition of pharmacy) that covered my entire body head to toe... maybe two bottles.
The moral of the story is; I couldn't. I couldn't end anything that day- especially not a rally in our own team's favor. I played two more tournaments that summer, (letting my feet and facial skin heal in between events -- it didn't matter that I used more sunscreen than Utah native Jake Gibb, with a higher SPF rating) the second tourney taking place at the end of August back at my -- favorite' beach... the OB AA; the last chance for all the locals to earn their triple before the culmination of summer beach season. I guess a few practices on desert hot sand (basically burning coals), at the infamous Cohasset Beach Volleyball Courts paid off; Esteban and I came out victorious that day, claiming our first beach title; capping it off with what I believe to be my first shirtless trip into the ocean in over 25 years of life. (Sweet tan line)
Now I am here discussing the acceptance of 2005 AVP Rookie of the Year honors, a place I honestly thought I could never be. Bottom line, every time I get a win in the main draw I am the happiest man on tour- bar none. EVERY TIME. Why? Because I remember what it's like at the beginning and realize how much work on the sand it required for me to get to where I am today. Am I currently winning Opens? No. Am I fighting as hard as I know how - just to break into the top ten? Yes. That's just how difficult the tour is these days. Respect from the other guys on tour isn't bestowed, it's earned... and if I have played well enough to earn the respect from even one of the legends competing today on the AVP, then the acceptance of this award makes me even more proud. I just wish Geeter wouldn't have hung up on me while I was on Speaker phone

2005 AVP Rookie of the Year Hans Stolfus
December 5, 2005
Courtesy Of AVP
You played with two partners in 2005, Matt Olson and Jason Lee, what were their similarities and what were their differences?
Well, I made kind of a difficult decision to attend a Graduate Level, Creative Writing Workshop this past July in Florence, Italy with my mother Beverly. Although, heading into the trip, I had planned on being home ready to compete at the Hermosa Beach Open, I realized after an incredibly tumultuous arrival process, through what seemed to be all of Western Europe, (two days after the bombing in London) that it was going to be very difficult for me to return home on time, even partially rested, ready to play in one of the biggest events of the year.
After contacting Matt regarding my decision, via an internet cafe outside Roma Termini, I realized there was a strong possibility I would be partner searching for August, the final and most financially beneficial month of the AVP season. Sure enough, Matt picked up a beach legend in Brent Doble, made it to Sunday in a Nissan Series Championship event, played Furby-Jennings tight into a 3rd set for a 5th; all while Hans Stolfus sat on a train headed south through Tuscany deliberating over new partner options with his mom. Realizing rather quickly it was going to be quite difficult to replace a partner such as Matt Olson, I once again polished my resume for some solid monster.com posting.
Fortunately, while online that evening at the Sheraton Parco de Medici, I received a glorious email from Jason Lee detailing how his current partner Reid Priddy had decided to move on and play with their mutual good friend Jason Ring (Thus becoming 'Team Super Hops') Which of course, left Jason Lee available to become 'Team Who?' or 'Team Tall, White and Skinny' with yours truly. Three tournaments later, (Which included a couple of great wins, one over 'Team Super Hops' in Boulder, mixed in with a couple of unfortunate losses) Matt's new partner severely sprained his ankle in a match against Lewy and that really tall, new kid (Sean Rooney) that looks almost as young as me. Bringing us full circle; Matt Olson and Hans Stolfus, partners again for the season finale, the AVP Nissan Series Championships in Chicago, IL.
Now, each player has their own individual attributes they bring to the team; Jason Lee is taller (6'6") and therefore more of a force at the net blocking. He is also an amazing sideout player; his lefty high line over the block is ridiculous! (Hope I'm not giving anything away) And on the other side, Matt is a pretty sick defensive player along with being (what I believe) the best setter on the sand. Don't get me wrong, his sideout game is hard to match as well, his hitting percentage is always over .600 at the end of the day so a majority of teams go to me... but the reason I enjoy playing with Matt and the reason I chose to return and team up with him once more in Chicago has more to do with our mutual time spent on the beach than anything else.
We started by playing in Australia together (beating a couple of world class teams in route to two tournament victories), and continued back here on the AVP from April-July. We both currently reside in America's finest city (L.A. has nothing on San Diego), which makes training more conducive& even if it means we both drive north to Doheny State Beach in San Clemente to practice against solid competition. Over the course of time, we have developed a little quicker offense and have grown to understand what it is going to take to compete and be successful at the highest level. He is a winner, he hates losing and his fearless attitude helps translate into victories. (Just ask Jimmy Nichols).
I have nothing but respect and admiration for both Jason Lee and Matt Olson's games and to be honest, I was very fortunate to play with both of them during this past summer.

Nicole Branagh-2005 AVP Rookie of the Year
December 5, 2005
Courtesy Of AVP
Congratulations on winning the 2005 AVP Rookie of the Year Award. Please share your thoughts on the honor:
I feel so honored to have won this Award. I sometimes still can't believe it. I was so excited and nervous at the same time that during my speech I think I was tossing the award around in my hand. Luckily it didn't drop! In that case perhaps people were more focused on the award dropping than what I was saying...but I would like to say again how blessed I feel to be able to be playing a sport which I love. The AVP has provided so many great opportunities for us. It is such a fun and exciting environment to be in and I am so happy to be a part. There are so many great players on the tour and to be honored with an award which is chosen by my peers is truly something special. I don't have all the right words to describe exactly how I feel. I have had incredible support and encouragement from my family and friends and I want to also thank them for believing in me.
What do you attribute to your success in 2005?
I feel I have been very fortunate to have been surrounded by some great coaches and players, Danalee Corso, Ana Collier and Kerri Pottharst. I know I have so much more to learn, but these people have helped me get started off on the right foot. I played along side a great partner this season, Angie Akers. She encouraged me and gave me a chance...most of all she believed in me and believed in us as a team. We worked hard this season and at the same time had a lot of fun. I think those are important ingredients for success.
Why did you transfer from the indoor game to the beach?
I have had wonderful opportunities playing indoor, but in the summer of 2004 I decided I needed to try something new. So with the encouragement from family and friends I headed down to LA and hit the beach. I was thinking that I would head back to Italy that fall and play another season. I figured playing beach would be a great way to stay in shape. And have some fun! I did return to Italy after that summer and while over there realized how much I missed beach and couldn't wait to get back. I didn't realize at the time I would be trading in my shoes for a bikini, but I can't complain. I dedicated many years to indoor to see where I could go and now it is time for me to try that on the beach. It's a challenge, but one I am really excited about.
Once you and Angie Akers teamed up in 2005 your results improved every weekend. Why?
I think the more and more we played together the more comfortable we were with each other and the more trust we built. We really worked hard every week and wanted to see some improvement each tournament. Although, the number 9 seemed to be our favorite number for awhile, we saw improvement with our game. Towards the end of the season our results did improve and we were working very well together. It's a process, but one that we are both interested in seeing what can happen.
Why do you two work so well together?
I feel we work well together because we trust each other. We know what our goals are as individuals and as a team. We are both working hard towards the same goals. I think we both push each other well during training and also during games. We learned what we each needed in different situations and used that to our advantage.
Since you both are over six feet tall, what strategies do you use to decide who plays the net and who plays in the backcourt?
Most of the time we split blocking and defense. But sometimes it depended on who we were playing or how far along we were in the tournament. At the moment, if we needed a block I would be the one to stay at the net. Angie has been playing great on defense this season, so we stuck with what we thought was best for each situation. There are times in the middle of the game that I would run up and block, if we were trying to set up a certain play. We were confident in each others skills and after a winter season I am confident we will both feel good about doing either.
What was your best tournament in 2005?
Well, our best finish this year was in Boulder, CO. We took a 5th and finally got past some teams that we had been matched up against at most tournaments. I felt like we played really well together and got through some tough weather at times. We made the most of it and finished strong. I think Boulder was finally that break through that we had been waiting for. Just takes a little time with a new team, but we believed we could do it.
What is your regular training regimen?
It seems to start in the early morning.....luckily I am a morning person! We trained this summer with Ana Collier twice a week. The other days we work with other teams, play games, drills, etc. After my morning beach session I usually head to the gym for cardio and or weights (twice a week). I usually try to go on the days we weren't with Ana....I usually need a nap after that because I am so tired. :) I like to be active so I will throw in some cross training into my schedule....swimming, bike riding....and now attempting to learn how to surf. So hopefully I can take advantage of that this winter. I think now that I will be in CA for the whole year I will have more of a?set regimen. I am usually just hopping right into tournaments and trying to play catch up, but now that I am going to be here this winter I can figure out what is going to work best.
What are your goals for 2006?
I am still working on those at the moment so I will have to get back to you on that. But for now, looking forward to 2006 and excited to see what the future holds.
What do you do during the off-season?
Well, this is my first beach off-season...so I am still trying to figure it out. Usually, I am back in the gym playing indoor...but....At the moment Angie and I are in Australia training with Kerri Pottharst. We are here for a month and will also compete in two tournaments. I am very excited about this opportunity to work with Kerri and see how Angie and I do on their tour. After this trip we will figure out what our schedule will be for the winter. Probably take some time off after this trip and then start the training. I have been learning how to surf, so hopefully this off-season I can get a handle on that! We shall see.

AVP Pros Spread Holiday Cheer
December 20, 2005
Courtesy Of AVP

AVPCares, the charitable arm of the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, arranged for several AVP Pros to bring holiday cheer to Cedars Sinai Medical Center's Pediatric Unit.
AVP Pros Carrie Busch, Dain Blanton, Holly McPeak, Jason Ring, Makare Wilson, Leanne McSorley, Rachel Wacholder, and Sean Scott, as well as AVP Commissioner Leonard Armato, spent a day in the Pediatric Unit doing arts and crafts as well as building gingerbread houses with several of the young patients.
As it is the season of giving, the AVP Pros provided several of the patients with IPOD Nanos as holiday gifts.

Misty Nominated for ESPN's All-SportsNation
December 28, 2005
Courtesy Of AVP
AVP MVP and Offensive Player of the Year, Misty May-Treanor
Misty May-Treanor has been nominated by ESPN's SportsNation for the 2005 All-SportsNation team. May-Treanor earned the nomination after a spectacular 2005 season that included 17 titles, 11 of which came on the AVP Tour. Other accolades in 2005 included the 2005 MVP of the AVP and AVP's Best Offensive Player award.
The All-SportsNation team will feature five athletes who demonstrated athletic excellence in 2005. The question posed to voters, as they choose five athletes out of a group of 30, is which athlete is most dominant at their craft. For instance, was Misty better at Beach Volleyball in 2005 than Tiger Woods was at Golf, or Lance Armstrong at Cycling, or Reggie Bush at Football, or Roger Clemens at baseball...
To vote, log on to ESPN All-SportsNation Team.

2006 Could Be a Record-Breaking Year
January 10, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
The 2005 season ended with many AVP stars closing in on Records and Individual Achievements. With 16 tournaments and bigger purses in 2006, several players can reach these milestones.
Karch Kiraly is the all-time leader in wins with 148 and also the oldest player to win a tournament. With each win Kiraly breaks and resets both records. On the women's side, Holly McPeak holds the record for all-time victories with 72. McPeak record setting 68th win came in the 2004 Manhattan Beach Open. Misty May-Treanor with 53 titles and Kerri Walsh with 49 titles, rank fourth and sixth respectively in career titles. In 2005, May-Treanor won 17 tournaments and Walsh won 16. May-Treanor enters 2006 just seven titles behind Jackie Silva for third place all-time and 14 titles behind Karolyn Kirby for second place. Kerri Walsh is one title behind Kathy Gregory for fifth place.
Elaine Youngs, with 33 career wins, currently sits in 12th place on the Women's all-time win list. With six more wins Youngs will move into the Top Ten all-time. Youngs won three times in 2005 and six times in 2004.
Dax Holdren, with 14 career wins, is just one win away from joining the Top 30 in all-time Men's titles. Holdren has won at least one tournament in nine of the last eleven years. Todd Rogers 12 career titles and 2000 Gold Medalist Dain Blanton with 11 career wins are also closing in on the Top 30. With four more titles, Blanton will tie his former partner and Gold Medal Winner Eric Fonoimoana. Stein Metzger, Brian Lewis and Kevin Wong all enter the 2006 season with eight career wins and 2004 MVP Mike Lambert and 2003 MVP Jeff Nygaard enter 2006 with seven career titles. All are shooting to reach ten career titles and a place in the Top 40.
Kiraly and McPeak lead the men and women respectively in career winnings. Kiraly has earned $3,159,773 and McPeak $1,386,221. Each will grow their record in 2006.
Several AVP Pros are closing in on joining the Million Dollar career earnings club in 2006. Youngs, May-Treanor and Walsh could all reach this milestone in 2006. Youngs is $60,000 short, Misty May-Treanor is $80,000 short and Kerri Walsh is $174,000 short of reaching the Million Dollar plateau. In 2005, Youngs earned $176,125, May-Treanor earned $314,750 and Walsh earned $285,000. On the Men's side, Fonoimoana is $24,000 short and Scott Ayakatubby is $65,000 short of crossing the Million Dollar plateau.
Brian Lewis with $1,016,009 in career earnings is just $41,000 away from breaking into the Top Ten all-time Men's leaders in career earnings. Dain Blanton, currently ranked 20th in career earnings, is within $60,000 of reaching $750,000. Canyon Ceman is $58,000 short of reaching the Top 20 in career earnings. Both Metzger and Kevin Wong are within $20,000 of reaching $500,000 in career winnings.
In 2006 May-Treanor and Walsh look to increase their Women's record 47 team wins. Seven more victories would move May-Treanor / Walsh ahead of Mike Dodd / Tim Hovland in team victories and into third place all-time. Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan need $75,000 in team winnings to break the Million Dollar Team Plateau and 18 starts to reach 100 career team starts.

Karch's Legacy
January 10, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
Denying father time and constant speculation of retirement, Karch Kiraly is set to make 2006 his 28th season on the beach. Kiraly's accomplishments during the past 27 seasons include the record for most career wins (148), most prize money won ($3,159,773) and most MVP awards (6). Kiraly's career can only be compared to very best to play pro sports.
Most Valuable Player:
Kiraly has won the AVP MVP six times (1990, 1992-1995, 1998). Kiraly trails only Wayne Gretzky, Barry Bonds and Tiger Woods in MVP's won. Gretzky finished his NHL career with nine MVP awards. Woods has won seven PGA Player of the Year awards and Bonds has won seven MLB MVPs. Kiraly's six equals the NBA's best in Kareem Abdul Jabbar, who won six MVP's in 21 seasons. Trailing Kiraly are Michael Jordan and Bill Russell, who both won five MVPs, and NFL MVP leader Brett Favre, who has won three.
Big Wins:
The Manhattan Beach Open is the most historic Beach Volleyball Tournament in the world. With a history that spans back to 1960 and the winners name forever engraved in the Manhattan Beach Pier, there is no tournament bigger than the Manhattan Beach Open. Like the Masters in Golf, Wimbledon in Tennis and the Tour de France in Cycling, the Manhattan Beach Open is the epicenter of its sport.
Kiraly has competed in 17 Manhattan Beach Opens and taken home the title 10 times. In comparison, Jack Nicklaus won a record six Masters in 41 tries. Martina Navratilova won a record nine Wimbledon Titles in 23 tries. Pete Sampras holds the Men's Wimbledon record with seven wins in 13 tries. And Lance Armstrong won seven Tour de France titles in 11 tries.
Longevity:
Kiraly won his first Manhattan Beach title in 1980 as a 20 year old. 24 years later, Kiraly would win his 10th at the 2004 Manhattan Beach Open as a 43 year old. Nicklaus won his first Masters at age 23 in 1963 and won his sixth in 1986 at 46 years old. Navratilova won her first Wimbledon in 1978. 13 years later, Navratilova won her ninth and final Wimbledon title.
Titles:
Kiraly has won 148 Beach Volleyball Titles in his career. In second place on the career list is Sinjin Smith with 139. Kiraly has 76 more titles than the all-time women's title leader, Holly McPeak. Comparing active players, Kiraly has won 93 more titles than the second active leader, Jose Loiola, who has 55.
Only Navratilova has captured more individual titles than Kiraly, winning 157 events. Tennis great Jimmy Connors is third with 109 titles. Golfers Kathy Whitworth with 88 titles and Sam Snead with 82 titles are the leading women's and men's title winners respectively.
As the 2006 season nears and Kiraly starts his 28th beach campaign, fans across the nation will ponder whether this is Kiraly's last hurrah. When Kiraly does hang up his pink hat, he will not only leave Beach Volleyball as its greatest player, he will leave Pro Sports as one of its greatest athletes.

20 Years Strong - Holly McPeak
January 23, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
2006 will mark the 20th anniversary on the beach for Holly McPeak. The previous 19 have brought four Most Valuable Player Awards, seven Defensive Player of the Year Awards, an Olympic Bronze Medal, and the Women's record of 72 career titles.
McPeak played in her first Pro Beach Volleyball tournament in 1987. At the young age of 18, McPeak and partner Jill Horning finished in ninth place out of the 16 team field in Santa Monica, California. Just three weeks later, McPeak and Horning took another ninth in the Hermosa Beach Open.
In 1988, McPeak and Horning would return to Santa Monica and Hermosa and once again leave with two ninths. In 1989, McPeak played in three tournament including her first Manhattan Beach Open where she finished in ninth.
1991 marked McPeak's first complete year on the beach. She competed in sixteen tournaments finishing in the top ten 12 times. McPeak's best finish was fourth in the Salt Lake City Open with partner Barbra Fontana. In 1992, McPeak once again played in 16 tournaments and reset her career best finish with third place finishes in Boulder, Venice and Atlantic City. 1992 also marked the first time McPeak played with Cammy Ciarreli.
The duo would return in 1993 stronger than ever. McPeak/Ciarreli entered eight tournaments together and won seven including the Manhattan Beach Open. McPeak/Ciarreli's dominance continued in 1994 as they won four more events in 14 starts. In total the duo would win 12 of their 21 starts together and never place worse than fourth.
1993 served as a bottle rocket year for McPeak. She not only earned her first career win in the opening event in Phoenix with Angela Rock, she won 11 total titles. With five more in 1994 and 14 titles in 1995, McPeak quickly climbed into the top ten in all-time wins in just three years.
After having not placed higher than third from 1987-1992, McPeak won 30 times from 1993-1995. By the end of 1997, McPeak had won 48 titles. In just five years McPeak entered the Top Five in all-time wins. The streak included leading all Women in American Victories each year.
Seven years later, McPeak was staring at the most cherished record in Beach Volleyball History, most career titles. In front of Friends and Family in her hometown of Manhattan Beach California, McPeak looked to win her 68th. Just one month earlier in the FIVB China Open in Shanghai, McPeak tied the career titles record of 67 titles by Karolyn Kirby, set in 1997. McPeak and partner Elaine Youngs faced Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis in the Manhattan Finals. Three games later and McPeak had the record with her 68th career title.
Entering 2006 McPeak has added to her record and now sits at 72 career titles. She will soon pass $1,400,000 in career earnings, also a Beach Volleyball record. One day McPeak will leave the beach behind her as one of the greatest to ever play the game. With her training regimen, defensive ability and winning desire, that day does not appear to be close.

Nancy Mason Opens the 2006 Player's Corner
January 23, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
Happy New Year!
Thank you for all of your holiday wishes and for keeping an interest in me and the AVP during the off-season.
Many of you have asked how I spend my time during the winter months...
Well, I have spent the past 2 months recovering from a long season. After the close of the AVP season, I played in 4 international events with Jen Kessy. It wasn't something we had planned and it was very last minute. In fact, I think we decided to do it one week before we had to fly to Indonesia for our first outing. We didn't even get a chance to practice and weren't really sure what to expect. We ended up having a great time playing together and had some good finishes on the FIVB tour. Really, the only thing that wasn't positive about it was that it extended the season into mid-November! We actually finished the last tournament in South Africa while Jen was on her honeymoon. She got married the day before we boarded the plane for Cape Town&can you imagine!
Needless to say, I was eagerly looking forward to some time off. It was nice to be at home, relax and recover. I spent the time away from the sand, unplugging from everything that had to do with volleyball. In November, I hiked the Grand Canyon for the first time which was amazing. I spent time with my family (in southern Illinois) and my boyfriend's family (in San Diego) over Christmas and caught up with friends for New Year's. I'm sure it sounds boring, but when you spend as much time traveling as we do, it is a welcome change to be at home and lay low.
As nice as it has been, the time has flown by&.now it's time to get back on the beach. Gone are the lazy mornings and the freedom of choosing the yoga class at noon to avoid the crowd. Now, I'm back to the scheduled days of practice, gym, therapy (if needed) and yoga only if I can fit it in!!!
I don't mean to complain, because I'm actually one of those people who love to train. Once I get going, it's hard for me to slow down, which is why the down time is just as important as the "go time" for me.
I am heading into the 2006 season full of optimism. The women's side of the tour promises to be very competitive this year and I look forward to that challenge. There will be new partnerships, as well as some old faces and that will make it interesting and fun to watch. Stay tuned to the Player's Corner for an update on my new partner and a break down on the new teams to watch in '06.
~Nancy

Hans Stolfus: VB Explosion in 2006
January 23, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
As I prepped to write my latest piece for the AVP, I asked for some guidance. I logged on from the free computer lab I stumbled across at the University of San Diego where the password is actually just one more push of the button "enter" and received my answer:
"Try discussing AVP 2006 and what the new-year will bring. The best way to go about this is something creative and fun about VB in the new-year."
My immediate response was of course...
So I went to sleep and pondered over a few possible topics; and when I woke up, I slowly walked down the stairs to Villa Siena's expansive salt-water pool area and slithered into the Jacuzzi. After a couple moments, I said to myself; "What can I possibly talk about?" And it came to me... from an elderly women sitting across from me in the glorious Greek Bath, wearing a pink saffron leotard and skull cap, "Why don't you talk about the spiking. I only used to watch the tennis, because my late husband and I use to play, but now I watch volleyball because I like to see the spiking." And she concluded her Myagi-esque words of wisdom with the kicker; "What if the sand volleyball was on T.V. as much as the tennis, I would have something to watch."
What if Beach Volleyball was on T.V. as much as Tennis? Hell, what if Beach Volleyball was the new Tennis? Does anyone actually remember when Tennis began its rise to what it is today? Fortunately, we have the Internet and all of the truthful information it provides. So, I jumped on the world-wide-web to investigate the origins that currently makes up professional tennis.
So, before I begin my tangent-based rant on how Beach Volleyball could one day be as big as Tennis, lets consider that the very future may be imprinted right there in the Manhattan Beach Sand.
The term Lawn Tennis was first coined by Arthur Balfour and took the shape and form that we are familiar with today in 1875 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Why I cannot find a croquet club in Southern California absolutely baffles me. Now, this same All England Club hosts a summer Tennis extravaganza otherwise known to the public as Wimbledon.
So, how did this game of Vanity Fair Fashions grow to become the Million Dollar Baby that we know today? Short and easy answer& Media Coverage. It all started with a groundbreaking first ever radio broadcast in 1927. (Not absolutely certain how exciting Tennis could possibly be on the radio but then again it was 1927, anything would have been exciting.) Of course the real moment that changed the face of the game was the first color television broadcast from Wimbledon in 1967; formally introducing the game to a much wider audience thrusting Tennis into a big-money, international spectator sport, and bringing us full circle; if there was more volleyball on T.V. than my new friend from the "Hot Tub" would be able to watch it.
When Tennis began its progression back in the late 60's, I am absolutely certain not one single player would have believed a leisure based, gentlemen's game would achieve the level of professionalism it has reached today. That progression has already started with Beach Volleyball. We were on T.V. every weekend last summer and had 10 Network Broadcasts.
Volleyball is the second most popular sport in the world (behind soccer) and we invented the beach game; come on people! This is our sport! We are the beach! Let's embrace it! For crying out loud, we have Misty and Kerri! (I just saw a life size cardboard cut-out of Misty at Longs Drugs endorsing Chap Stick...) 2006 could be the year we break through, mark my words.
Our sport is obviously rather new to the flat screens lining our living rooms but that is exactly what makes this moment in Beach Volleyball's short history so exciting. Manhattan Beach is considered the Wimbledon of Beach Volleyball, the grand daddy of them all; where the winner is entitled to eternal name recognition on the Manhattan Beach Pier.
We clearly have the tournament. Maybe we just need to follow in Wimbledon's classic tradition and wear all-whites? If it means more fans will gather around the tube to see how incredibly exciting our sport can be& why not? I'm in... White makes you look heavier right

AVP ANNOUNCES 2006 SCHEDULE
January 25, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP

LOS ANGELES - January 26, 2006 - AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, a wholly owned subsidiary of AVP, Inc. (OTC: AVPI.OB), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, today officially announced its 2006 Tour season schedule, which includes two new events, five new cities, and a record $3.5 million in prize money. The prize money is split equally between the men and the women and represents a 17% increase from last year's purse of $3.0 million.
This season, the AVP Tour will visit 16 cities, including five new additions - Birmingham, Ala. Sacramento, Calif., Atlanta, Ga., Brooklyn, N.Y, and Lake Tahoe, Nev.:

March 31-April 2 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
May 5-7 - Tempe, AZ
May 18-21 - Santa Barbara, CA
May 26-28 - Huntington Beach, CA
June 9-11 - Hermosa Beach, CA
June 15-18 - Sacramento, CA
June 29-July 2 - Seaside Heights, NJ
July 6-9 - Atlanta, GA
July 13-16 - Birmingham, AL
July 20-23 - Chicago, IL
August 10-13 - Manhattan Beach, CA
August 17-20 - Brooklyn (Coney Island), NY
August 25-27 - Boulder, CO
August 31-Sept 3 - Cincinnati, OH
September 6-9 - Las Vegas, NV
September 14-17 - Lake Tahoe, NV

Tickets will become available shortly
All events will be televised with coverage on NBC and FOX Sports Net (FSN). A detailed broadcast schedule will be released soon.
The expanded 2006 schedule comes on the heels of a very successful 2005 season. The AVP Tour experienced healthy growth last season, including a 48% increase in its fan base, according to Scarborough Sports Marketing, which compares favorably to the growth in other sports properties for the same time period.
In addition, AVP has developed several promoter relationships to help bring tournaments to cities that might not otherwise host such events. Local organizers are responsible for selling all local revenue for the tournament, including tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality. Event cities with local promoters include: Sacramento (Sacramento Sports Commission), Atlanta (Atlanta Sports Council), Birmingham-Hoover (Bruno Event Team), Brooklyn (Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment) and Cincinnati (Reach Event Marketing). AVP's strategic alliances with top local promotion companies allows the AVP Tour to have a strong presence in new markets without the standard upfront capital resources as well as gaining year-round, aggressive marketing and outreach for each event.
"We are thrilled at the success and expansion of the AVP Tour and we are looking forward to coming into these new markets and returning to several of our 2005 Tour stops" said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "We are pleased that, through successful promoter alliances, we are able to bring the excitement of beach volleyball inland, expanding beach volleyball and reaching a larger audience. With our fan base continually growing and a record amount for prize money, this looks to be the best AVP season yet."

AVP Players to Appear in 'CSI:Miami'
February 1, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1, 2006 -- AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour announced today that top players Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh are featured in a "CSI:Miami" show scheduled to air on CBS on Monday, February 6. In addition to Misty and Kerri, other AVP players featured in the episode include Olympic bronze medalist Holly McPeak, Makare Wilson, Ashley Ivy, Brittany Hochevar, Chrissie Zartman and Ella Vakhidova. AVP Tour announcer Chris "Geeter" McGee is also featured in the episode.
The beginning of the show centers around an AVP beach volleyball tournament that "CSI: Miami" investigator Eric Delko (played by actor Adam Rodriguez) is attending. During Misty and Kerri's match, they accidentally discover a body part in the sand, which stops the match and leads Delko and the rest of the "CSI:Miami" team to investigate.
The scene was filmed in Marina del Rey on January 10 where they replicated an actual AVP tournament featuring stands, tents and hundreds of extras. "It is very exciting to have our players featured on a show like 'CSI:Miami,'" said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "It is a highly respected show with a strong viewership that can only help us further promote the AVP brand and our sport. We hope that we can reach more fans, and even create new ones from our involvement with the show. Hopefully there will be more opportunities like this to showcase our product and our talent."
About the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP staged 14 events throughout the United States in 2005. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit www.avp.com.
About "CSI:Miami" Inspired by the top-rated series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "CSI: MIAMI," now in its fourth season, is a fast-paced drama that follows a South Florida team of forensic investigators who use both cutting-edge scientific methods and old-fashioned police work to solve crimes. Horatio Caine, a former homicide detective, heads a group of investigators who work crimes amid the steamy tropical surroundings and cultural crossroads of Miami. His team includes Calleigh Duquesne, a bilingual Southern beauty with a specialty in ballistics; Eric Delko, an underwater recovery expert who knows all the twists and turns of the Florida waterways; Ryan Wolfe, who joined Horatio's team last year and still hasn't found his place within the team and Alexx Woods, the no- nonsense know-it-all coroner. Natalia Boa Vista, the lab's new DNA specialist, assists the team using her grant-funded high-tech equipment. Helping Horatio with cases is Det. Frank Tripp, a tough, yet thorough police officer. Together, these investigators collect and analyze the evidence to solve the crimes and to avenge those who cannot speak for themselves, the victims.

44 Inch Vertical
Matt Zuvela
February 6, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP

See Jason's Biggest Jumps from AVP 2005

Everyone knew Jason Ring could jump high. Very high. But no one could predict that just after a month of intensive pre-season training he would add another inch to his already amazing vertical, bringing it up to 44 inches. In order to have the strength and endurance to compete on the AVP tour this summer, Jason has devoted himself to a strict training regimen that began in November.
Jason's preseason regimen started when he and fellow AVP player Jen Pavley met with an endurance coach to build a cardiovascular base. The training included lots of running ("You'd run forever," Jason says) and prepared him for the more intense training that was to follow in 2006.
Now Jason is at the height of his preseason training. A typical week for Jason includes several days of double workouts and only one day off. Jason spends his Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings at the beach doing volleyball drills or playing in scrimmages. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, Jason heads to the newly opened Velocity Sports Performance training facility in Redondo Beach, where he works on quickness and strength training. He ends his week on Saturdays with a heavy lifting session at the gym.
However, there is more to Jason's training than just endless hours at the gym and lifting lots of weight. Each exercise he does has a specific purpose. "I think a lot of people get into the mistake of just trying to lift heavy all the time to build muscle mass," he said. "I focus on form and balance."
To help with form and balance, Jason does a series of core strength exercises three days a week. These include decline sit ups, a Medicine ball workout, leg lifts and side crunches. "I think doing core is probably the most important part of the workout," he said.
Core training emphasizes working the abdominal and oblique muscles. A strong core is important for all athletes, but for volleyball players a strong core means stability, which helps maintain proper form. "You're on an unstable surface on sand," Jason said. "If you have a strong core, you are going to be more stable, like when you make a pass."
Core strength will also anchor the body and prevent any unnecessary movement that could lead to injuries. "If your core is strong, you keep everything in the right place," Jason said.
To handle the added challenge of playing on the beach, Jason says that strong hip flexors, abductors and adductors are important because they do all of the pushing and pulling on the sand. Quickness is also important to beach volleyball players, and Jason's training sessions at Veloctiy focus on 'quick twitch' exercises, which include running lines and short sprints.
In addition to his physical routine, Jason has also begun focusing on nutrition more than ever before. He said that by monitoring his diet, he has lowered his cholesterol, lowered his body fat, and added eight pounds of muscle. One of the biggest benefits of a healthy diet is a fast muscle recovery time. "This is the first time I've ever realized as an athlete that diet is probably 50% of muscle recovery. It allows you the opportunity to work harder, because you're recovering quicker," he said.
As far as Jason's jumping ability, he admits that he may have had it a little easier than others. "Genetically, I was probably a little bit more predisposed to being able to jump high," he said.
Although Jason does some exercises specifically targeting his jump, he says one of the best ways to improve jumping ability is to just play on the beach. "If you are jumping every day two or three hundred times on the sand, your body has a natural response to learn the mechanics," he said.
With his extensive training program and careful eye on what he eats, Jason should be more than ready to light up the beaches of the AVP tour this summer. Having a 44 inch vertical won't hurt, either.

AVP Partners with Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment to Bring Beach Volleyball to Coney Island in 2006
February 7, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, a wholly owned subsidiary of AVP, Inc. (OTC: AVPI.OB), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball, and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, announced today that they are joining forces to bring the ultimate sports and entertainment experience to the "Big Apple" this summer for the AVP Brooklyn Open, August 17-20, 2006. The action will take place adjacent to the Coney Island Amusement Park along the famed boardwalk.
More than 150 of the top professional beach volleyball athletes will compete in the tournament which will be televised live on NBC Sports. The AVP Brooklyn Open will kick off with a qualifier on Thursday, August 17 and continue through the weekend with the men's and women's finals on Saturday, August 19 and Sunday, August 20.
The AVP Brooklyn Open, hosted by New York City Parks & Recreation and the New York City Sports Commission, marks the first time the AVP will stop in New York. It also features a promoter partnership with the Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, which will be responsible for selling all local revenue for the tournament, including tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality.
"We are thrilled to bring the excitement of AVP to New York," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "Brooklyn is a great market with some of the most loyal and enthusiastic sports fans and we look forward to introducing AVP, its fans and its sponsors to this high-energy sports environment. The involvement of Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment in the promotion of this event is very significant for AVP as we see their desire to participate as a great proof point to the growing popularity of beach volleyball and the success of AVP. Our organizations will both be working hard to make sure that this is one of the premiere stops on the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour."
"It is incredibly exciting for Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment to be teaming with the AVP to bring the thrill of volleyball to one of the most celebrated spots in Brooklyn," said Brett Yormark, CEO of Nets Sports & Entertainment. "We will strive to make this tournament an historic event for the borough and to put on a great show for current and future volleyball fans on the beach. This is also an important opportunity for Brooklyn to be showcased on NBC in a significant way."
Said Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz: "Beach volleyball may have had its origins on the west coast, and its Olympic premiere in Atlanta, but with an AVP tournament coming to Coney Island, the sport's hit the big time Brooklyn, USA!"
"Coney Island is synonymous with summer sports and recreation here in New York City," said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. "We are thrilled to be able to host such a celebrated event in one of our landmark locations by teaming up with the AVP. This summer's tournament will offer New Yorkers the ultimate Coney Island beach experience and mark the union of the hottest, most contemporary summer sports and one of the country's oldest, most beloved public beaches."
"We are thrilled to welcome the AVP Tour to Coney Island and thank Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment for their efforts to bring this spectacular event to Brooklyn," said NYC Sports Commissioner Ken Podziba. "There is no better place to showcase the world's finest beach volleyball players than on the world's greatest stage--New York City."
The AVP will construct a 4,000-seat stadium, as well as 12 outer courts that will offer general admission seating. Tickets for the five ticketed sessions will be available for purchase in the early spring with an announcement of ticket information made earlier.

AVP Announces Sacramento Debut
February 7, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AVP, Inc. (OTC: AVPI.OB), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball announced today they are joining forces to bring the fast-growing AVP Tour to Sacramento this summer for the AVP Sacramento Open, June 15-18, 2006.
More than 150 of the top professional beach volleyball athletes will compete in the tournament which will be televised live on FOX. The AVP Sacramento Open will kick off with a qualifier on Thursday, June 15 and continue through the weekend with the men's and women's finals on Saturday, June 17 and Sunday, June 18.
It marks the first time the AVP will stop in Sacramento. It also features a promoter partnership with the Sacramento Sports Commission in which it will be responsible for selling all local revenue for the tournament, including tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality.
"We are excited to bring the AVP Tour to Northern California where the sport of volleyball is highly regarded," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "We're looking forward to leveraging our success in Southern California at the Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Huntington Beach, San Diego and Santa Barbara events to bring the AVP Tour to its Northern California fans and sponsors. Sacramento is a great sports city and its fans have embraced many different sport ventures, including several high-growth, emerging sports like our own. The involvement of the Sacramento Sports Commission in the promotion of this event is very significant for AVP as the Commission has a long history of promoting many world class sporting events. We are thrilled that, through successful promoter partnerships, we are able to bring the excitement of beach volleyball inland, expanding beach volleyball and reaching a larger audience."
"We've come a long way in attracting major sporting events to this community," said John Nunan, chairman of the Sacramento Sports Commission. "These world-class beach volleyball players will appreciate the atmosphere and enthusiasm that Sacramento provides at this sort of events."
A press conference in Sacramento announcing the AVP Sacramento Open was held on Friday, Jan. 20 at 10:30 a.m. at the California Exposition and State Fair Administration Office and featured AVP Commissioner Leonard Armato and player Kerri Walsh.
About the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc.: AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP staged 14 events throughout the United States in 2005. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit www.avp.com.
About the Sacramento Sports Commission: The Sacramento Sports Commission is a joint city-county advisory board created in the 1980s to attract and develop major sporting events in the Sacramento area. Past SSC events held over the last 12 years include: 2000 and 2004 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials; 1994, 1998 and 2003 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament; NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007; and 2007 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championships. For more information, please visit www.sacsports.com.

AVP Announces Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area Debut
February 7, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AVP, Inc. (OTC: AVPI.OB), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball announced today they are joining forces with the Bruno Event Team to bring the fast-growing AVP Tour to Alabama this summer for the AVP Birmingham-Hoover Open, July 13-16, 2006 at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium.
More than 150 of the top professional beach volleyball athletes will compete in the tournament which will be televised on FOX Sports Net. The AVP Birmingham Open will kick off with a qualifier on Thursday, July 13 and continue through the weekend with the men's and women's finals on Saturday, July 15 and Sunday, July 16.
It marks the first time the AVP will stop in the state of Alabama. It also features a promoter partnership with the Birmingham-based sports marketing company, Bruno Event Team in which it will be responsible for selling all local revenue for the tournament, including tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality.
"We are thrilled about our new partnership with the Bruno Event Team and bringing all of the excitement and competition of the AVP Tour live to our Alabama fans," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "Introducing new fans to the sport of beach volleyball through promoter relationships, like this one, is allowing the AVP Tour to expand its footprint to new areas, to the benefit of our players, fans and, importantly, sponsors. We hope and expect to see the same success with the AVP Birmingham-Hoover Open as we have with our 14 Tour stops during the 2005 season."
"AVP Pro Beach Volleyball is a unique and exciting event for the Birmingham-Hoover metropolitan area," said Gene Hallman, President of Bruno Event Team. "While doing our research for this opportunity, we found that the volleyball demographics within our community were very strong. We believe that volleyball enthusiasts throughout the southeast will make their way to the Hoover Met for this nationally-televised competition. The City of Hoover was very instrumental in assisting us in securing this event."
"On behalf of the City of Hoover, we are excited to welcome AVP Pro Beach Volleyball to the Hoover Met in July," said Hoover Mayor Tony Petelos. "This nationally-known event is another example of the City of Hoover's commitment to becoming one of the nation's premiere sports destinations. We are proud to join the likes of Manhattan Beach, Chicago and Las Vegas as the host to the world's best professional volleyball players and volleyball fans throughout the southeast this summer."
A press conference in Hoover announcing the AVP Birmingham Open was held on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at the Hoover Met and featured AVP Vice-President Gabby Roe and player Misty May-Treanor, who, along with AVP player Kerri Walsh, won a Gold Medal at the 2004 Olympic Games.
About the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc.: AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP staged 14 events throughout the United States in 2005. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit www.avp.com.
About Bruno Event Team: Bruno Event Team is a Birmingham-based sports marketing and event management company formed by Ronald Bruno and Gene Hallman. Bruno Event Team is experienced in all facets of event management, employing a year-round staff of 40+ employees in seven different offices across the United States. Bruno Event Team manages the Southern Farm Bureau Classic in Jackson, Mississippi, (a PGA Tour event), the Regions Charity Classic in Hoover, Alabama (a Champions Tour event), and the 2006 US Women's and Senior Opens. Additionally, Bruno Event Team is responsible for managing the SEC Gymnastics Championship, the SEC Baseball Tournament, the Barber Motorsports Park and other various sporting events.
About the City of Hoover: The City of Hoover is the 6th largest city in Alabama with a population of 70,000. Located in the north central portion of the state and approximately 10 miles from downtown, the City of Hoover features world class golf at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at Ross Bridge, five star hotels, first class shopping and numerous fine dining establishments. Hoover is home to such sporting events as the SEC Baseball Tournament, Birmingham Barons (Double-A baseball team) and the Champions Tour event which is the Region's Charity Classic. For more information, please visit www.hooverchamber.com.

AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour Headed to Atlanta
February 7, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AVP, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: AVPI), a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on professional beach volleyball announced today they will bring the fast-growing AVP Tour to Atlanta this summer for the AVP Atlanta Open, July 6-9, 2006.
Atlanta was selected over competing cities Austin, Indianapolis, Philadelphia and San Diego. The tournament is scheduled to take place at Atlanta's new Atlantic Station and will draw the world's best men's and women's professional beach volleyball players for four days of competition. The tournament will be broadcast nationally on Fox Sports Net.
AVP's Atlanta debut also features a promoter partnership with the Atlanta Sports Council. The Atlanta Sports Council will be responsible for selling all local revenue for the tournament, including tickets, concessions, sponsorships and hospitality, with AVP maintaining control over all of its assets.
"We are excited to bring the AVP Tour to Atlanta," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "The AVP is proud to be included as a premier sports event in a city that has hosted the Centennial Olympic Games, past Super Bowls and the 2003 NBA All-Star Game. We are thrilled to be working with the Atlanta Sports Council and we look forward to bringing the excitement of the Tour and beach volleyball to Atlanta."
"This is a big win for Atlanta," said Gary Stokan, Atlanta Sports Council president. "The AVP Tour will give our city a marquee lifestyle sports event that will really stand out as something special in an already impressive annual sports lineup. And bringing beach volleyball back to Atlanta where it made its debut as an Olympic sport will pay special tribute to the 10-year anniversary of the Centennial Games."
The AVP Tour is comprised of the best men's and women's pro beach volleyball players in the U.S. and the world. Featuring more than 150 of the sport's top competitors, the Tour includes world-class athletes such as 2004 Olympic gold medalists Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor as well as other Olympic medalists and professional stars like Holly McPeak and Karch Kiraly, who won the sport's first gold medal in Atlanta. The AVP's main goal is to deliver its fans the experience of an amazing athletic contest surrounded by an unforgettable beach party.
About the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP staged 14 events throughout the United States in 2005. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball. For more information, please visit www.avp.com.
About the Atlanta Sports Council: The Atlanta Sports Council promotes the value of sports growth in Atlanta and Georgia by acting as an authority on the economic impact, visibility and quality of life issues associated with sports. Its mission is to lead, organize and support sports development with the goal of building Atlanta's reputation as the Sports Capital of the World. For more information, please visit www.AtlantaSportsCouncil.com.

Coney Island AVP
On a Gritty Shore, California Dreaming
By JAKE MOONE
NEW YORK TIMES
Published: February 12, 2006
Like a lot of boys growing up in Brooklyn neighborhoods like Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst, Leonard Armato spent many a summer day taking in the sun and sand at Coney Island. When Mr. Armato was 11, his father moved the family to Los Angeles to take a job at the University of Southern California. The rest was beach volleyball history.
Leonard Armato, a Coney Island baby. Half a century later, he is returning to the Brooklyn sand, and bringing his beach volleyball league with him.
Mr. Armato, now 53, helped found the Association of Volleyball Professionals in 1983. His sports entertainment company took over the organization, the world's leading beach volleyball league, in 2001. Now Mr. Armato, a former sports agent who once represented Shaquille O'Neal and is married to a beach volleyball player, is chief executive officer and commissioner of the league. In August he will preside over its first tournament in New York, in his old stomping ground, Coney Island.
Mr. Armato cast the Coney Island tournament, announced in January, as an opportunity to bring some gloss to the old entertainment district, which is already undergoing a city-sponsored makeover. Besides the competition and athleticism of the sport, Mr. Armato said, "it also has this lifestyle component that's very infectious, the whole beach lifestyle with the beautiful people and everything like that."
The tour has staged events nearby on the Jersey Shore, but Mr. Armato, who has a picture hanging in his home office that shows him, at age 3, standing on the beach at Coney Island, described the location as special for sentimental as well as business reasons. "We want to make that place the hot spot that it used to be," he said.
The tournament, to be televised live on NBC, is scheduled for Aug. 17 to 20, and the league plans to build a 4,000-seat stadium and 12 outer courts next to the Boardwalk. Its promotional partner is Brooklyn Sports and Entertainment, a company controlled by the developer Bruce Ratner, who is a development partner in the Midtown office tower being built by The New York Times Company.
Whether a sport practiced by tanned and toned players in bathing suits and visors will succeed on the gritty shores of Brooklyn is a question, but Mr. Armato exuded confidence, and local officials, looking forward toward summer from the overcast days of winter in the Northeast, had open arms.
"We love that it's associated with the West Coast and we're bringing it to Coney Island," said Kenneth Podziba, the city's sports commissioner. "It's even more gratifying." He said that beach volleyball had been played in New York before, on a temporary court at Wollman Rink in Central Park as part of the 1998 Goodwill Games.
That event was a success, Mr. Podziba said, but he added, "Actually, it's much, much better on a beach."

AVP Announces First Live Broadcast of Tour Events on FOX
February 21, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
LOS ANGELES, Feb. 21, 2006 - AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour announced today that the FOX Sports will nationally broadcast live two event finals on the 2006 AVP Tour.
FOX Sports will air both the men's finals of the Santa Barbara Open on May 20 (4:30-6 p.m. ET) and the women's finals of the Sacramento Open on June 17 (4:30-6 p.m. ET). FOX's Major League Baseball coverage, which historically has generated healthy ratings, will precede each broadcast. FOX Sports has a strong sports programming line-up including coverage of the National Football League (NFL), NASCAR and the college football's Bowl Championship Series (BCS) beginning in January 2007. As a part of the deal, FOX Sports will contribute the time and production of the event and will receive additional equity in AVP. FOX first became a strategic investor in the Company in September 2003 and, with this additional equity, will own approximately 18% of AVP's outstanding common stock.
The AVP Tour will continue to receive coverage on NBC and FSN. In addition to the two live events on FOX, four events will be broadcast on NBC and 10 events will be broadcast on FSN, which will also re-broadcast the tournaments shown on both NBC and FOX.
"We are thrilled that the FOX Sports has included AVP in its impressive line-up of sports coverage and continues to support the Company as a significant shareholder," said Leonard Armato, CEO and Tour Commissioner. "FOX Sports is well respected in its national coverage of the NFL, Major League Baseball and NASCAR, and we believe that being part of their coverage showcases the popularity of AVP as an established sports property. We are also excited at the prospect of following two Major League Baseball games, which we hope we can parlay into new viewership for AVP. The AVP Tour is very excited to become a part of the FOX Sports family this year and we hope that this relationship will only continue to blossom."
"We are very excited to showcase two of the AVP's premier events," said FOX Sports President Ed Goren. "Its fan base and popularity have grown tremendously since our initial involvement and the addition of the AVP Tour Finals to FOX Sports is a wonderful complement to our championship programming."
About the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc.
AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a leading lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide. AVP operates the industry's most prominent national touring series, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983. Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP staged 14 events throughout the United States in 2005 and will increase the Tour stops to 16 events for 2006. In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball.
Since 1994, FOX Sports has earned over 63 Emmy Awards for excellence in the presentation of the biggest sporting events on television, more than any other network during the same stretch of time. FOX Sports is the exclusive network broadcast rights holder for Major League Baseball, the exclusive network broadcaster of NFC regular-season National Football League games, the broadcast television home to the first-half of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing, and the main rightsholder to college football's Bowl Championship Series (BCS) which includes the Fiesta Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl and the BCS National Championship Game, beginning in January 2007.

In Sync: Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan
Colleen Murray
February 21, 2006
Courtesy Of AVP
As beach volleyball partners, Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan have to coordinate a lot of aspects of their lives. The two need to know each other well enough to figure out which one will go for the block or which one of them will serve first or even what tournaments to compete in. But Annett and Jenny have taken coordination to a whole new level: the two coordinated their pregnancies, as well.
"It's funny. We are in similar situations in life," Jenny said. "We came into college together, we started dating our now-husbands at the same time, and we got married six months apart."
So after the 2000 Olympics when Annett told Jenny that she and husband Byron Davis were thinking about starting a fa

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