JUNIOR JOURNAL Got the beach bug? If so, go for it
No matter where you live, you can always fi nd ways to develop your sand game by Emily Podschweit
U
SA Beach Coach John Aharoni once told me that if I truly wanted to be the player I thought I could become, beach
volleyball had to be the fi rst thing I thought of when I woke up in the morning and the last thing I thought of before I fell asleep.
I followed coach
John’s advice because I want to be who I am in my heart. I am a beach volleyball player who happens to be from the Midwest and currently lives in Colorado. I am not someone from the
Midwest who just happens to be a beach vol- leyball player. There’s a difference. What no one expected was my decision to become a beach volleyball player while in Colorado. I knew that’s what I wanted to do. The question was, how?
No beach, no problem The fi rst thing I want to make sure every- one understands is that the best situation is to play for a USAV beach club. By doing that, you know you’ll be getting coaches who are IMPACT certifi ed and who will run challeng- ing, productive practices. You also know you’ll be covered by USAV insurance and you’ll be able to compete in high-quality tournaments. If playing for a USAV beach club isn’t an option in your area and you really want to pur- sue beach volleyball, fi ght to make it happen. It’s going to be hard, and it will take a lot of groundwork, but you can do it.
Begin by emailing your local parks depart- ment. If there are sand volleyball facilities nearby, contact the owner. Most areas through- out the USA have adult sand volleyball leagues. Ask the league directors or the owners of the facilities to recommend good coaches. Tom Davenport, owner of The Island and The Oasis in Denver, Colo., has had a huge impact in my life. He not only was honest with me and told me that what I wanted to do was going to be hard, he also told me that what I wanted was defi nitely in my power and ability to make happen and that he would do every- thing he could to help me be successful. This is how I met my coach and beach part-
ner, Kris Bredehoft. She and I worked out a training schedule that included private les- sons, semi-private lessons, group lessons and a lot of playing time in Open level leagues and
22 | VOLLEYBALLUSA tournaments.
As my partner, Kris continued to coach me on the mental aspects of the game, explaining strategies, how to dissect player tendencies and teaching me how to be a good teammate and opponent.
Yes, you need a trainer
Another important component of training to be a beach volleyball player without a beach is fi nding a good trainer. Understand that play- ing in the sand takes a lot of physical effort. Training to maximize your vertical, pivots, sprints and power is vital to competing in sand doubles. You’ll use muscles that you never knew you had. It’s exhausting work, but the better physical shape you’re in, the better your body will hold up with the demands of this sport.
When meeting with trainers, fi nd out about their experi- ence, degrees, avail- ability and consider whether they will be compatible with you. This relation- ship must be built on respect and trust. Keeping to a rigid training schedule takes two very com- mitted people. Be respectful, stay humble and always be available.
The adult world If you don’t have a juniors club in your
area and you want to play sand doubles, un- derstand that you will be entering the world of adult volleyball. I want to emphasize to you the word “adult.” When you play indoor volley- ball, you are with likeminded players who have similar hopes and dreams, things like playing at Junior Nationals or earning a college volleyball scholarship. With adult sand volleyball, it’s different. Adult league players are there mostly because they love to play the game, and you have to have the mindset of being a guest. You will encounter a wide variety of players. Some are there for the social aspects, others are there because they thrive on playing the game and
second family, my second home. If you are in the same position as I am, I hope you fi nd a second family in your volleyball community. Volleyball players are just good people.
“You’ll use muscles that you never knew you had. It’s exhausting work, but the better physical shape you’re in, the better your body will hold up with the demands of this sport.”
competing. Some may be preparing for a tournament, and a few may even be training to go pro.
Bottom line: This is not about you. The best advice I can give you is to be nice, respectful and considerate of the adults. Remember, you are in their world. Stay humble, be thankful for every opportunity you have and always – yes, always – be available if someone asks you to play.
The players at The Island in Denver have become a second family to me. They are the reason I was able to play and train hard. They became, over time, my opponents, my partners, my coaches, my encouragers and my motiva- tion to keep fi ghting for this dream. I am an Island Girl in Denver. This is my
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