in 2014, when Hyden defended and Bourne blocked and they groveled through a gruel- ing string of qualifi ers to rise to No. 5 in the world rankings. Off the court, this partnership is a good
fi t, too. Hyden appreciates that his young sidekick doesn’t leave the hotel bathroom looking like a train wreck when they share a room on the road. That may sound trivial, but it’s not. Traveling the FIVB Tour with a slob has been known to put a serious dent in team chemistry.
Before the lanky 6-5 Bourne, who wears braces and looks like he could still be in high school, had to leave for an orthodontist appointment and Hyden headed home to help his wife, Robyn, with their two kids, here’s what they had to say:
VBUSA: You guys fi rst connected in early 2013. John, what kinds of qualities did you see in Tri that made you want to partner with him after your initial training sessions?
John: The fi rst time we (trained together) was at Hermosa Beach with another team, so we did some sideout stuff. I had no clue who I was going to play with. Watching him move around on the court, he was very raw, but he had stuff that Sean Scott (Hyden’s former partner) had — the way he moved, the way he blocked. I could see that I could take what Sean and I had learned together and kind of build that with Tri and his game would be perfect to mimic after Sean’s. Tri didn’t have bad habits at that time. He didn’t really have any habits, so I felt like if I got him then, we might be able to do something.
Tri, you grew up playing on the beaches of Hawaii, but you were an in- door player in college at USC. When you fi rst started playing at the pro level of the beach game, what were some of the things you realized you didn’t know?
Tri: There was a lot that had to do with just habits. I had never had a coach on the beach and never had anyone teaching me. I had just watched people play, all the good players that have come through Hawaii over the years. So I felt like I had everything down, but I just needed to hear it from some- one like John. Why were we doing it? When were we doing it? I knew what he was talking about. I knew I could do it. I just needed reps.
John is a true elder statesman in beach volleyball. Tri, what’s it like playing with a guy who could literally be your dad?
Tri: I don’t really see the age as that big
of a difference anymore. When I was in col- lege, someone in their late 30s or 40s seemed
way older, but nowadays I have a different perspective. It just is what it is and I try to take advantage of it and learn as much as I can. Luckily, John is open to teaching me. He didn’t have someone like him when he was my age. He had to grind and watch and pull it out of people.
John, it sounds harsh, but it seems as if a big part of what will determine your chances to play in Rio is whether Tri’s improvement will outpace your physical deterioration.
John: That’s exactly it. I’ve got to main- tain while he improves.
How are you preserving yourself so
well, John? John: There are two ways to go. You can
say, ‘Oh, I feel great. I’m in prime physical condition and I’m out there grinding it and I feel fantastic.’ And the other way is the truth. [Laughs] You don’t know what I go through to deal with this stuff. People think it’s easier than it is. The amount of work I have to put in is just insane.
Got an example? Tri: I got one. We fi nished our season last year – a gnarly season, grinding through qualifi ers. The last tournament was in Brazil, and then we were done. And he was in the gym the next morning. My mind went straight to … we’ve got a lot of time off; I’m going to go surf. At one point, I asked him when we were going to get back at it, and he was like, ‘What are you talking about? I haven’t stopped.’ He didn’t tell me when to get back in the gym, but I wasn’t just going to let him work and be lazy.
“
So you stay with it the whole year?
John: That’s what I have to do. I have to start rehabbing after the season, and I have to stay in shape. Tri needs to take some time off. He’s young. You don’t want him to burn out. But I had hip issues, so I had to go see a doctor and get MRIs and rehab. I rehab every day. There’s no time off.
Tri, would you like to still be playing
when you’re 42? Tri: Yes.
John: Or retired with a lot of money. [Laughs] out to our benefi t.
What habits have you picked up from each other?
Tri: I’ve picked up pretty much every- thing. [Laughs] I also work with the trainer (Mykel Jenkins) that John has been working with for a long time, so John doesn’t have to tell me quite as much because (Jenkins) gets on me. That probably makes it easier on John. But John and I aren’t exactly the same athletes, so I listen to everything, and if it works for me, it works for me. If not, then I
USAVOLLEYBALL.ORG | 39
Tri: Retired with a lot of money — I’ll take that, too. [Laughs] I’m not looking too forward to being in an offi ce, so I’m going to play as long as I can.
What’s the biggest obstacle standing in your way of qualifying for Rio?
Tri: [Laughs] Phil (Dalhausser), Sean (Rosenthal), Jake (Gibb) and Casey (Patter- son). Nick (Lucena) and Theo (Brunner). John: Pretty much the top four or fi ve
U.S. teams.
Do you feel good about your chances? John: Well, the road we had to take compared to everybody else was defi nitely a hundred times harder. I was playing NORCE- CA’s at 41 years old on the hardest sand imaginable and the (other teams) were in the grand slams already. I told my wife before last year even started that it was going to be the hardest year of my life. I had 22 events I had to play in to make it happen, and to be in your 40s and doing that is ridiculous. We started off as the 28th or 29th team in the qualifi er and we ended up fi fth in the world. And we almost didn’t get in to the qualifi ers because we were the seventh team and (origi- nally) they were only going to allow six. So we’re very happy with the leap we took, but we had a hell of a hard year last year. This year, I think with the time off and not as many events to get ready for, it should work
I don’t really see the age as that big of a difference anymore. When I was in college, someone in their late 30s or 40s seemed way older, but nowadays I have a different perspective. It just is what it is and I try to take advantage of it and learn as much as I can. Luckily, John is open to teaching me.
” — Tri Bourne
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