A Lifestyle

There truly is no sport quite like beach volleyball… So simple to play:   you just need a beach, a net, four players and a ball.  So difficult to master:  the hot sun, the wind, the deep sand, and a lot of court to cover by only two players.  I would dare any athlete to spend a day on the court with me, learning exactly what makes beach volleyball unlike any other sport in the world, to tell me they didn’t enjoy it.  It simply won’t happen. 

The attire is simple yet complex…  A mix of fashion and function typically consisting of bathing suits, light weight shorts and t-shirts, and “boardshorts.”  It seems that every player has their own style:  bright colors, camouflage, cargo pockets, floral prints, neon throwback, and even conservative simplicity.  The choice is yours…what is your mood today?  Have fun expressing yourself out there (see photo above as an example of taking this to the extreme).  There are no uniform requirements; you are limited to your own imagination.  Just remember that whatever outfit you pick out to wear to accessorize with plenty of sunscreen!!!

The game is demanding.  You will hurt like you never hurt before and at times you will feel exhaustion like one that FEW other people may ever know.  Make no mistake about it though, you will return again the next day wanting more…even demanding more.  It will bring something out of you that you never knew existed; a desire to make the next dig, get that ball 20 feet away, and walk away a stronger person than when you started.

The atmosphere is supporting.  In few sports the opponent comes up to you after a win or defeat to give you feedback and/or advice on how to improve your game. In beach volleyball, this is more of a norm than an exception. In fact, that is exactly how the sport developed and became popular. Private clinics and professional coaching are a phenomenon that is very new to the game itself. It is not to say that there are no rivalries, for there are, but even within those, players regularly display admirable sportsmanship and respect for one another.

There is nothing like it.  Spending the day on the sand cheering your friends and opponents alike while playing a sport you love.  That is the essence of the beach volleyball lifestyle; this is what it means to be a beach volleyball player.