From the 1980s to the early 2000s, beach volleyball was a staple of Californian culture where plenty of sports brands and beach volleyball companies thrived off the sport’s lifestyle. The Bay Area was once a hub for beach volleyball in California, with countless players of all levels. The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) Beach volleyball tour visited San Francisco three times, the last in 2018. Recently, the ‘fad’ of beach volleyball has died out, with the sport of beach volleyball losing about 200 thousand participants each year since 2017, according to Statistica.com.
Even though the beach volleyball scene is dying out in California and the Bay Area, there are still spots where the sport is played and appreciated. In the Bay Area, you can find many pickup games and leagues on the plenty of courts that are scattered around the city.
Chris Mcdonough, a professional beach volleyball player and Bay Area native out of Northgate High School in Walnut Creek, plays all across the state but mainly at San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. On May 11, Mcdonough and his twin brother won a tournament in San Diego which put them in the most competitive league, the AAA. Mcdonough explains the importance behind taking a leap of courage to start playing beach volleyball.
”[The best way for beginners to get started playing is to] go out and play. [for beach volleyball] you don’t need any expensive equipment or private lessons, just playing games is the best way to build skill,” said Mcdonough.
The San Francisco Beach Volleyball Nonprofit Organization is a great way to get started as a beginner.
“Every Sunday at Ocean Beach they [SFVB] hold a 10 a.m – 12 a.m clinic for people to learn the game…all of their clinics are posted on Halo. It’s a great community that really anyone can be a part of,” Mcdonough said.
There are even apps that find you clinics and games in your area. by downloading the app “Halo,” you can find many beach volleyball clinics and pickup games for all skill levels, including drills centered around the basics and fundamentals of beach volleyball. This includes all of the San Francisco Beach Volleyball clinics.”
In Marin County, just a short walk from Redwood High School, you can find the Piper Park Beach Volleyball Courts, a great place to go and play with your friends.
Heidi Ilustre-Boatright is a former beach volleyball professional who played at the University of Hawaii, one of the best programs in the nation. After graduating, she went on to play for the Philippines national team and numerous top-ten finishes in the best league in the USA, the AVP. Ilustre-Boatright founded Bodhi Beach Volleyball two years ago and plays at Piper Park.
Bodhi Beach Volleyball runs countless clinics, including two Nike-sponsored camps this summer from June 17 – 18 and June 19 – 20 on the beach volleyball courts at College of Marin. At Bodhi Beach Volleyball, competitive teams compete across the state for more seasoned players.
For someone wanting to start playing volleyball, Heidi Ilustre-Boatright says, “just get out! Being on the sand is fun and it’s a great exercise and a fun activity to play with friends and to meet new people.”
The community in beach volleyball is one of the best aspects of the game. You can find groups depending on where you are located, whether it’s going out on the sand to find some players, or searching online forums for a group that fits your needs.
Mark Burik was one of the top beach volleyball players in the nation with many top-three finishes in the AVP and champion of the international NORCECA tournament in 2016. He founded Better at Beach, a company dedicated to running clinics for all skill levels from Huntington Beach to St. Petersburg, Florida.
“The beach volleyball community] offers a home to those that crave four walls of wind, sand, tears, and sweat,” Burik said.
“It’s not just about hitting the ball over the net, but about the sense of community that comes with playing it. Whether you’re playing competitively or casually, it brings people together in a way that few other sports can,” Burik said.
“My favorite aspect of beach volleyball is the competition.” “(In beach Volleyball) you’re really only proving it for yourself. If you really want to do it and if you’re really good, you can, the ability to do that is just on your own,” Mcdonough said.
With beach volleyball becoming a relic of the 90s, it becomes harder and harder to find people that you can play with to develop your game. According to statistica.com, Indoor high school volleyball is on a rapid rise, gaining popularity through social media. In 2022, 60 thousand new players in high schools across the country. Ilustre-Boatright believes that the recent rise in indoor volleyball will translate to a rise in numbers of beach volleyball.
“There are now 96 (college beach volleyball) programs for girls and it’s only going up,” Ilustre-Boartright said.
Follow Chris Mcdonough on Instagram @thetwinsplayvolleyball
Find More Information about Bodhi Beach Volleyball at bodhibeachvolleyball.com
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