Sloppy Weather Doesn’t Have to Equal Sloppy Play!

Hi – we’re going to try something new here at U of Beach Volleyball and give you some opinions about each of the AVP tournaments we see on ESPN2 or ABC this season –

FYI: In this and in further tournament reviews I’ll do my best not to talk about players by name unless they do something very well – no need to throw anyone directly under the bus!

And please remember this has everything to do with how the players played and NOTHING to do with if they are decent human beings. (please remember there can be a huge difference between the 2!)

Here goes: The AVP Ft Lauderdale Women’s Beach Volleyball Final on ESPN2:

First the Overall Grade ranked on a scale from: A+ to F (Excellent to Fail)

Then the Good News - this won’t take long ;>)

Then the Bad News – (pack a lunch, this may take a while…)

And finally, What to Learn.

Overall Grade: D – the only reason it didn’t get an F is because the weather started out bad and got much worse. See, I can be rational and grade on a curve… ;>)

Good News:

The Pro Beach Volleyball season has begun!
It’s easy to find on TV and it’s in HD – awesome!
Mike Dodd is the new Commissioner – we wish him all the best!
There was some good serves
There were a few decent digs
There were many well placed / smart shots – mostly by Nicole Branagh
The wind was taken advantage of by both teams
The commentators talked about how great of an athlete pro beach volleyball players are

Bad News:

The commentators talked about how great of an athlete pro beach volleyball players are! – because the players did not live up to it by playing very poorly for the most part.

Very windy and significant rain – not what one would expect of Florida in mid April but it happened – it’s up to the players to focus more and play harder instead of letting the elements dictate the level of their play – they didn’t…

There was:
An unholy amount of unforced errors – the amount of shots that were hit into the net was pitiful – just because it’s windy and raining doesn’t mean you can’t attack the ball above the net!


Below average setting – the sets were very “safe” and too low – USE YOUR DAMN LEGS when you set!!!! (Yes, when it’s windy and raining the sets and passes need to be lower – but give your hitter something to swing at – please?)

WAY Below average hitting – it was rare to see any of the players give everything they had to attack the ball as high above the net as they possibly could – sad…

Horrible foot movement – the sand was wet, but it wasn’t concrete and the girls weren’t wearing hiking boots!


Consistently weak attack approach and jump – that’s mental and there is no excuse.


Painful Blocking – Get your filthy hands across the net! – there is absolutely no reason for a professional athlete not to get their elbows across the net if you are 6’ or taller and playing on a 7’4” net – get your feet in position, get your butt down and JUMP! Your hands are above the net when you are just standing and reaching up – come-on girls!!!!


There are only 12 AVP events this year, for the good of the sport, no one can afford to ease there way into the season and not play at the top of their game.

What to Learn

I need more Anger Management classes….:>)
I should take a few deep breathes and think of my “happy place”

Ok enough about my obvious issues – what can you learn from the sloppy play in the sloppy weather?

If you are going to play in a tournament, play to win, rather than not to not make mistakes – even if it’s the first tournament of the year and the weather sucks!

Practice in bad weather so you are prepared for it.

When the weather is bad that means you need to focus even more, be even more exact with your foot movement and ball placement and play even more intensely.

Get the weather to work for you because you are working so hard and smart – DON’T be a ‘victim’ of the weather!


Pass the ball low and to the net; and set the ball almost straight up and down - rather than pushing the set out at all – but give your hitter a sporting chance to attack the ball as best they can.

Serve very aggressively, using the wind to your advantage.

Communicate with your partner A LOT before and during the play – make sure they are seeing what you are seeing and visa versa – tell each other what is working for you and what is not – communicate, communicate, and communicate some more!

Looking cool, pretty and sexy should not the goal of Pro Beach Volleyball; playing the very best you possibly can no matter how you feel or what the conditions are SHOULD be the goal for a professional.

Do what ever it takes - play ugly, get sandy, it doesn’t matter what you have to do, BUT give it EVERYTHING you got, EVERY PLAY – you have lots of time to look pretty after the match!

I am looking forward to the next AVP event – I hope you are too!


Be Your VERY Best!
U of Beach Volleyball