VOLLEYBALL ON THE BEACH : Orange Coast Courts Feature Some of Hottest Competition Under the Sun

They say that 47-year-old Roy Crump has a beach volleyball rule book in his head, and an eye for the lines as precise as any tape measure.

He has been surfing since the 1950s and playing two-man volleyball on the sand since the ‘70s. And with his teen-aged son, Jay, Crump still commands reverence from the kids at the crowded Lake Street courts in Huntington Beach, a spot just south of the pier so popular that a challenger’s wait in the summer can stretch to two hours.

Crump is one of a group of people with early-morning jobs, night-jobs or no jobs at all who make up the legion of serious beach volleyball players up and down the Orange County coast. They are waiters and telemarketers, students and coaches, pro players, pool cleaners and self-proclaimed real estate speculators. Crump is the latter, and he and his son live a nomadic life split mostly between Oahu’s North Shore and a house within strolling distance of the Huntington Beach pier.

Although there are numerous private courts in Orange County, most are public. The standard is poles only, provided by the county or the beach cities, none more than the City of Newport Beach, which maintains 58 sets of poles, more than half of which are strung along the sand in West Newport.

Usually you must bring your own net and, if you are inclined, ropes to mark the court boundaries in the sand.

The challenge match is the standard, with the winner holding the court. Games are to 11 or 15, depending upon the number of people waiting. Self-officiating is the rule, putting you on your honor to call your own net violations or illegal sets.

The courts are as varied as the people who play on them. Up in Seal Beach, there’s a court some kids know as “Old Man’s,” where those whose skills surpass their stamina are said to play. All along the stretch of West Newport, there are courts known by numbered streets. One, at 52nd Street, is said to thrive when a sometime resident--known simply as Chuck to most--is in town, always attracting highly competitive players.

With the passing summers, courts’ reputations shift and change like the sands they’re built on, but some endure as a sure place to find good competition.

A look at five of the best in Orange County:

Lake Street, Huntington Beach: Serious players disdain the double court here because the net runs “the wrong way”--parallel to the ocean rather than perpendicular to it. Built as it is, the wind blows down the length of the court, forcing balls to sail too long from one side and making it possible to serve a severe drop ball into the wind from the other.

But the ample parking (with fee) and proximity to the pier make it a popular spot.

The double court allows “work-up” challenges, which speed the play and increase the competition. In work-ups, the winner from Court 1 advances to play the winner at Court 2, with two new teams playing on Court 1 for the right to challenge the next winner on Court 2.

The players here are typically high-school age or slightly older, and the court is only occasionally visited by professional players.

But the popularity of the spot makes it unpopular with some local players.

“That’s like the place to go if you have a bus pass,” said Steve Pemper, 21, who played volleyball at Huntington Beach High School and briefly at Cal State Long Beach. “Anything that close to the pier, everyone comes there from Encino or Covina.”

Colton Street, Newport Beach: “Just say it’s too weak,” said Steve Neptune, a 28-year-old professional player as he lounged in the sand. “Just say, ‘Don’t go to Colton Street.’ ”

Many people consider the double court at Colton Street, just south of the Santa Ana River jetty, to be the home of the best competition in Orange County. But although people here are friendly, it has a reputation as an insider’s court, almost a private club on a public beach, where the competition is keen and newcomers are not always welcome--unless they’re very good.

Even on an overcast day, you can find high-caliber competition here. Among those who dropped by to play or watch one recent day were Carlos Briceno, Adam Lockwood and Laura Phillips, former area high-school players who now play for the University of Hawaii; Albert Gasparian, who coaches at Golden West College, and Rick Ownbey, 31, a former Savanna High School and Rancho Santiago College pitcher who started 16 games in the major leagues and is now thinking of trying professional beach volleyball.

“For whatever reason, it’s a good spot,” Ownbey said. “There’s parking, bathrooms and showers nearby and a pizza shop across the street.”

Corona del Mar State Beach: Known as Big Corona, this large crescent-shaped beach just east of the jetty at the entrance to Newport Harbor has 10 courts. The eight new sets of bright-blue poles at the north end of the beach allow the height of the net to be adjusted, and are popular with company and family outings--what more serious players sometimes call “hack ball” or “jungle ball.”

This is a good spot for groups because challenges are not the standard. If you bring your own net and ropes, holding the court for your group is usually acceptable.

At the south end of the beach, there are two courts where two-man challenges are the norm and the competition is better. These are the courts where longtime Corona del Mar locals tend to play.

There is a parking lot (with fee) and street parking nearby. Big Corona is particularly popular in the evenings.

Main Beach, Laguna: The net strung between two palms here may be the most picturesque along the coast, and as the home of the 35-year-old Laguna Beach Open tournament, Laguna has a spot of its own in the lore of beach volleyball. The city of Laguna Beach maintains three courts--four during tournaments--and also provides nets and rope boundaries.

Although Laguna at times has been clearly the home of the best local competition, insiders’ opinions vary on the current level of play. But this is as certain a spot as any to see professional players, including Karch Kiraly, who lives in San Clemente.

The level of play occasionally excludes players who are not rated by volleyball organizations.

“That’s sort of Russian roulette there,” said Bill Ashen, who coaches the men’s team at UC Irvine. “If you lose, you’re usually going to sit down the rest of the day. You might as well go to another beach.”

But depending on the day and time of day, less serious players often get a chance to play.

“The better players go there and play the pros,” said Jim Kemper, 18, who often plays at Capistrano Beach. “If you’re just decent, you’d better come to Capo Beach.”

There is street parking only, usually very crowded.

Capistrano Beach: There are 11 courts at Capistrano Beach, a county beach, nine of which have nets and ropes for boundary lines.

The nets and ropes have been in place here for just more than two seasons, and in that time Capistrano Beach has become a popular spot for South County high school students. It’s so popular that one high school team recently held its banquet on the beach here.

It’s also a popular after-school gathering spot this time of year.

“You just walk up and say, ‘Challenge,’ ” said Mark Gray, a senior at Dana Hills High who has been playing in the afternoons recently. Even during the summer, Gray said, the wait for a game is rarely longer than 45 minutes.

The younger players share the courts with a regular group of rated players--mostly men in their early 20s who play some tournaments--and with a number of women professionals who are drawn by the fact that at least one net here is always locked at women’s height, which is eight inches lower than the standard eight-foot net.

Janice Opalinski, 28, a professional player who teaches at Capistrano Valley High School, practices here a couple times a week. Occasionally, she and her partner, Linda Chisholm, have to fight for a court.

“You pretty much need to be diplomatic and try to coax them off,” Opalinski said. “If not, just challenge and beat them.”

There is plenty of metered parking at the beach, and always the added attraction that Kiraly, one of the most famous volleyball players in the world, lives nearby and sometimes practices here.

“I’ve never seen Karch here,” said Kemper. “Karch is God. He could come out here and just toy with people.”

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: FIVE TOP SPOTS

HUNTINGTON BEACH

LAKE STREET BEACH

Courts are busy because of location, but top players prefer courts with nets perpendicular to the ocean rather than parallel.

CORONA DEL MAR

CORONA DEL MAR STATE BEACH

Two courts at the south end draw better competition than the other eight, which are new and often attract more casual play.

CAPISTRANO BEACH

CAPISTRANO BEACH

Nine courts with nets and boundary lines, with at least one net at women’s height at all times. Popular with high school students and women professionals.

NEWPORT BEACH

COLTON STREET BEACH

Side-by-side courts are frequented by college players, local coaches and occasionally professionals.

LAGUNA BEACH

LAGUNA BEACH

Three courts with nets and boundary lines, including one net strung between palm trees. Top professional tournament in July.