Beach games receive new spin

Mike Sciacca

Get ready to hear some serious smack talk.

But if these volleyball players -- legends and current tour

players alike -- plan to talk the talk at the Karch Kiraly

Invitational, they had better be ready to back it up.

“The smack will fly, I hope, but it’s all in good fun, and it will

be a great tournament to watch,” said Kiraly, whose illustrious

volleyball career includes three NCAA titles while at UCLA and three

gold medals as a U.S. Olympian.

The 44-year-old -- a six-time MVP of the Assn. Of Volleyball

Professionals and record holder for number of open tournament

victories -- has been called the king of the beach.

“This tournament is a loose-rules version of beach volleyball,

with a four-player format,” he said. “We have some great, great

players coming out for this, and there will be a lot of talking. It’s

going to be a lot of fun.”

The action begins Saturday with two pools, each consisting of

three teams. Teams will face off within their respective pools, and

play six total matches.

The top two teams in each pool advance to Sunday’s semifinals,

with the two winners in the final four advancing to the final later

that day.

The Karch Kiraly Invitational joins the Bank of the West Beach

Games for the first time. Featuring a hybrid of beach rules called

Four Man Throw, each game will feature side-out scoring to 15 points.

Players are allowed to spike as well as throw -- or redirect the

spike -- over the net, similar to a slam dunk. Unlike current pro

tour rules or Olympic rules, no penalty or lift calls will be

assessed a player for hand sets or passes.

“The Karch Kiraly Invitational’s hybrid format diminishes the

competitive and institutional side of the sport and opens it up to a

much more entertaining format,” said James Leitz, vice president of

IMG sports agency. “Players are encouraged to talk smack and have

fun, which embellishes the lifestyle of the sport and is a perfect

addition to the Bank of the West Beach Games.”

Six teams, each consisting of three men and one woman, represent a

specific beach location -- Huntington Beach, San Diego, San Clemente,

Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach -- along the California

coast.

Current volleyball stars will join living legends at the

invitational. Among the men scheduled to compete are Mike Dodd, Tim

Hovland, Steve Timmons, Matt Fuerbringer, Mike Whitmarsh, Adam “AJ”

Johnson, Canyon Ceman, Jose Loiola, Jim Menges and Steve Obradovich.

Angie Akers, Carrie Busch, Linda Hanley, Tracy Lindquist, Leanne

McSorley and Jen Pavley are the women scheduled to compete.

“We have a great mix of legends, current players and top female

players,” said Kiraly, who two weeks after the conclusion of the Bank

of the West Beach Games, will be back in Surf City to play at the

Assn. of Volleyball Professional’s Huntington Beach Open.

“You know, I’ve never been in Huntington during the U.S. Open,” he

said. “I’ve been practicing down there for a few days and have

watched as they set the area up. It amazed me at how early they begin

the setup and what a terrific job they’ve done. It’s a monster

production, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”