Beach volleyball is not only very different from indoor volleyball due to the setting, but also by the different skill sets required.
Beverly’s beach volleyball team has been coached by Martin Chang, referred to as Coach Martin since 2014. The coach started off as an indoor player and became a beach volleyball player during college, now being able to enjoy “every little bit of it,” as both a player and a coach.
“I have a little experience playing beach volleyball, but during college when I used to play for Santa Monica men’s team, we had a beach day and that made me want to coach beach volleyball. My indoor players also play beach volleyball so it was just the right thing to do in this school,” Coach Martin explained.
The team’s sports season starts the second semester in late-winter, and ends in the early spring. They practice at Roxbury Park in the sand boxes and occasionally in the upstairs gym.
But what does beach volleyball require that differs from indoor volleyball?
Coach Martin said, “It is your conditioning, your fitness. You could be the best indoor player that you can be but if you do not have athletic capability or the strength, the condition, or the speed, and boil it down to endurance, you will not make it far in beach [volleyball].”
He added, “The sand is so difficult. There are different [kinds] of weather out there, from windy, to rainy [and it gets] to 55 degrees and a high of 80 degrees.”
An example of this occurred during a past game, when the volleyball team experienced a mini sand storm. A few girls left the game early because the strong wind caused safety concerns and prevented them from playing regularly.
This is a regular occurrence in the sport. Coach Martin recalls his experience with professional beach volleyball players telling him that they played in hurricanes.
The players have to adapt to these situations and to properly develop, making sure they are persistent and strong, despite any problems that occur.
“I like to be in the perspective with exercise to get them in shape literally and figuratively, to get them in motion, but it always ends up in the premonition and value of fun. I know it’s a vague [word], but the element of fun is important in any sport so that people will be engaged and they will continue on with their activities, and in the team, and how practice goes. They can carry on that feeling into competition,” Coach Martin said.
The girls on the team enjoy their experience with their sport. Their practices consist of improving their skills while having fun.
Freshman Miel Sin said, “I’ve played volleyball for a long time and we did volleyball indoors in the beginning of the year. And in order to continue our training and to get better along for next year’s season, I wanted to join beach volleyball.”
Freshman Olivia Nahum explained, “I joined beach volleyball because I really like indoor volleyball and beach volleyball [looked] really fun. And I like going to the beach.”
Senior Kherlen Batdorj’s favorite part of being on the team is the “communication.”
Coach Martin emphasizes the importance of enjoying the sport and the benefits it provides.
“In beach volleyball try to have fun while exercising in the sand. I know exercising is such an intimidating word these days but I promise you the fun that it brings, the memories that it makes, it just makes it so valuable in every day’s life. It addresses your health. It addresses your mentality with that too important. It will maximize your spirituality towards the sport and it justifies the benefits that you gain from it,” Coach Martin said.
