2007 Indoor Sand Schedule & Results

Winter's off to a great start already. We just had our second indoor sand event, and drew ten teams with some great, almost epic matches. Everybody is doing a great job of keeping their skills up throughout the off-season. We had a new team in the winner's circle this weekend, as Matt V. finally got his taste of victory, partnering with Rob who came out of hiding to make an impact. Dan also played great this weekend, dealing with my tired self and battling to the finish in an overtime, epic sort of final.
This post will be used to keep a track of the schedule, registered teams and results for the rest of the indoor sand season.
Results - December 10th
1) Matt Valencia/ Rob Pierce 2) Dan/ Adam Rubel 3) Jeff Poole/ Desi Vigil 4) Tony Schimkus/ Larry Cornwell 5) Ricardo Sanchez/ Tony Perrea 5) Brian/ Eddie 7) Harris/ Eesah 7) Fred Ader/ Lopaka 9) Shane Murdie/ Adrian Reaves 9) Manny Padilla/ Sonny Marques
January 21 Event - RESULTS
1) Adam Rubel/ Loric Box; 2) Rob Pierce/ Matt Valencia; 3) Chris Roosild/ Tony Schimkus 4) Jeff Poole/ Larry Cornwell 5) Rich/ Rich 5) Shane Murdie/ Sony Marquez 7) Bryan/ Eddie 7) Manny Padilla/ Paul Sanchez 9) Garrett Sholer/ Tom Fairfield

February 18 Event - Results
1) Adam Rubel/ Loric Box; 2) Desi Vigil/ Larry Cornwell; 3) Truett Massey/ Will Carson; 4) Chris Roosild/ Ricardo Sanchez; 5) Matt Gordon/ Christa Farris; 5) Bryan/ Richard; 7) Kameron Cheney/ Daniel; 7) Sonny Marquez; 9) Manny Padilla/ Paul Sanchez; 9) Harris Zeyaee/ Asa; 9)Richard/ Adam

March 18 Event - FIRST NM OUTDOOR/INDOOR SAND TOURNEY - Results
1) Adam Rubel/ Loric Box; 2) Rob Pierce/ Matt Gordon; 3) Matt Valencia/ Chris Roosild; 4) Desi Vigil/ Larry Cornwell; 5) Jeff Poole/ Kameron Cheney; 5) Brian Post/ Shane Nelson; 7) Bryan/ Rich; 7) Michael Bien; 9)Harris Zeyaee/ Brad Berry; 9) Tony Schimkus/ Dan; 9) Paul Sanchez/ Manny Padilla

Results and Next Event: Beach Volleyball - Desert Inside

The initial doubles event was a great success! We had ten (actually, 9 1/2) teams after a couple of injuries and last minute dropouts. By actually starting play at 8:30, we managed to finish pool play by 10:00 AM. This left enough time to run full matches all the way through the winners bracket, and a game to 25 through the losers. We finished just before our 4:00 deadline. There were many good matches and great games. Kind of exciting for folks to be playing competitive at this time of the year. Here are the results from the event:
1) Loric Box/ Adam Rubel ($40, pair of Plastic Hats thanks to Sonny) 2) Matt Valencia/ Matt Gordon ($30) 3) Jeff Poole/ Tony Schimkus 4) Ricardo Sanchez/ Doug Williams 5) Larry Cornwell/ Desi Vigil 5) Kameron Cheney 7) Shane/ Sonny 7) Brian/ Eddie 9) Harris/ Eesah 9) Paul Sanchez/ Manny Padilla

Good News! We'll be able to host an event every month, until the sun shines again and the sand warms up. Here's some info on the next event:
DATE: Sunday, December 10th
TIME: 8:00 AM check in; 8:30 Start (If we overbook, be ready for an earlier start)
Where: Charlie's Sandbox (behind Stoneface in Albuquerque)
Contact: ADAM RUBEL: nmsvbteam[at]gmail[dot]com
What: Doubles tournament.
Limit: 12 teams (sign up soon, had a waiting list for last event)
Format: SHORT pool play, followed by double elim tournament (Modern size court, antenna's, rally score, 21st century volleyball - yellow & white, AVP style rules)
Cost: $10/ Player
Prizes: Some, whatever is left after paying for the facility, could be half of what is collected. Had some Plastic hats generously thrown into the pot by Sonny last weekend.
Why: Because it is friggin Beach Volleyball in the winter in New Mexico - why else?
Teams:
1) Matt Valencia/ Rob Pierce
2) Ricardo Sanchez/ Tony Perrea
3) Harris Zeyaee/ Eesah
4) Jeff Poole/ Desi Vigil
5) Larry Cornwell/ Tony Schimkus
6) Shane Murdie/ Adrian Reeves
7) Steve Stansel/ Steve Seal
8) Fred Ader/ Lopaka
9) Brian/ Eddie
Individuals:
1) Sonny Marquez
2) Manny Padilla
3) Russell Grey
4) Adam Rubel
5) Daniel

Indoor Beach Volleyball - In Albuquerque!

OK, confirmed. All the years of rumors have proven true. Charlie's Sandbox at Stoneface Bar has installed a pair of sand volleyball courts. From past experience, I must admit I was expecting a dusting of gritty sand on a hard surface in a poorly insulated building. To all of our surprises, the sand is some of the finest and deepest, moving and jumping in it is almost as tough as doing it on a good beach. Anyhow, we are very excited because it means we'll get to play all winter long - keeping our edge and building our skills going to 2007. We are playing a 4's league on Saturdays with the Matt's - V and G. Even better news is that Charlie has agreed to let us run doubles tournaments one Sunday a month.

So, first tournament - Sunday, November 12th. We're running it from 8:30 until 4:00 and will focus on getting everybody lots of playing time. Not sure what the entry is just yet, but all funds will go to pay for renting the place, so no prizes in the winter. Anyhow, drop an email if you are interested in playing. Also, if you don't have a partner, no worries, we'll help match you up, or figure a rotating player plan... anything as long as we all get lots of games in. OK, here's the list so far:

UPDATE: Entry fee will be $10/ player. There will be a payout at the end for at least the top two teams, or down to third if the tournament fills. We will cap the number of teams at twelve. Those who signed up as individuals will be given the opportunity to choose their partner in the morning, or one will be chosen for them trough some process. Odd man out can play with different partners during the day.

The format will be abbreviated pool play (finished by 11:00 AM) followed by a double elimination tournament, with a single game in the first round and loser brackets and match play in the later rounds of the winner brackets. Teams eliminated in the first round of the double elimination will be given the opportunity to compete in a bonus single elimination tournament later in the day. It is important that everybody show up on time at 8:30 AM with play starting at 9:00 AM SHARP! Warmup time will be limited on the court to keep the tournament moving, as we only have until 4:00 PM to finish everything.
TEAMS
1) Adam Rubel/ Loric Box
2) Desi Vigil/ Larry CORNwell
3) Matt Valencia/ Matt Gordon
4) Jeff Poole/ Tony Schimkus
5) (Team signed up with Charlie)
6) (Team signed up with Charlie)
7) Paul Sanchez/ Manny Padilla
8) Nester Trujillo/ Partner
9) Harris/ Eesah
10) Doug Williams/ Ricardo Sanchez
INDIVIDUALS
1) Kameron Cheney
2) Sonny Marquez
3) Shane Murdie
4) Russell Grey
WAITING LIST
1) Brad/ Partner
OUT DUE TO INJURY
1) Will Carson/ Truett Massey
2) Colin Vito

Training for Beach Volleyball - Train Smart. Train Hard. Notes From the Field.

One of the most recurring and sought after questions that show up on volleyball forums has to do with training and conditioning for volleyball season. In this age of information, it is common to encounter seemingly conflicting opinions that can leave and athlete scratching their head about what they can do to maximize their performance. Last year I intensified my quest for the "ultimate" program that would bring about the realization of my volleyball goals and dreams. This article is about some of what I discovered along the way.

First: Some background. I started playing volleyball as a high school freshman around sixteen years ago. Since the age of sixteen, that has meant playing at top competitive levels of local and regional tournaments on the beach. At the age of 22, I stopped playing all together, and moved from the beaches of the east coast to the desert of the south west. Six years later, I came back to the game and returned to a high level of competition. The process, involved rebuilding my physical conditioning from years of relative inactivity to being able to meet the intense demands of this sport at a high level. While competing in local and regional tournaments in the last year, I've realized a good level of success. I also realized my limitations in a very direct manner at the end of last season which inspired this quest.

It was while competing at the big Motherlode event in Aspen, Colorado that my partner and I had our best tournament in our short time playing as a team. After numerous victories in the 67 team event, we faced a very strong team to put us in position for a minimal 5th place finish. After winning the first game and dropping the second, we had a 14-11 lead in the third (game to 15) and I could not side out. It was horrible. They made some great plays, but I just didn't have enough in me to close it out. We wound up losing that game and the match 16-18. That compounded with a similar third game loss at another tournament in Arizona later in the season, and I was furiously determined not to allow the same situation to repeat itself.

After fifteen years of playing, I knew enough to know what wasn't working: my physical and mental conditioning. So began the quest. It started, of course, with the books and all the online articles. Holy contradictoriness, batman. While I certainly was able to obtain some good information and a deeper understanding of the physiology behind different approaches, developing a comprehensive and integrated approach for my personal needs seemed out of reach. Fortunately my friend, who has been training professional athletes for about a decade was willing to help me put a plan together. While it seemed counter-intuitive in some ways early on, I've been able to witness tremendous results this summer. While there is just too much to include in a simple article, I will outline some of the key points that may help other athletes out there to achieve their athletic potential.

1) Know your goals and starting point. This is where I don't think any of the pre-packaged programs are sufficient for "competitive" level athletics. They certainly are helpful in introducing fitness concepts and providing some structure, but there is no such thing as one size fits all. You get out what you put in. Ask yourself what you are willing to commit to realize your goals, and assess if it is enough. If not, you will need to change either your goals or your commitments. For me, I needed to build a better strength foundation. I've always been a natural jumper and quick, but hadn't evolved into a "power" athlete. There is a vertical test you can use to determine if you should be developing strength or response (you can read about it here: http://avp.hosttown.com/index.php?showtopic=13970&st=20)

2) Have a plan. I used to show up to the gym and go through some exercises I knew, split back and front days, etc, guess the weight I should lift. Forget it. The benefits to having a structured plan when you walk into a gym is immense. Multiply that by an effective plan and you will be well on your way. It is also critical to track the weight you lift and STICK TO THE PLAN.

3) Periodize the plan. OK, the concept sounded good, but I can see it clearly now. There is a time and a place for variations in your workout. Winter was the toughest time because it was all progressively heavy lifting. No cardio, no plyos. Spring saw the intro of plyos and cardios and more functional training, based on the foundation of strength built up over the winter. As the season got underway, reduced time in the gym with an emphasis on maintaining strength has yielded major results. Within this period there are smaller cycles, based on timing of major events.
(Note: true plyometric "shock" training should not be done until an athlete has an adequate strength foundation, the ability to squat at least 1.5 - 2 x their body weight.)

4) Warm up. I have an active stretching routine that I go through for about ten minutes when I walk into the gym. Much of it comes from the Core Performance program, which stems from a center in Arizona that trains professional athletes. Active stretching means no posture is held for an extended time, so the muscles stay active instead of relaxing as in static stretching. I also use this time to do some visualization, going through my workout for the day, imagining my game on the court, etc.

5) When building strength, just build strength. "Volleyball is about explosive movements, I should train explosively all the time." That's what I thought. Not so. Strength building phases consisted of traditional isometric exercises with progressively heavy weights. No cardio, no plyometrics, no compound exercises. I felt slow and tired. I thought there was no way I would be able to explode in the sand again. No way. All of the cardio, quickness, explosiveness came back within weeks after hitting the pre-season phase.

6) Build a strong core. This is the key to all athletic movement. A little extra attention to this area, and you will reap huge rewards during the season.

7) Rest is as important as time in the gym. Last fall, when I started, I was in the gym five days a week. I would, however, work a body part no more frequently than once every five to seven days. Muscle is built by tearing it apart, then allowing it to build back up. Working a body part too intensely and too often can not only limit results, but can result in injury that will mess up your whole training program.

8) Pay attention to your diet. My goals included adding ten to fifteen pounds of muscle. I've always been a bit on the lean side (I was 6'2" 175lbs) and this was impeding my reserves towards the end of tournaments. Eating a clean diet, high in protein, with a large caloric intake and more frequent meals made a huge difference. I added ten pounds of solid muscle, and it has been a big help during the season. Not matching your dietary needs to your efforts in the gym can become quite damaging to your body.

9) Technique is a top priority. When you are in the gym, throwing weights around, don't try and figure things out on your own. Get a personal trainer that is qualified and knowledgeable to teach and evaluate your form. This is crucial before moving to heavier weights. Establishing proper form early is essential for preventing injury and getting the results you desire.

10) Recovery at the end of a workout is important. This ties in to maintaining a full range of motion, essential for all the weird contortions the sport forces you into as well as preventing injuries and maximizing performance. I used foam rollers to help separate the fascia primarily in my legs as well as release lactic acid that has built up. I also do some static stretching, including using a rope to increase the range of my stretches.

11) Focus on the weakest links. Too often, we want to focus on our strengths. If we're big hitters, we want to practice hitting all the time. If we can bench press huge amounts, we want to keep racking up more weight. The real secret to improving is to develop our weaknesses and turn them into strengths. This is just as important in the gym as it is on the court. Going beyond our comfort zone in terms of exercises we are willing to perform and areas we are willing to emphasize. Personally, I had dislocated both of my shoulders a little over ten years ago. Developing and strengthening these points has been critical, involving working with weights and therabands. Other areas to pay general attention to are strengthening and stabilizing the ankles and knees, stretching the hip flexors (generally overdeveloped in males) and maintaining a strong core. As a final note, one ailment many volleyball players is overdevelopment of the quadriceps in relation to the hamstrings. In reality, developing the hamstring area with exercises such as squats and deadlifts will typically yield the biggest gains in jumping ability.

All along, pay attention to strengthening your mind as well as your body. Neglect one or the other and it will show clearly on the court. Developing mental toughness seems so abstract, its meaning may be hard to grasp. Yet, if you've found yourself on the court inexplicably making mistakes, giving up points or getting frustrated you've experienced the downside of the mental game. Establishing a mental edge (which happens to be the title of a great book written by Ken Baum on the subject) will make a big difference during the season.

For me, it was a matter of writing out my goals - both general and specific. I wanted us to develop into a top regional team and be competitive at the national level. I wanted to be able to side out 80+ percent of the time, and not yield more than one point at a time. I did not want to yield a lead late in a match again. There were other sub goals, but these were the majors. I visualized, everything I worked at in the gym and on the court was to achieve these goals. This single pointed focus helped me to not only reach these goals, but exceed them. My team mate and I traveled to California and placed adequately well in an open tournament. We've had a near perfect season in our home state of New Mexico. We recently won the AVP Next Rocky Mountain Regional Championships, the first time a team from outside of Colorado has won such an event. I am confident in siding out and have maintained a percentage right around my goal. I feel like we have closed out almost every game that we had a late lead in and have been able to come back from some deficits because we stayed calm focused and did what we know how to do.

Perhaps the most important achievement of the season has been the ability to go out and compete at a high level and have more fun than ever playing this game. I don't have to worry about my body holding up or think about "I hope I don't&...". Jumping higher and moving faster helps, but once I'm out on the court I know I've done all the work preparing to get to that point, and all that is left to do is go out and play the game.

Remember, set goals for yourself that are high but realistic. Be sure you can commit to doing what it takes to achieve those goals in a specified amount of time. With hard, and more importantly, smart work, you will be well on your way to accomplishing your volleyball dreams!

Wrapping the Season

What a summer! It ended with a it of a fizzle, unfortunately. We were supposed to play the EVP event in Phoenix last weekend, but Loric came down with a case of strep the day before, so we had to bag it. Too bad, as it seemed like a good event, but no worries, we had plenty of playing and will have plenty more. Here's some of the highlights from 2006:

• Competing in four states (Arizona; California; Colorado; New Mexico)
• We competed in fifteen tournaments with Ten First Place Finishes.
• Undefeated record in New Mexico in all eight tournaments.
• The first team from outside of Colorado to win a CPVA open event, by winning the AVP Next Rocky Mountain Regional Championship.
• During a month when Loric had to be in Phoenix, he teamed with another partner to win the VAO AVP Next Brick Open in Prescott, AZ. During that same time, Adam teamed with a Denver player to finish 4^th in the prestigious King of the Mountain event in Vail, CO.
• Two trips to California to play the nations toughest competition. Top finish was a 13^th place out of 43 teams in the Pro CBVA Bud Light Premier Tour stop in Hermosa Beach, CA.
• Competing against various AVP teams including the 2006 Rookie of the Year.
• Conducted Beach Volleyball clinics in Albuquerque to help build participants skill level and interest in the sport.
• Lots, and lots of fun.

I'll be getting up more on off-season training and plans for 2007 soon!

BadAss Grass #11

Well, a little slow in reporting. Sorry, I've been super busy with work lately. Anyhow, a few weeks back we played the 11th BadAss Grass in Albuquerque, our annual foray into the grassy volleyball world. It was a fun day and a great tournament. We wound up playing Desi and Tony P. in the finals. It was a good match, and our grass legs held out long enough for us to take the bladed crown. Admittedly, it was a while ago and I don't recall the other finishers, so apologies. Good stuff, though. Yes, that is Eighteen Panel apparel we have on, thanks to them for supporting us for the event! Look for the line to be widely available soon.

Aspen Motherlode Volleyball Tourney

Well, it was a good time as always up in Aspen. Unfortunately, we were probably as far off our game as we had been at any time this year, and we played some solid teams. We started strong on Saturday, winning our first two matches. This included defeating a pretty good Chicago team with one big hitter that has been playing on the indoor volleyball national team practice squad. On Sunday, we got to play the AVP team of Baxter/ Roberts. This match was a blast. We started out real strong, and were able to hang with them for the majority of the match. I think we only gave up three natural points the whole first game, but weren't able to break through enough points to pull out a win. Monday morning we did not play well at all, and lost our 8:30 AM game to a solid team from San Diego. So, we weren't able to improve on last year's ninth place finish, but ended up in 17th. It was a real strong tournament, with more AVP teams flying out as well as many other good teams playing. Turns out Loric got pretty sick right after the tourney and was struggling with something during the event, maybe that helped to throw off our chemistry. Oh well, the event is always good motivation to work harder in the off season. I'm sure we will bounce back for our next few tournaments. The other NM teams had a tough run, even though they all played well at times. Hopefully motivation for everybody to work harder to bring the level statewide even higher. We want to thank 18 Panel Athletic for sponsoring us for the event and Paul Sanchez for snapping some pics. I'll post some up once he gets them online.

We'll be out at the Badass Grass tourney in Albuquerque this weekend, for out annual foray into the world of grass volleyball. Should be a good time. We'll be out training and trying to keep our edge in preparation for the EVP Phoenix event in late October.

Concluding the Season

Well, the weather is starting to cool off and the days are getting shorter. All the signs are pointing to summer's drawing to an end. Doesn't mean that our season is over just yet, and we're going to squeze out every ounce of playing we can get in. This coming weekend is the big Motherlode tournament in Aspen, Colorado. It is the largest pro-am in the country, with open and masters divisions in the sand and a plethora of other divisions played in the grass. We'll be up in the sand playing the men's open division, which is guaranteing a solid turnout as always this year, with some deep competition. The Motherlode website is showing 62 teams in the men's division including some solid players that have been spending time on the AVP tour this year. It looks like our lead sponsor for the event will be Eighteen Panel Sport. Word on the street is we should have a pretty good seed going into the event and we will be looking to improve on last year's ninth place finish. There are three other teams from NM competing in the men's open as well.
Looking a bit further down the road, we're planning on playing the BadAss Grass tournament in Albuquerque again this year, celebrating the annual "wearing of the shoes and getting dirty on the grass" event. There is an outside chanve we may be able to make one more trip out to California to play in a CBVA event, especially if some sponsor support comes through. We are planning to conclude the season by competing in the Phoenix EVP event in late October. This looks like a great event with some good prize money. There should be some very good teams competing and it sounds like these are always well run tournaments. So, lots of volleyball left before winter's Hibernation sets in!

Sneakerz Championship/ Series Results

It was a great weekend for volleyball. The sixth and final event of the series saw some strong teams and some heated battles as players jockeyed for position in the Sneakerz Cup. It was also the first time that Jeff and Desi made an appearence in a final this summer. Their solid play throughout the day brought them to the winners final and then back through the contenders bracket into the tournament finals. Here are the results of the event:
1) Loric Box/ Adam Rubel
2) Jeff Poole/ Desi Vigil
3) Matt Gordon/ Brian Luck
4) Chris Rooslid/ Rob Pierce
There was also a bonus pool payout for overall finishes during the season. Here's the New Mexico Beach Volleyball Bonus Pool results:
1) Adam Rubel
2) Loric Box
3) Matt Gordon
4) Chris Rooslid
Thanks again to Tavake and Sneakerz for another great season of New Mexico Beach Volleyball Doubles. We're looking forward to continued successful tournaments next year.

Sneakerz #6 - The Championship!

That's right, all the big $$$ and prizes are being awarded. This is the final battle in the men's sand division of the mighty Sneakerz beach volleyball series in Albuquerque, NM. An air of excitement is permeating the entire state. OK, maybe that's a bit of overhype, but this should be a good tournament as we're expecting a solid turnout. Here's the list as of now:
1) Adam Rubel/ Loric Box
2) Chris Roosalid/ Rob Pierce
3) Larry Cromwell/ Dave
4) Jeff Poole/ Desi Vigil
5) Matt Gordon/ ??

Sneakerz #5 Results

Desert beach volleyball is alive and well in New Mexico. We had a good turnout this past weekend with ten strong teams making an appearance at the next to last event of the Sneakerz summer series. Everybody's looking forward to the final event at the end of this month, with its larger payout and expected large draw. It was good to see Matt and Vince back together playing. Tony and Ricardo worked their way through the bracket to a strong finish. Chris and Matt V. round out some of the teams preparing to make an appearance at the big Motherlode event in Aspen. Here are the results as I recall:
1) Loric Box/ Adam Rubel
2) Vince Vandermay/ Matt Gordon
3) Ricardo Sanchez/ Tony Perrera
4) Matt Valencia/ Chris Hammock

Victory in Denver!

What a weekend. Well, the good news is that Loric and I have brought the “Wilson/AVPNext Rocky Mountain Zone Championship” home to New Mexico. Although we're not entirely sure what the title of the event entails, we did manage to walk away from the Colorado Professional Volleyball Association's 4th event victorios. It was probably the biggest win for us as a team in the little more than a year that we have been playing together, and we were both excited and elated by the result. Denver has some very strong and talented teams, and we got to play a number of them. It was surprisingly hot on Saturday. After winning our first match, we faced the top seeded team of Tony and Curtis. They are both excellent players and play very well together. They beat us that match in three games. We regrouped and focused in for the rest of our games. We battled our way back through the losers bracket, improving as the day went on and widening the margin of victory in every game until we faced Tony and Curtis again in the crossover match. For most of the match, we played some of our best volleyball and were able to win in two games. This rolled us over to the finals agains Paige and Ryan T. By 7:00 when the match started, we had seen it all, heat and intense sun, wind, calm, sprinklers shooting off all over, and we were about to face the twilight. Paige and Ryan played great, and the majority of the match was very cleanly played with only a few natural points scored. After winning the first game, we dropped the second and in virtual darkness managed to pull out a 15-13 victory. The match had taken almost two hours! So, after 13 1/2 hours and 13 games we felt like we had done something awesome. It is very satisfying to see the results of all our off season training and conditioning and practice pay off. We heard this might be the first time a team from outside of CO has won one of these events, and I think we're probably the shortest team to win. Anyhow, we're kind of soaking it in for now before turning to focus on what's coming up for the rest of the season.

Sneakerz #5

Time for another battle in sole of Sneakerz. Hopefully the volleyball community is feeling much healthier, and without many other tournies in the region, we'd expect a good turnout. So, here's who's playing so far:
1) Loric Box/ Adam Rubel
2) Matt Valencia/ Chris Hammock
3) Vince Vandermay/ Matt Gordon
4) Paul Sanchez/ Brett
5) Steve/ Steve
6) Tavake/ Steve
7) Ricardo Sanchez/ Tony Perrera
8) Jeff Poole/ ?

V-Ball in D-Town

So, we're gearing up to play in the “Wilson/AVPNext Rocky Mountain Zone Championships” in Denver. It's our first trip of the year up there and we're excited to have the chance to play against the tough competition the region has to offer. For some reason, Denver likes to grow big players that jump well. Coupled with some real hard pack sand, and we're definately going to be on our game to find success. We've had the good fortune to have a lot of practice time together the last few weeks, as I've been working one day a week in Albuquerque, allowing us to get out to Lucky 66 and play and train. Speaking of which, we're also excited about running some beach volleyball clinics. Word is we've got some sign ups already, and hope to see a solid turnout. We'll be drawing up the program for each of the clinics this weekend.

Beach Volleyball Clinics

Beach Volleyball - In the Desert?

Lucky 66 Oasis Volleyball is Proud to Present:

Sand Volleyball skills clinics taught by New Mexico's finest semi-pro volleyball players Adam Rubel and Loric Box. Being one of the southwest region's top teams allows Adam and Loric to travel competing in the some of the highest-level beach volleyball tournaments. With a combined volleyball experience of 35+ years, Adam and Loric seek to share their expertise and training techniques to help build the volleyball community in New Mexico! The clinics will be in the following format:

Level I - Introductory Clinic

two-day clinic held on August 19th & August 20th from 3:00 PM

to 7:00 PM Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 AM till the end of the tournament.

This clinic will provide you with the basic knowledge of the skills and game of outdoor volleyball.

Want to get in shape? Really good shape? Want to have fun? Lots and lots of fun? This clinic is for you!

Prerequisites: A desire to have fun playing a new sport. Some experience playing volleyball in a competitive or non-competitive environment is helpful, but not required.

Individual attention will be given during the clinic in a group setting. Drills will focus on developing individual skills and abilities as well as functioning within a team context. Some of the areas covered:

• Warming up and getting loose.
  
• Moving in the sand.
  
• Learning the skills and developing good technique: Passing, Setting, Serving and Hitting.
  
• Game situations - good strategies, dealing with difficult positions.
  

The Clinic will conclude on the second day with a mini tournament.

You will walk away from this clinic with a deeper knowledge of the game, more developed skills and with the capacity to carry the lessons and training you receive into your own practice sessions and game situations.

LEVEL II - Advanced Clinic

two-day clinic held on August 5th &, August 13th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 AM

This clinic will help you to develop and refine your skills and game as a volleyball player.

Are you looking to transition your indoor game to an outdoor one? Looking to be more effective in your outdoor leagues? Interested in placing higher in tournaments and bringing your game to the next level? Weather you are interested

in becoming a star player in your league, competing at the national level, or just improving your skills and having fun playing volleyball, this clinic is for you.

Prerequisites: Should have several years minimum of playing volleyball, a good knowledge of the game and capable of performing basic skills well.

Individual attention will be given during the clinic in a group setting. Drills will focus on developing individual skills and strategies primarily as well as functioning within a team context. Some of the areas covered:

• Appropriate warm-up - movement preparation.
  
• Developing quick, stable and explosive movement in the sand.
  
• Mental Approach - Staying focused, visualization and preparing for success.
  
• Skills Refinement - Passing, Setting, Serving and Hitting Techniques.
  
• Situation Training - How to best handle common and difficult situations during play.
  
• Conditioning and Recovery - Stay healthy and in shape.
  

The Clinic will conclude on the second day with a mini tournament.

You will walk away from this clinic with a deeper knowledge of the game, more developed skills and with the capacity to carry the lessons and training you receive into your own practice sessions and game situations.

Cost: per clinic is $40.00 per person.

Where: Lucky 66 Volleyball
6132 4th ST NW
next to Sadie's Restaurant

Contact: Robert Oselio at robertoselio@yahoo.com or 345-2506 to reserve your spot.

Clinics are open to both men and women of all ages. Please bring a beach towel and sunscreen.

Space is limited, 10 player minimum so sign up today!

Sneakerz #4 Results

Well, it was another hot day at Sneakerz. Small turnout as lots of guys are hurt or sick. Some folks also travelled up to Durango and Denver to play. Still, we had six solid teams and a good day of volley, with matches all around. Here's the results:
1) Loric Box/ Adam Rubel
2) Thierry Thelliez/ Matt Gordon
3) Colin Vito/ Matt Valencia
4) Jeff Poole/ Larry Cromwell
The tourney on the sixth should have a real solid showing and the end of the month is the big championship event, with holdover cash being paid out.

Sneakerz #4

Time again for another tourney in the desert. This should be a good one, 7/15 at Sneakerz on San Mateo in Albuquerque - the finest doubles beach volleyball tournaments New Mexico has to offer! Here's the entry list so far:
1) Jeff Poole/ Larry Cromwell
2) Matt Valencia/ Colin Vito
3) Loric Box/ Adam Rubel
4) Thierry Thelliez/ Matt Gordon
5) Tavake/ Pat White
6) Matt Jensen/ ? (needs partner)

Loric Strikes Gold in AZ

Loric had some great success at the Shark Open in Prescott, Arizona last weekend. He teamed with Eric Burness to defeat Rico Becker and Vince Zanzucchi in the final. It sounds like this was a great tournament, with about a twelve team draw in the open division. Pictures are up currently and full results will be listed soon on the volleyball Arizona website. Congrats to Loric and Eric on an awesome win!

Mid Season Thoughts

Well, I suppose it is time to check in and reflect as we're at about the half way point for this season. It started way back in March, practicing on cool windy days in the sands of Santa Fe and Albuquerque, leading to our first tournaments in Southern California at the end of the month. Coming into the season, we were both highly motivated, thanks to a few last minute slips at the end of last season including losing a 14-11 game three lead late in the Aspen tournament and giving up a similar lead in a Phoenix final. We both worked hard in the off season, in the gym, the sand and on our mental game. Some of my personal goals coming into this season included being able to side out a very high percentage of the time and being able to compete as a team at a very high level. I feel as though both goals have been met, and I am very pleased about that. Travelling to California early helped set a strong pace. We did well in the first tournament, before running out of steam from a lack of playing on the sand at that point. The second tournament didn't go as well, as we were pretty tired (turns out one of the teams in our pool, Mayer and Keenan, finished 3rd recently at an AVP event). That helped us to focus and push harder, meeting up weekly to practice together and focusing our skills. As the season has been progressing, we've done very well locally. The Sneakerz events have been having good turnouts, with new and changing combinations of competitive teams. Matt Valencia has been playing particuilarly well, making the finals in all three events, two with Thomas and one with Rob. Chris' short retirement has been good as he has finished well with a few different partners. Thierry and Colin have played a couple events and done well. Jeff and Desi have put in a number of strong matches. After finishing 1 & 2 at the King of the beach, we've gone on to win all the Sneakerz events and have not dropped a match as a team. More importantly, we haven't allowed teams to go run points on us and have been very steady. Our conditioning has been paid off, as we have been getting stronger at the end of events rather than becoming tired. We spent Memorial Day weekend back in California, playing a big CBVA event. After a shakey start, we pulled it together and defeated numerous teams before dropping a well played close match at sunset, finishing 13th of 43. This has given us the confidence that we can indeed compete at a high level. As Loric has been spending a better part of the last month in Phoenix, I picked up a partner for the big King of the Mountain tournament in Vail. We worked through to another strong finish, 4th out of 29. Loric's been keeping up with playing some good ball in Phoenix. Best part has been the most fun I've had playing in a very long time!
So, here we are, halfway through. The first half has been very good, most importantly, lots of fun. We've gotten support from some sponsors and supporters (see left column) and have gottent to do some great travelling. Looking forward, I think the goals will be a little loftier. I will be working one day a week in Albuquerque, so Loric an I will have lots more quality practice time together. We'll sit down and figure out a travel schedule. Aside from local events, we'll be at the Motherlode in Aspen, possible the EVP event in Tempe and more. Of course the blog will keep going, for better or worse. Thanks for reading!

Sneakerz #3 Results

We had another good showing this past weekend. Ten teams showed up to make the third event of the series a success. While the weather fluctuated during the day, the tournament ran with some parity as various teams celebrated victory over each other at different times. We had the first double final of the season, closing the tournament at sunset. I've got to thank Matt G. for playing great down the stretch and helping to lead our team to the win. Matt V. and Thomas also had another fine showing, winning the winner bracket and making their second finals appearence in their second final. As always, here are some of Paul's great pics. Next event is July 15th. Here's the results as I recall them:
1) Matt Gordon/ Adam Rubel
2) Matt Valencia/ Thomas Parks
3) Chris Hammock/ Brian Post
4) Desi Vigil/ Jeff Poole

My little shredded toe was killing me after the event as my sandsock tore a good hole that ducktape wouldn't keep sealed, so I'm gonna take some time off from the sand for now. I'll be posting up my mid-season thoughts soon. Thanks for reading!

Good showing at Vail King of the Mountain

This past weekend was the big King of the Mountain event in Vail. I played with Matt A. , whom I met up in Vail on Friday, where we spent a little time on the court getting to know each others preferences. The men's open had a good sized field, with a draw of 29 teams, mostly Colorado locals but included a couple of national team players and others.
Our day started early Saturday where we were surprised with the news that our first couple of matches would be played in another town, 15 miles away. Even worse, we had to play my friends from Santa Fe, Thomas and Matt. Well, we packed it up and drove over to the remote courts. With a lake on one side and railroad tracks on the other, not the best setup for two courts. What's worse was the condition of the courts, real rocky and whatnot. Hopefully the TD's will go out to the court in advance next year and make sure they are in a good, safe condition for the players. We beat Thomas and Matt in a shakey first game. Our second game was against the 8 seed (we were 9 seed) of Eric and Ryan. They were solid. We were in our third game tied at 9 when I dropped to dig a ball and in cutting back wound up slicing off a good portion of the bottom of my big toe. A little tape job and I was back on the court, but we were out of it and they finished the match running 5 of the next 7 points. We got the unfortunate news that somebody in Vail had a heart attack while playing on one of the grass courts. Found out later he was doing well and was flown to a hospital in Denver.
Back to Vail and we played a couple more games in the double elim tournament, beating Ryan and Chad and another team. Thomas and Matt pulled it together and won a couple matches before going down at the end of the day. We came back on Sunday and played Wes and Lucas, a very solid team. We managed to pull a win there, and then proceded to beat the next team we played. We got to Jason and Paige, a very strong team from Denver. Jason actually hooked me up with my partner from the tourney. Fortunately, the more we played the better we got and we were able to take them down. This put us into the semifinals of the loosers bracket where we had to face the team that beat us the previous day, Ryan and Eric. They played very well dueing the game to 25 and we began to run out of steam. Thus ended our run through the loosers bracket, but not before walking away with a 4th place finish. It was my personal best at the event, so I'm not complaining. The big payout for the event: we got an old t-shirt. Oh well...

Sneakerz #3

Time again for another battle in the Abq. oven. Looks like Loric and I will be sitting this one out. Loric is in Phoenix until next month and I'm nursing a flesh wound from Vail. Here's the list of entries so far:
1. Chris Hammock/ Brian Post
2. Thierry Thelliez/ Rob Pierce
3. Jeff Poole/ Desi Vigil
4. Matt Valencia/ Thomas Parks
5. Paul Sanchez/ Brett
6. Matt/ Ben
7. Tavake/ Kameron
8. Doug/ ?
9. Ricardo Sanchez/ Vanessa
10. Matt Gordon/ Adam Rubel (OK, I'm a volleyjunkie and have grown barely enough flesh on my toe to play)

Next Stop: King of the Mountain

So, the next tourney stop is the King of the Mountain event in Vail, CO. Unfortunately, Loric has had to go to Phoenix with his family for about a month to go through a teacher training program along with his wife so he won't be able to make the event. I am fortunate in that I was able to partner with a player from Denver, Matt A. Of course there are always challenges with a new partnership, but Matt sounds like a very solid player and I'm sure we'll get to gel quickly on the court. I'm gonna give a shot playing left side, where I started my playing days and played several tournaments over the last couple of years. The tournament is always a good time with a 28 team men's draw in a great setting. Looks like the men's open has closed out. They also run women's open in the sand along with numerous grass divisions. Last year, Loric and I did well in our first tournament together out of state. I'm hoping for a strong showing again this year, and definately a good time!

Sneakerz #2 Results

Well, it was a long, hot day, but everybody survived, more or less. We've been hit with a heat wave and Saturday saw no wind or clounds and recorded temps in the mid 90's, no doubt higher in the sand. It was a great tournament, however, with a solid ten team turnout. We wore shorts from our sponsor, volleychick.com, and handed out some suncreen donated by one of our supporters, Badger. A revised format proved to be more to everyone's liking. A short pool play round that finished before noon gave way to a full double elim tournament. A number of teams played well and had strong showings. Matt V. looks to be unstoppable in second place, I think he has finished there in every tournament he played in the past year. He and Thomas played well during the day, taking us to 3 games in the winner bracket final, the first game Loric and I dropped in NM all year. They battled through the looser final and we met them again in the final final. I felt a bit better after probably being dehydrated and a little bloodletting via my nose. Next event is June 24th. Here are the results, as I remember them:
1) Loric Box/ Adam Rubel
2) Thomas Parks/ Matt Valencia
3) Rob Pierce/ Chris Hammock
4) Thierry Thelliez/ Colin Vito
5) Jeff Poole/ Desi Vigil
Thanks again to Paul Sanchez for the great pictures of the event!

Back from the coast

Here's a quick little post about our trip. So, we were a bit dissapointed that we couldn't get in to the AVP quali, especially since we weren't given notice and the decision was not based on our performance. But, we used Friday to do a bit of light practicing at State Beach in Santa Monica. It's amazing the difference in the way the game is played on the coast compared to the mountains. For one thing, moisture in the air and a low elevation gives the ball a different feel. Control is actually easier, as is using top spin to bring shots, hits and serves into the court at sea level. What is more difficult is moving in deep sand and adjusting to the steady, offshore breezes that blow at various intensities during the day. Of course, we had great wind going down to sea level, since the oxygen is much more dense there. Saturday we got over to Hermosa for the CPVA event. It was cold and windy, not exactly what we were expecting. Our first match was pretty shakey against an OK team. We had a hard time adjusting to the elements and had many plays that left us feeling like little children because we couldn't execute fairly simple tasks. Both games were close, but we lost in two and went down to the losers bracket, a long road ahead with the 43 team deaw. By our next match the winds had picked up even more, but we began to make the adjustments necessarry and were better able to move in the deep sand. We won our next three matches, most games by a pretty large margin, having to come back in one game to win 24-22. Our fourth consecutive match was played under a setting sun against a very solid team. In spite of being a bit worn from playing 4 previous matches in sand we aren't accostumed too, we played very well in this match. It was really back and forth and could've gone either way on a given day, but we ended up on the short end losing 21-19; 21-19. So, we finished 13th overall and one game away from playing on Sunday. We were happy with the results. After a few more days hanging out at the beach, we got to play some pickups on Tuesday and finally started moving and playing like we do under conditions we are accustumed too and ran the courts for a bit against some of the local players, who were all very friendly. One of the best things about the weekend as far as our play goes is that we had excellent ball control, even when the conditions were kind of fierce. That made us feel good. We also were mentally strong, not giving up any major runs of points the entire time. Best part: it was lots of fun, and we had a blast just playing beach volleyball!

So, that's the short of the skinny. I got to check out Manhattan pier and all the names of the people that have won the event. Being out there gave a good sense of volleyball history and perspective. We had a great time and felt we left with a respectable showing on the beaches famous for being the heart of this sport. This weekend we're back in action at the Sneakerz event in Albuquerque. It'll be interesting to see what adjustments we need to make to reset ourselves, or if we'll be jumping real well on the hardpack.

Sneakerz #2 Beach Volleyball Tournament

Allright, time for another round of desert battle this Saturday, June 3rd at Sneakerz in Albuquerque. Same deal as the others, 8:30 sign in, 9:00 AM start time. Sounds like we're going to do short pools with 15 pt capped games to determine seeding (and short warmups this time). This will be followed by a double elim tournament with match play in the winner's bracket. It's not clear at this time if there will be two divisions after pool (upper an lower) or if there will be one division and a consolation round made available for the first teams eliminated. Either way, it will be set in writing before the tourney, so lots of playing for all. So, here are the teams so far:
1) Chris Hammock/ Rob Pierce
2) Matt Valencia/ Tom Parks
3) Kameron/ Craig
4) Tavake/ Steve Gallegos
5) Larry Cromwell/ Partner
6) Jeff Poole/ Desi Vigil
7) Colin Vito/ Thierry Thelliez
8) Loric Box/ Adam Rubel
9) Paul Sanchez/ Will

Beach volley in California!

Well, here we come! It's late at night and I've still got to pack, but we're heading off bright and early for our 14 hour drive to California. Got some dissapointing news today. We will not be allowed into the Huntington Beach AVP qualifier because we lack points from previous qualifiers. Neither Loric nor I have played a qualifier event in the last year, so that brings our point total to 0. I was told over the phone that the field was limited to 90 teams in teh q and 10 had to be dropped, including us. This is too bad, we were looking forward to it and felt good physically and mentally. We apologize to our sponsors (namely volleychick.com) and supporters and all the folks we were going to meet up with out there. We'll still be on the coast, but now our focus is solely on the CBVA in Hermosa. This is going to be another Open event, which means the talent will be deep and strong. Hermosa is also famous for having some of the deepest sand anyhwhere, a big difference from the park hardpack we are used to out here. We got out last night to a new bar that has some real beach sand to run some drills with Colin. Since we only had 3, we had to do drills, but it was probably what will help us most. Aside from the tournament, we know we're going to have a good time just being on the beach and playing the game at its home. I think we feel pretty good playingwise given the way the last tournament went and how our practice sessions have been going. We're deifnately in shape from a long effort, so this should be good. Wish us luck and we'll let you all know how it went when we get back!

Sneakerz #1 Beach Volleyball Tournament: Results

It was a long, hot day, but a good turnout and some great play made this event all well worth while. Aside from local talent, we had players from AZ, CO and one with at UT/ CA connection. We even had one guy make the long trip up from Las Cruces to play in the event. Exciting to see the sport on the rebound in our state. This is especially true when considering many players are still on the floorboard until nationals is over this weekend in New Orleans.

So, the nitty gritty. It was a long day with short pool play games in the morning (15 pts). I think consensus amongst the players was to run smaller pools with fewer games to get the first phase out of the way sooner and leave teams with more energy for the playoffs. After pool play, the top finishers went into an upper bracket and the bottom finishers went into a lower one. Both brackets ran a double elim (6 upper and 5 lower). Some teams were playing really well and there was some parody with teams that beat one in pool losing in the playoffs and vice-versa. Colin and Thierry teamed up for the first time and had a strong showing, despite being fatigued by the heat. Chris still has his touch in spite of retirement and played well with his old partner, Brian from AZ. Matt and Rob played very well towards the end of the day in their first pairing, winning 3 consecutive matches in elimination play to make it to the finals. Andy and Gray pulled it together late in the day as well to conquer the lower bracket after fighting through a tough pool that saw many close matches and even records. I felt that Loric and I played strong throughout the day and felt the strongest during the finals, a good sign that all the conditioning has been paying off. We finished with an undefeated record and have some momentum to build on for our CA trip.
Anyhow, here are the results from memory, as my week has been pretty hectic and I haven't had a chance to call Tavake:
1) Loric Box/ Adam Rubel 2) Matt Valencia/ Rob Pierce 3) Chris Hammock/ Brian Post 4) Thierry Thelliez/ Colin Vito. Lower Bracket Winner: Andy Rice/ Gray Davis
Thanks again to Tavake and Sneakerz for a great tourney and Paul Sanchez for some great pics. The next event is 6/3. I'll be back in town next Wednesday to post entries, so go ahead and call Tavake or hang an email for me!

Gearing up!

OK, so tomorrow starts a long string of tournaments for us. We're definately ready for the months ahead. We've both been training and practicing hard, now it is time to put all that work to the test. For myself, I've been hitting the gym hard the last few weeks, lots of erxplosive and compund exercises. Single leg squats and deadlifts and things of the like. Also plyos - depth jumps, broad jumps, get ups, etc. And my new favorite, agility ladder work thanks to my friend Steph that loaned one to me. This is great for developing foot quickness, which is a big key on the court. I've been out playing 3 times a week, including one day on the weekend that Loric and I have been getting together for the last couple months or so. So, physically - ready. Mentally - I think we're feeling strong, focused and confident. We know we've put the work in, so it's time to see the results. We will be challenged for sure, especially next weekend at the qualifier and open tournaments in California, but that's what it is all about. Things seem to be falling into place and we are ready to have some great fun.

Now the big news: You may have noticed a sponsor section at the left. That's right, VolleyChick.com is our new sponsor for the Huntington AVP qualifier and we are very happy to have them on board. Check out their site, they've got a line for dudes and lots for girls, women, moms to be and volleybabies. Smith sport and Badger have also signed on as supporters.

I hope to figure out the audio blogger feature so we can post updates in real time while we are out in CA. OK, time to get some rest before tomorrow's tourney.

Going back to Cali...

OK, so I'm not referring to a terrible 80's song here. Loric and I have the opportunity to travel back to the coast at the end of May. We're excited because it looks like we'll get to play the AVP qualifier in Huntington and a CBVA event in Hermosa. We'll also have a little extra time to get on the beach during the week and hopefully fall into some good games. We're all looking forward to a mini vacation.
So, I guess I need to refocus my training. The work in the winter definately feels like it is paying off, my legs were fresh through the whole KoB on Saturday. One thing I didn't like was that I felt a bit winded during some of the longer rallies. So, I must face my nemesis and do that sprinting and cardio work I've been trying so hard to put off. If I can get good wind here at 7,500 ft, then hopefully I'll have no problems at sea level. Loric's been playing great and is in great shape, he's a runner and has been jumping super high this year. We should have better sand legs on this trip and certainly will have had tons more time playing on the court. We're stoked to get up against some of the best competition.

May 20th Sneakerz #1 Tournament

Sneakerz is preparing for their first team doubles event of the season. This should be a very good event, given the turnout to the KoB event last weekend. I'm not sure of the format, but in the past the event has been abbreviated pool play followed by a double elimination in the upper bracket and a single or double elimination event for the lower. Everybody gets lots of playing and the level of competition can get pretty good when teams from out of state drop in and challenge the local guys. I'll post more info about the tourney as it becomes available here. In the meantime, let me and/ or Tavake know if you're interested in playing, and we'll add your team to the list. If you've looking for a partner, join the yahoo group: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/volleyball-sw
Check in time is 8:30AM with Play starting at 9:00.
and post out an email . Here is the list of registered teams so far:
1) Loric Box/ Adam Rubel
2) Rob Pierce/ Matt Valencia
3) Chris Hammock/ Brian Post
4) Jeff Poole/ Tavake Misailegalu
5) Thierry Thelliez/ Colin Vito
6) Desi Vigil/ Larry Cromwell
7) Andy Rice/ Gray Davis
8) Paul Sanchez/ Bret
9) Derrick Ray/Robert Oselio
10) John Malcom/ Partner
11) Kameron/ ?
12) Ricardo Sanchez/ Lopaka
13) Tom Parks/ ?

4/29 Sneakerz KoB results

Well, it was a fine tournament with a good turnout, good weather and good times. Folks got lots of games in and a chance to play with many different people. Thanks to Tavake and Sneakerz for putting another great event together. Looks like volleyball in the desert here is off to a strong start. Should be a good season of events. Here are the tournament results:
Upper:1) Loric Box - $110 2) Adam Rubel - $60 3) Chris Hammock - $30 4) Jeff Poole - T-shirt 5) Matt Valencia 6) Rob Pierce 7) Ricardo Sanchez 8) Desi Vigil Lower: 9) Jeff Bryce - $30 10) Larry Cromwell - T-shirt 11) Tavake 12) Rich Parry 13) Derrick 14) Paul Sanchez 15) Kameron 16) Tony Schimkus 17) Robert Oselio

Thanks to Paul for some great pics of the event!

4/29 Sneakerz Entries

Well, I got the list of entries from Tavake for this Saturday's tournament at Sneakerz in Albuquerque. It's a King of the Beach format. If you're interested in playing, give him a call: 505-720-4209. Anyhow, here's the current list, I'll update as I get more info:
1) Kameron 2)Pat White 3) Tavake 4) Jeff Poole 5)Adam Rubel 6) Steve 7) Desi Vigil 8) Larry Cromwell 9)Tony Schimkus 10)Paul Sanchez 11) Rob Pierce 12) Loric Box 13) Matt Valencia 14) Robert 15) Derek 16) Mike Noonan 17) Ricardo Sanchez 18) Chris Hammock
See you all out at Sneakerz this Saturday at 9:00 AM!

2006 Outdoor Schedule

Thanks to Desi Vigil, here is a thoroughly compiled schedule of 2006 outdoor volleyball tournaments in four states: New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and Utah.
That's Desi on the left. Also, thanks to Paul Sanchez who is responsible for many of the great pics you see. Most of thse are from Sneakerz tournaments in NM.

2006 NEW MEXICO OUTDOOR VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

APRIL
Apr. 22: Sneakerz Sand Tournament, 4 on 4 Coed - Sneakerz, Alb., NM - $10/person, Intermediate & Recreational Contact: Tavake Misailegalu 505-720-4209
Apr. 29: Sneakerz King of the Beach - Sneakerz, Albuquerque, NM - $15/person, Open Sand, Competitive Doubles Contact: Tavake Misailegalu 505-720-4209
MAY
May 13/14: Send Them to Nationals Fund Raiser Grass Tournament - Bataan Memorial Park, Alb., NM - $10/person pre., $15/person day of, 13th - M/W Doubles, Trips; 14th - Coed Rev. Doubles, Coed Rev. 4's, Juniors age groups 14, 16 & 18's Contact: Fred Ader 505-480-4196, fmader@sandia.gov
May 20: Sneakerz Summer Series #1 - Sneakerz, Alb. NM - $30/team, Men Open Sand, Competitive Doubles Contact: Tavake Misailegalu 505-720-4209
May 21: ABQ VolleyFest (Grass) - Bataan Memorial Park, Alb., NM - $10/person pre., $15/person day of - Trips, Coed 4's, Doubles (TBD) Contact: Fred Ader 505-480-4196, fmader@sandia.gov
May 27: Sneakerz Sand Tournament, 5 on 4 Coed - Sneakerz, Alb. NM - $10/person, Intermediate & Recreational Contact: Tavake Misailegalu 505-720-4209
JUNE
Jun 3: Sneakerz Summer Series #2 - Sneakerz, Alb. NM - $30/team, Men Open Sand, Competitive Doubles Contact: Tavake Misailegalu 505-720-4209
Jun 10: ABQ VolleyFest (Grass) - Bataan Memorial Park, Alb., NM - $10/person pre., $15/person day of - (TBD)Contact: Fred Ader 505-480-4196, fmader@sandia.gov
Jun 17: MUDD4KIDS Volleyball Tournament
June 24: Sneakerz Summer Series #3 - Sneakerz, Alb. NM - $30/team, Men Open Sand, Competitive Doubles Contact: Tavake Misailegalu 505-720-4209
Jun 25: ABQ VolleyFest (Grass) - Bataan Memorial Park, Alb., NM - $10/person pre., $15/person day of - (TBD) Contact: Fred Ader 505-480-4196, fmader@sandia.gov
JULY
Jul 8: ABQ VolleyFest (Grass) - Location TBD, Alb., NM - $10/person pre., $15/person day of - (TBD)Contact: Fred Ader 505-480-4196, fmader@sandia.gov
Jul 15: Sneakerz Summer Series #4 - Sneakerz, Alb. NM - $30/team, Men Open Sand, Competitive Doubles Contact: Tavake Misailegalu 505-720-4209
July 22: Sneakerz Sand Tournament, 4 on 4 Blind Draw - Sneakerz, Alb., NM - $10/person - Intermediate & Recreational Contact: Tavake Misailegalu 505-720-4209
July 29: ABQ VolleyFest (Grass) - Location TBD, Alb., NM - $10/person pre., $15/person day of - (TBD) Contact: Fred Ader 505-480-4196, fmader@sandia.gov
AUGUST
Aug 6: Sneakerz Summer Series #5 - Sneakerz, Alb. NM - $30/team, Men Open Sand, Competitive Doubles Contact: Tavake Misailegalu 505-720-4209
Aug 12: ABQ VolleyFest (Grass) - Location TBD, Alb., NM - $10/person pre., $15/person day of - (TBD) Contact: Fred Ader 505-480-4196, fmader@sandia.gov
Aug 19/20: ABQ VolleyFest (Grass) - Tune-up for Aspen - Location TBD, Alb., NM $10/person pre., $15/person day of - (TBD) Contact: Fred Ader 505-480-4196
Aug 26: Sneakerz Summer Series #6 - Championship - Sneakerz, Alb. NM - $30/team, Men Open Sand, Competitive Doubles Contact: Tavake Misailegalu 505-720-4209
SEPTEMBER
Sept 16/17: Bad Ass Grass Tournament - Location TBD, Alb. NM - Sept 16 - Open Grass M / W, Competitive Grass M /W Sept 17 - Open Grass Coed, Competitive Grass Coed, Contact: Fred Weller @ www.abqvolleyball.com
Note: This is not a complete list of tournaments in New Mexico.

2006 COLORADO OUTDOOR VOLLEYBALL SCHEDULE

MAY
May 29: Memorial Day Co-ed Doubles - Youth Memorial Complex, Arvada, CO - $50/team - Co-ed A, BB, B Contact: Kay Palmer - 303-403-2521, kayp@northjeffco.org www.northjeffco.org
JUNE
June 3: CPVA #1 - Arapahoe County Community Park; Englewood, CO - $50/team (late fee: $15) - M / W Open (sand); must be AVPNext member
June 3: Volleyball Colorado Classic - Arapahoe Community Park; Englewood, CO - $50/adult teams - Men's A, BB, B, Women's A, BB, Co-ed A, BB
June 10: Volleymania - Cornerstone Park; Littleton, CO - $50/adult teams - Men's Open, A, BB, B, Women's Open, A, BB, Co-ed A, BB
June 16-18: 34th annual Vail 'King of the Mountain Open' - Vail Athletic Field; Vail, CO $45/team (late entry: $60/team) Mens' Masters (35-over), Mens' Seniors (45-over); M / W Open (sand); Men's A, BB, B; Women's A, BB; Co-ed A, BB; Juniors (Boys and Girls) 18's, 16's, 14's (grass) Father/Son 18s, 16s, 14s,12s; Father/Daughter 18s, 16s, 14s (grass)
June 24: CPVA #2 - Lakewood Park; Lakewood, CO - $50/team (late fee: $15)Men's/Women's Open (sand); must be AVPNext member
June 24: City of Lakewood Doubles - Lakewood Park; Lakewood, CO - $50 adult teams - Men's A, BB, B, Women's A, BB, Co-ed A, BB
JULY
July 15: CPVA #3 - Arapahoe County Community Park; Englewood, CO - $50/team (late fee: $15) - M / W Open (sand); must be AVPNext member
July 15: Volleypalooza - Arapahoe Community Park; Arapahoe County - $50/adult teams - Men's A, BB, B, Women's A, BB, Co-ed A, BB
July 22: Spike-It-Rich - Aurora Sports Park; Aurora - $50/adult teams - Men's Open, A, BB, B, Women's Open, A, BB, Co-ed A, BB
July 29: Colorado Volleyball Championships - Arapahoe Community Park; Arapahoe County - $50/team - M / W A, BB, B, Co-ed A, BB
July 29: CPVA #4 - Arapahoe County Community Park; Englewood, CO - $50/team(late fee:$15) - M / W Open (sand); must be AVPNext member
AUGUST
Aug. 5: Rocky Mountain State Games - Volleyball (Grass) - Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO - $75/team (Adult) - Men's/Women's 4s A, B Contact: 719-634-7333 x. 1003, mailto:lynn@SportsOasis.com www.TheSports.org/rmsg
Aug. 5: Longmont Grass Doubles Volleyball Tournament - Roosevelt Park; Longmont,CO - $45/adult teams M / W A, BB, B, Co-ed A, BB, B Contact: 303-774-4562; brian.felse@ci.longmont.co.us www.ci.longmont.co.us
Aug. 5/6: DIG OR DIE Tournament - Fort Collins Health Club; Fort Collins, Co - $35/team - Men's A Sand, Men's A, BB, Women's A, BB, Co-ed A, BB Contact: Fort Collins Club @ 970-224-2582, fcc@ftcclub.net
Aug. 6: Rocky Mountain State Games - Volleyball (Sand) - The Sand Pits, Colorado Springs, CO - $40/team (Adult) - Men's/Women's A, B, Contact: 719-634-7333 x. 1003, mailto:lynn@SportsOasis.com www.TheSports.org/rmsg
Aug. 20: Late Bloomers Co-ed Doubles - Youth Memorial Complex, Arvada, CO - $50/team - Co-ed A, BB, B, Contact: Kay Palmer - 303-403-2521, kayp@northjeffco.org www.northjeffco.org
Sun., Aug. 25 - 27: AVP Cuervo Gold Crown Boulder Open - Boulder Reservoir,Boulder - General admission seating starts at $15
SEPTEMBER
Aug. 31-Sept. 4: 34th annual MotherLode Volleyball Classic - Various parks; Aspen, CO $60/team (late entry: $80/team) - Mens' Seniors (45-over/50-over); Mens' Masters (37-over); Men's Open (sand); Men's AA, A, BB, B (grass) Womens' Masters (35-over); Women's Open (sand); Women's A, BB, B (grass) Co-ed Open, A, BB, B (grass)
Sept. 9: Sunset Blast Co-ed Doubles - Harold Lutz Sports Complex, Arvada, CO - $50/team - Co-ed A, BB, B, Contact: Kay Palmer - 303-403-2521, kayp@northjeffco.org www.northjeffco.org
Sept. 10: Sunset Blast Men's/Women's Doubles - Harold Lutz Sports Complex, Arvada, CO - $50/team - Men's/Women's A, BB, B,
For additional tournament information, visit www.coloradovolleyball.com

Note: This is not a complete list of tournaments in Colorado.

2006 ARIZONA OUTDOOR TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

APRIL
Apr 1: VAO Volleyball Madness II (Sand) - men/women - A/B, coed open
Apr 15: VAO Tax Relief (Sand) - men/women open, men/women/coed - A/B
Apr 22/23: ASU Grass Event (Grass) - men/women/coed
Apr 29: AO/Victory Lane Beach Bash 4's (Sand) - coed open, A/B 4's
MAY
May 4: Todd Rogers Adult Skills Clinic (Sand) - all levels
May 13: SWPVA/VAO Yuma Open (Sand) - men/women open
May 20: Dig It! COED 4s (Indoor) - coed 4's indoor open, A/B
JUNE
Jun 17: Dusk Till Dawn I Event (Sand) - men/women open, men/women/coed - A/B
JULY
July 1: Shark Prescott Open (Sand) - men/women open, men/women - A/B
AUGUST
Aug 5: Dusk Till Dawn II Event (Sand) - men/women open, men/women/coed - A/B
SEPTEMBER
Sept 2/3: VAO Calcutta (Sand) - men/women open, men/women - A/B
OCTOBER
Oct 21/22: $5,000 Tempe ProAM (Sand) - men/women
Oct 28: Halloween COED 4s (Sand) - coed 4's open, A/B
VolleyballArizona OrganizationHotline: (602) 532-7931, Email: info@volleyballarizona.org
Website: www.volleyballarizona.org
Note: This is not a complete list of tournaments in Arizona.

2006 UTAH UOVA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE

APRIL
Apr 8: St. George Spring Fling Opener M/W/Doubles Worthen Park, 400 E 285 S, St George Bob Peckham 4356345860 bob.peckham@sgcity.org
Apr 15: UOVA Members Only M/W Dbles/Jrs/Mastrs Cottonwood Complex, 4400 S. 1300 E., SLC Annette Cottle 8016298259 annettecottle@ci.ogden.ut.us
Apr 22: Spring Opener M/W/Doubles UVSC Soccer Field, Orem Dave Richards 8012261269 richarlo@aol.com
Apr 29: Spring Mix Up Reverse Coed/Dbles Northwest MPC, 1300 W. 300 N.,SLC Nancy Smith 8015960072 nsmith@slco.org
MAY
May 6: Six Pack Saturday Coed/Doubles County Ice Center Field, 5201 S. Murray Park Lane Nancy Taylor 8012707260 nataylor@slco.org
May 13: Bring on the Heat M/W/Doubles Cottonwood Complex, 4400 S 1300 E, SLC Shawn Ashby 8019746923 sashby@slco.org
May 20: UOVA Members Only Reverse Coed/Dbles Cottonwood Complex, 4400 S 1300 E, SLC Nancy Taylor 8012707260 nataylor@slco.org
May 27: Mixed Mayhem Coed/Doubles Wheeler Farm, 6351 S 900 E, Murray Jill Johnson 8015382062 jsjohnson@slco.org
May 30: Memorial Day Madness M/W/Jrs/ Doubles UVSC Soccer Field, Orem Dave Richards 8012261269 plyrsvbc@aol.com
JUNE
Jun 3: Spike the Heights M/W/Doubles Cottonwood Heights Rec. Ctr., 7500 S 2700 E, SLC Kari White 8014240621 kpringle@slco.org
Jun 10: Setting With The Sun M/W/Doubles Steed Park, 300 N 1000 W, Clearfield Curtis Dickson 8015252795 recdesk@clearfieldcity.org
Jun 17: Salt Lake City Classic M/W/Jrs/Doubles Liberty Park, 600 E 1000 S,SLC Tyler Curtis 8015356118 tyler.curtis@slcgov.com
Jun 24: Utah Summer Games M/W/Jrs/Dbles/Mstrs/coed 4s Cottonwood Complex,4400 S 1300 E, SLC Annette Cottle 8019400391 cottlevb@msn.com
JULY
Jul 1: Freedom Festival M/W/Jrs/Doubles UVSC Soccer Field, Orem Dave Richards 8012261269 plyrsvbc@aol.com
Jul 4: 24th Annual 4th of July M/W/Jrs/Doubles City Park/Treasure Mt. Middle School, Park City Jessica Moran 4356155414 jmoran@parkcity.org
Jul 8: Ogden City Summer Fest M/W/Jrs/Dbles/Mstrs/Coed 4s 4th Street Complex,502 Wall Ave, Ogden Annette Cottle 8016298259 annettecottle@ci.ogden.ut.us
Jul 15: Pioneer Days Doubles M/W/Doubles Sugarhouse Park, 1350 E 2100 S, SLC Jill Johnson 8015382062 jsjohnson@slco.org
Jul 22: July 24th Coed Classic Coed/Doubles Cottonwood Complex, 4400 S 1300 E, SLC Wendy Stratton 8014951480 wstratton@slco.org
Jul 24: Bruin Bash M/W/Doubles/Mstrs SLCC, 4600 So. Redwood Road, SLC Shay Clemensen 8019574764 shay.clemensen@slcc.edu
Jul 29: Best in the West M/W/Dbles/Coed 4's Gene Fullmer Rec. Ctr., 8015 S 2200 W, West Jordan Shawn Lavender 8015638440 slavender@slco.org
AUGUST
Aug 5: Park City Arts Festival M/W/Jrs/Doubles City Park, Park Ave, Park City Jessica Moran 4356155414 jmoran@parkcity.org
Aug 11: Dusk till Dawn Coed Doubles/Mstrs Alta Canyon Sports Ctr, 9565 S Highland Dr, Sandy Kim McKellar 8015684602 kmckella@sandy.utah.gov
Aug 12: Sunset Showdown M/W/Coed/Doubles Sunset City Softball Complex, 1800 N 85 W, Sunset Cory Haddock 8016149105 recreation@sunsetut.com
Aug 19: Ogden City Slam & Scram M/W/Jrs/Dbles/Mstrs/coed 4s 4th Street Complex, 502 Wall Ave, Ogden Annette Cottle 8016298259 annettecottle@ci.ogden.ut.us
Aug 26: Bam Bam Tournament M/W/Doubles Cottonwood Complex, 4400 S 1300 E, SLC Cristina Barber 8012534404 cbarber@slco.org

SEPTEMBER
Sept 2: Labor Day Coed Coed Doubles Cottonwood Complex, 4400 S 1300 E, SLC Shawn Ashby 8019746923 sashby@slco.org
Sept 4: Tooele Swim & Slam M/W/Doubles Deseret Peak Complex, 2930 W Highway 112, Tooele Lindsay Sundloff 4358434035 lsundoff@co.tooele.ut.us
Sept 9: September Slam Coed/Doubles Copperview Com. Center, 8446 S Harrison,Midvale TaufikHermansyah 8015610075 thermansyah@co.slc.ut.us
Sept 16: Buffalo Spikers (Grass Tourney) M/W/Doubles Constitution Circle, 465 N Wasatch Drive, Layton Natalie Flint 8013363900 nflint@laytoncity.org
Sept: 23: The Great Acorn Coed/Doubles County Ice Center Field, 5201 S Murray Park Lane Nancy Taylor 8012707260 nataylor@slco.org
Sept 30: Oktoberfest Coed/Doubles Harmony Park, 3700 S Main, SLC Jill Johnson 8015382062 jsjohnson@slco.org
OCTOBER
Oct 7: Replacing Violence with Sports Coed 4's Cottonwood Complex, 4400 S 1300 E, SLC Kimi Barnett 8015378609 kbarnett@ywca.com
Oct 14: Fall Finale M/W/Doubles Worthern Park, 285 S 400 E, St. George Bob Peckham 4356345860 bob.peckham@sgcity.org
For additional tournament information, visit the UOVA website at www.uova.org
Note: This is not a complete list of tournaments in Utah.

Sneakerz Beach Volleyball King of the Beach Tourney: 4/29

Summer time is here! NM's first tourney of the year:

Sneakerz will be running its first sand doubles tournament of the year in Albuquerque. It will be a King of the Beach Tournament. Skill level varies, and typically breaks into an upper and lower bracket following pool play. We had some good strong tourneys last year and everybody had a good time.

Details: AVP/FIVB Rules - rally scoring, Wilson ball, short court and antennas.Cost - $15.00 per person - PLEASE BRING CASH ONLY (NO CHECKS WILL BE ACCEPTED SINCE SNEAKERZ HAS TO PAY THE MONEY BACK OUT) Sneakerz will provide water. Please do not bring any food or drinks into Sneakerz after 11am. The only exception Tavake has made is fruit. Everyone under 21 must be under adult supervision while at Sneakerz and will not be allowed in the bar except to use the restrooms. Sneakerz has a full service bar and food menu which will be available after 11am. To register, call Tavake at: 505-720-4209.