HIT the beach. That's what Sean Scott's been doing in hopes of joining the Association of Volleyball Professionals Tour. Life’s a beach and then
you qualify (maybe)The former University of Hawaii hitter missed qualifying for the pro circuit by one spot, finishing seventh on the recent AVP Qualifying Tour. Life is no beer commercial for rookie players trying to break into the pro beach circuit. Consider that at the recent stop in Grand Rapids, Mich., the temperature was in the 50s and competitors played in the rain while spectators watched from their cars.
The 24-year-old Scott has been living in Southern California, working as a parking valet to augment his earnings. He said he feels fortunate to be living with the family of former UH teammate Mike Kantor and helps out around their house as part of his room and board.
"I was able to make enough on the tour to support myself," Scott said. "It was enough that I was intrigued into going back. I want to train year-round and give it another shot.
"I'm not too worried. I think I did well enough to get picked up (as a partner) and get some points to qualify."
THERE are two routes for aspiring players to take: through the qualifying tour, where the top six players earn an exemption for next season, or by teaming up with an AVP player to earn points. Scott started the year on the qualifying tour with former UCLA All-American Stein Metzger, another rookie. But Metzger ended up teaming with AVP member Lee LeGrande.
"I think if Stein and I had stayed together, we would have qualified," Scott said. "But he wasn't excited about the qualifying tour and the way we were treated.
"He just missed out, too. We both had our chances but, because of our inexperience, we weren't able to capitalize."
Part of the reason Scott will return to the mainland is the lack of beach courts and tournaments in Hawaii. It's a sentiment echoed by AVP officials, who say it has become too expensive to stage a tour stop here.
"People I talk to on the tour are so surprised about the lack of courts in Hawaii," Scott said. "They ask where do I train when I come back here. The main place is Outrigger (Canoe Club). There's Queen's, but you have to bring your own net.
"It's not like Southern California, where there are a gazillion sand courts up and down the coast. Courts that already have nets up and some that have lines."
Scott said he would like to see Waikiki become a viable area for beach volleyball, where currently public courts are limited to Queen's Surf Beach and Ft. DeRussy. He hopes that there will be more avenues for young Hawaii players to get beach experience.
He and former UH players Kantor, Jason Olive and Albert Hannemann put on the first Rainbow Reunion Volleyball Camp last Sunday as a way to give back to the community and the kids.
"We hope to make it an annual event," Scott said. "There doesn't seem to be much in the way of beach clinics and tournaments for kids. I know it would have helped me growing up. I didn't start playing seriously until last year. A lot of the guys from California have played on the beach all their lives.
"I'm finding there are a number of skills that I'm having to work on that other guys have. Like hand-setting, where, on the beach, you can hold the ball longer but it has to come out dead with no spin. To tell you how hard it is, Stein is still working on his beach hands."
HAPPY birthday to Mildred Minvielle, who celebrated her 90th at her Wilhelmina Rise home Sunday surrounded by some 60 friends. She and the late Molokai Hoe Race founder A.E. "Toots" Minvielle were married for 44 years before his passing six years ago.
Cindy Luis is a Star-Bulletin sportswriter.
Her column appears weekly.
