Friday, August 7, 1998
By Craig Kojima, Star-Bulletin
Stein Metzger celebrates a shot during a pickup beach
volleyball game at Waikiki Beach. Metzger will compete
in this weekend's Riggers Classic.
A ‘Stein’
of things
to come
Ex-Punahou School star
By Cindy Luis
Stein Metzger is confident
pro beach volleyball
tournaments such as this
weekend's Riggers Classic
will soon catch on in Hawaii
Star-BulletinHE doesn't sprinkle encouragement, he uses a shovel.
"Nice up." "Be aggressive." "Good corner shot."
One would think that Stein Metzger was holding court as a well-paid personal trainer. But this was just a simple -- and free -- beach clinic, with just two young participants who had to be coaxed off their towels.
It didn't matter to Metzger, the two-time All-American and Co-National Player of the Year in 1996. The Hawaii-raised, UCLA-molded setter was happy to be home, doing what he loves best: playing volleyball.
"To me, beach volleyball is a lifestyle, not a job," said Metzger, who with partner Eduardo Bacil, is one of the favorites in this weekend's 11th Riggers Beach Volleyball Classic at Queen's Beach. "It's the lifestyle we have here in Hawaii.
"What I'm really interested in is trying to bring the AVP Tour back to Hawaii. The tour stopped coming here about five years ago because they said it was too expensive. I'm going to find a way to make it work."
The 25-year-old Metzger has never lacked ambition nor drive. He led UCLA to two national titles (1995 and '96), and in his first full year on the Association of Volleyball Professionals Tour, he is already ranked 26th out of 200 players. He and Bacil have finished as high as second this season.
The Punahou School product has set a few personal goals. Going to the 2004 Olympics in Greece is one, getting a mini pro volleyball tour started in Hawaii is another.
"I've been able to make enough money so far so I can live in Hawaii half the year," said Metzger, who spends the rest of his time in California. "Eventually, I want to raise a family here and live here full-time. I want to keep playing volleyball here at a high level. I'd like to see us start a mini tour. But I think it's got to come up through the youth players."
To that end, Metzger has done free clinics on the beach in California and expects to hold some here during the next two months. He's been kicking around the idea of having a state high school tournament with those involved at the youth level, including Pono Ma'a, one of the organizers of the recent Pacific Rim junior tournament.
One problem beach volleyball enthusiasts have encountered is a lack of sand courts. Another is getting a permit to take over a good portion of a beach during a busy weekend.
"We may have to build some courts here and (on) the neighbor islands," Metzger said. "We're working on it."
Metzger also has been working on the transition from indoor to beach volleyball. Setters usually have an easier time "since we're used to touching the ball a lot and being leaders," Metzger said. "The beach is a good game for setters. It's so different from the indoor, especially dealing with the weather.
"What I like is you end up touching the ball every other time. What I appreciate is it's just you and one other guy, and each of you has a lot of impact on the game."
Twenty-four teams are vying for the $1,000 top prize. Besides Metzger-Bacil, other top contenders are Hugh Foster-John McDermott, Alika Williams-Lee LeGrande and Ma'a-Jon Andersen.
Event organizer Andersen has won his own tournament eight of the nine times he's entered. He sat out last year after knee surgery.
"The quality of competition is going to be very, very good," said Andersen, whose 43rd birthday coincides with Sunday's final day of play. "It could be one of the toughest ones we've ever had."
That's just fine with Metzger. Anything to make him a better player.
"I really like my partner," he said of Bacil. "He's taught me a lot about the game. We've been doing pretty well. Only 32 teams qualify for each (AVP) tournament and we're seeded eighth.
"There is opportunities in this sport to make good money. There are real opportunities for the kids from Hawaii. You've already got a number of us out there (on tour): Lee LeGrande, Sean Scoot, Wayne Seligson, Kevin Wong, myself. I hope we can get the interest here really going. The kids in Hawaii don't have the chances to play in tournaments every weekend like they do in California. Hopefully, we can change that."
Riggers Classic
What: Men's beach doubles volleyball tournament
