‘Tis the season for bracket busting and a bucket of wings at 11 am. But as much as we’re college basketball fans around here, I am more interested in what’s going on with the AVP. March is for securing partners, honing skills, and digging into the thick of training. We’re all mad here.
The first international tournament is this weekend, March 16-20, in Tlaxcala, Mexico. As the athletes are preparing for the beginning of the FIVB season, some pretty insanely high-level volleyball has gone down on the shores of SoCal.
Just last week, some of the top teams in the world competed against each other. And instead of it being on Stadium Court in front of thousands of screaming fans, it happened at 8am on a Friday in March.
At 16th St in Hermosa, we had a mini Women’s tournament with eight teams:
- Kelly (Claes) Cheng + Betsi Flint
- April Ross + Emily Day
- Sarah Sponcil + Terese Cannon
- Sara Hughes + Kelley Kolinske
- Zana Muno + Toni Rodriguez
- Sarah Pavan + Melissa Humana-Paredes (CAN)
- Joana Heidrich + Anouk Verge-Depre (SUI)
- Reka Orsi Toth (ITA) + Anastasija Kravcenoka (LAT)
They had paid referees, point sheets, and everything. Most every team played each other, and there were some truly incredible rallies. I was oo-ing and ah-ing all over the beach, fawning over the scoop digs, buttery sets, and kong blocks. Made me all the more excited for the first Pro Series event in Austin in early May!
Just a few streets down, four more Olympic hopeful teams played an unofficial, no referees set of games:
- Nick Lucena + Andy Benesh
- Chase Budinger + Troy Field
- Chaim Schalk + Theo Brunner
- Aleksandrs Samoilovs + Janis Smedins (LAT)
A few blocks from that, we had Tri Bourne + Trevor Crabb practicing with Cherif and Ahmed, the Tokyo Bronze Medalists of Qatar. Who, by the way are, the nicest people in the world; literally five different people told me that.
On any given day in the South Bay in March, passersby and beachgoers are witnessing crazy good volley. Athletes from all over the world storm our beach to train with AVP players. And it’s not just the top dogs. Developing athletes from China, Japan, New Zealand, and more have descended to slog through the deep sands of SoCal and train with American competition. Pretty awesome.
March is also madness because there’s a mad dash to find a partner before the Austin Pro Series event registration deadline on April 1st. People are scrambling a bit.
Many Tier 2 athletes were awaiting the recently revamped points system. Those point totals determine who is Auto-Main Draw and who needs to qualify for Austin via a feeder event in Panama City.
After the AVP and USA Volleyball merger in late 2021, international finishes now influence AVP entry point totals. This is completely different from years past, so the point system is brand new and very different than before.
I won’t get into the details because, honestly, #snoozefest. All you need to know is the new point totals, which were solidified late last week, have thrown everyone into the swing dancing-adjacent routine that is finding an AVP partner.
Movement on the partnership front is resting on a few key players. They’re the most desirable prospects – those with ample points and clout, the belles of the ball, the players that everyone wants to partner with. They’re getting texts from everyone (including me) inquiring as to whether they’ve made an official decision or not. Once these kingpins decide, a lot of other partnerships will fall in place.
Most, to my knowledge, have not made any official partnership announcements. Some signed up with people for the first FIVB, but that may not be their desired long-term partner. Or they’re one of many prospects. People are still feeling each other out, trying to decide if they want to hitch their horse to the cart just yet.
Because we’re still Dosey Doe-ing, on any given week, you can find someone playing with three to four different people. Everything is up in the air. Hence… madness.
I’m trying to decide the best way to inform the fans of who’s with whom and when. Maybe I need to write a news blurb every time I get confirmation. Maybe I’ll pilfer the AVP Instagram password and start posting stories. Maybe polls to see who you all want to see!
Whatever I end up doing, follow @avpbeach and sign up for the newsletter to stay in the loop. And shoot me a text if you hear anything juicy; I love the tea.