We were able to keep the magic rolling from Europe to here in the states. Hermosa was fantastic as always. Great weather, crowd and I love the sand there. It is deep and allows you to play great defense. Guys can't hit extreme angles and it is all about ball control. I took my son, Nate, down to the event. We got up at 5am on Friday and drove down to Hermosa for the 9am match. Usually I take Hannah, my daughter, to this event but she was in a horse roping competition on friday. Plus, Nate has never come with me to a full event so Hermosa Beach was a good one to start. It is close, I know lots of people there and you have the ocean to play in too.
In the first round Phil and I played the qualifier team of Mike Szymanski and John Wankner. We had never played them before but I know Mike has been playing for quite some time. We won 13 and 12. It was difficult at first to play on the sand of Hermosa as our last tourney in Austria the sand was very packed and guys were flying off the sand. Then all of a sudden you are jumping in the Hermosa sand and you aren't going anywhere. After that game Phil, Coach Nate and I went to speak to the sponsors at the AVP Sponsor Summit. I think it went pretty well as Geeter MC'd it and the sponsors seemed genuinely interested in what we had to say about the new AVP management as well as a host of other things. Then it was time to get back on the sand for our noon match against John Moran and Mike Placek. Phil and I played great in that match and we won, 7 and 12. In the first they just could not get the ball past Phil and if they did I was scooping it. After the game, Nate and I went and checked into the hotel but came back to the beach to do a Red Bull clinic for some high school kids from 5 to 6:30. Clinic went well and I think the kids enjoyed it.
On Saturday we played the quarters of the winners at 9am against Ty Loomis and Casey Patterson who are having an outstanding season. They served really tough and had a bunch of aces but we prevailed 17 and 14. Then we had to hang out all day long as our next match wasn't until after the women's finals at 1pm. So we played the winners semis around 3pm against Kevin Wong and Matt Olson. They had beaten us in Manhattan Beach as Matt had played the best I have ever seen him play in regards to siding out. So this time we went more at Kevin and it seemed to work. I sided out better in Hermosa than I did in Manhattan Beach and we won, 19 and 14. Immediately following that match I did a Red Bull signing outside of Hennessey's Bar on the Hermosa Promenade. I was there for about an hour and saw some people I have not seen in a long time. Then Nate and I were able to get off the beach and back to the hotel for some rest.
On Sunday Coach Nate and I checked out of the hotel and headed down to the beach for our semifinal match at 10:30 vs. Brad Keenan and Nick Lucena. The first game we played very well and they did not. The second game was a battle. They were siding out very well, mixing up shots and hits. Nick really picked up his defense and started making some crazy scoops. There were ahead by a point when a long rally ensued. We ended up winning that rally and from there were able to pull out the game. The scores were 10 and 19. In the finals we played John Hyden and Sean Scott for the 4th time. We had lost to them in the last 2 finals we had met. In the first game they sided out really well. We sided out well but they were pretty much perfect and didn't give up many if any points. We had a couple of chances but couldn't convert. In the second game I picked up my defense and gave us more opportunities to score points and we did. In the third game it was back and forth until 7 all. We then scored 3 straight and were able to push through all the way to the victory. The scores were, 18-21, 21-15, and 15-9. Good to get back on the top of the podium on the AVP. After the finals we hung around for about 3 hours as I was playing with Shaq vs. Misty/Kerri. I won't say much as people are going to have to watch the Shaq vs. reality show to see how we did. I will say that Shaq is a very funny funny guy and fun to play with too. This meant we didn't get home until around 10:00 that night. Very long weekend but Coach Nate did a great job just like Coach Hannah has done for the past 3 Hermosa Beach Open's.
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Good to see you guys back on top not only international, but here at home. This was the first time I have been able to see you on TV since the Olympics, and I must say you guys got some serious domination going on. The reach that Phil has over the net is unreal, definitely limits the other team so you can play some good defense.
I have been playing a lot this summer and still totally suck at defense. My anticipation is just not there and find myself stuck in position as their slow roll shot goes right past me. Do you have any advice you could give of what I should do to improve my defense? What I need to be looking at to anticipate better or something I can do to improve my quickness?
Great to see you playing with enthusiasm again and, to see you bring your son with you – way back when I used to travel with my son to the tournaments I was playing in - good memories! Congrats on the victories and the consistent playing – ( PS - tell Phil to quit trying to hit “straight down” and down the line, when he’s in transition on the right)
Great show on Sunday, Todd. Watching the AVP under a perfect California sun with Marlowe and Sunderland doing the commentary brought me back to the glory days of the late 80s and early 90s. The stands were full too. It must have been a great experience and the 4-peat is a great accomplishment for the team. Hopefully NBC did a big number for the broadcast and the AVP will become bigger and stronger....have a great weekend everyone...Scott from Cape Cod
Nice work in the SF open, Todd! Didn't get a chance to watch any of the matches online, but looking forward to the broadcast next weekend. Counting down the days until Chicago....five of us are making the 12.5 hour drive all the way from Delaware to root you and Phil on to another win:-)
Schvanz- Thanks. Tough to say if I can't watch you play defense. Don't be moving when the hitter is hitting the ball and try not to lean one way or the other. Just stay balanced and low.
UBV- Thanks. Having Nate out there was very fun. Phil usually doesn't do that but I guess he was in a rut.
Scott- Thanks. It was a great tourney and epic weekend overall.
Steve H. - Thanks and look forward to seeing you in Chicago.
Todd
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