Beach Volleyball News

This weekend's EVP event just happened to be at the current best spot in the entire country for playing the game, Deerfield Beach! Here are the criteria to make the top 10 list of perfect volleyball beaches. (Send in your choice!) Dana Camacho won by the way. You know the player with tattoos on both nipples.

 

To be considered the beach of choice it first must have at least 3 courts including a work-up and a women's height net. Deerfield Beach has 5 courts. There are a lot of places that might qualify with this set up, but there's more than just courts that go into the formula for top beach in the country! Sarasota, Fl., has courts and possibly the prettiest beaches in the world and the Yankee Clipper in Fort Lauderdale, with 8 work-up courts falls into this category, but falls short. Huntington Beach, CA. (my number 2 choice) is a great spot, but lacks the cohesive unit of locals that surf, party and play the game together. Sorry Jake Elliott, but the Windjammer no longer makes the cut up there in South Carolina.  As with the Yankee Clipper, those are days gone by.  There's an interesting spot in Louisville, Kentucky but it doesn't make the grade because it's inland.

 

The crew of characters and the quality of ball is the next consideration. The quality of play at the Yankee Clipper in Lauderdale has dropped considerably, so it is off the list temporarily. Deerfield Beach definitely has the motley crew on and off the court. The combination of bartenders, waiters, "entrepreneurs", surfers and beach bums is what makes that beach a stand out.  Kevin Kreig, also known as chewy and Chad are two of the biggest hounds I have ever met. They are a fun, gambling, partying group and the v-ball is top notch too! On any given Saturday the play on main court is open level and the work-up court is backed up for an hour. Sunday is a slightly different story depending on the hangovers. There is side action that includes backgammon as well as betting on the game. There's nothing like a small $5-10 wager on the game to get the play bumped up a notch or two. The female players of Deerfield are also always found in the finals of most east coast tournaments.

 

The surf break is also a key element and the Pier at Deerfield on certain days has some epic waves.  I've been there on days when the break is clean and as high as the Pier. What goes hand in hand with V-ball and surfers is of course the ladies and Deerfield is definitely not lacking in that department either. I've often considered doing a calendar entitled, "The Girls of Deerfield Beach", but I don't want to put Sports Illustrated,  "Swim Suit Edition", out of business. I'll have to work on that for the next article.

 

The amenities are key as well. Deerfield Beach has bathroom facilities right there along with showers, a water fountain and a soda machine. It also has some classic local bars located right above the courts. JB's has a reggae band that can be enjoyed court side and Kahuna's along with my all time favorite, the Whales Rib, are right across the street for the best food in town.

 

I've played volleyball at so many beaches up and down both coasts of Florida, up the east cost as far as New York and some classic beaches in California.  Huntington Beach ranks number two on my list since I played there this past June with my son and daughter. Hermosa Beach (16th street has a classic group) used to be one of my favorites along with the Santa Monica Pier and State Beach and Laguna's not bad either.  I go back to the days when they'd break into 4-man throw at the Santa Monica Pier with Butch May (that's Misty's dad), Wilt Chamberlin, Randy Stoklos and Chris Marlowe on opposing teams. Loser had to buy the six-pack. That was some intense fun! By the way, I am the only white man to ever stuff Wilt three consecutive times. But, I digress. All these locations are always in flux with the top beaches for play constantly changing.

 

With that in mind, no current Beach comes close to spending a weekend at Deerfield Beach, Florida.  Unlike California, the lines on the court are always in place (you don't have to bring them) and most any player can call winners on the work up courts.  Florida players don't pick up the lines and move the courts so you can't play, as I've witnessed in California.  So if you're looking for a great V-ball vacation, I'd head for Deerfield Beach, Florida...where they don't just train all day long and they actually get in more than one good game a day. As Sinjin Smith once said, "There is no substitute for playing the game".

 

 

Ken Haan is President and founder of Haan Capital Investments.