Just about the only difference between Lee LeGrande’s typical weekend volleyball game and last weekend’s 54th Annual Hermosa Beach 17th Street Labor Day tournament was the $40,000 Calcutta.
Two of the former AVP pro’s three teammates – Nate Staggs and Nick Schneider – play with him each weekend at 29th Street. The team’s chemistry was evident in the finals, where opponent Mark Paaluhi’s typical pyrotechnic play couldn’t match LeGrande’s team’s consistency.
To ensure parity among the 30 teams, the tournament committee assigns an A, B, C and D player to each team. LeGrand was his team’s A and relative newcomer Ryan Wald was the team’s D player. But it was hard to tell who the C player was. Staggs, a former San Diego Padres pitcher, took up beach volleyball just two years ago. But he hit as hard as you’d expect a major league pitcher. Setter Schneider was awarded the Lee Campbell Most Valuable Player award.
Both LeGrande and Schneider were playing through injuries. But the promise of the $16,000 first place prize money appeared to deaden the pain they might otherwise have felt. Paaluhi and partners Mike Ninnis, Mark “Shark” Walmer and John Nohima shared the $9,000 second place prize. Finishing third following a tight semi finals match against Paaluhi’s team were Derek Brewer, Jeff Urton, Mike Ferris and “Doc” John Wallace.
