Mira Costa alumni among Class of 2015 Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame inductees
Like most professional beach volleyball players, Lisa Arce-Zimmerman made a name for herself playing the indoor game and, although she grew up in Manhattan Beach, it took a $100 bet for the Mira Costa High School and UC Berkeley standout to become a fixture — and eventually one of the greats — on the sand court.
Friday evening, Arce-Zimmerman will be one of four volleyball legends honored when the California Beach Volleyball Association (CBVA) in conjunction with the Hermosa Beach Historical Society will hold its 5th annual Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.
Festivities begin at 7 p.m. in the Hermosa Beach Theater, 710 Pier Ave., followed by a social gathering in Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame inside the adjacent Hermosa Beach Historical Society. Tickets are $10 and available at cbva.com.
Arce-Zimmerman will join fellow Mira Costa alum Jon Hastings, Nancy Cohen and Ricci Luyties as the Class of 2015. Also recognized will be Andy Fishburn (Class of 2003) as well as the CBVA’s top ranked players from each rating class and the Cal Cup Youth State Champions.
Lisa Arce-Zimmerman’s passion for volleyball began in middle school watching older brother Rick Arce play on the beach and indoor for the Mira Costa Mustangs
“I was fortunate to be in the hotbed of beach volleyball here in Manhattan Beach,” Arce-Zimmerman said. “My mom took me to the Six-Man, the Manhattan Open and to many of my brothers CBVA events.”
Yet it was indoor where Arce-Zimmerman first excelled. Playing for legendary coach DaeLea Aldrich (who will be speaking for Arce-Zimmerman at the induction ceremony), she won a state and national championship at Mira Costa in 1985 alongside teammate, longtime friend and future beach volleyball Hall of Famer Holly McPeak.
She was a two-time All-Pac Ten player during her four-year career at UC Berkeley before returning to Mira Costa as an assistant coach.
“After college, DaeLea snagged me to coach at Costa right away, so she has been a great influence in everything I have done,” Arce-Zimmerman said. “She was coaching a few pros on the beach and I did go to some practices to learn from them. Gail Castro and Elaine Roque were great with me.”
In 1992, Arce-Zimmerman was hanging out at the beach at Marine street playing some volleyball and getting lots of ocean time. It was a summer that would change her life.
“Holly would train there everyday as well as many of the pros I watched,” Arce-Zimmerman recalled. “I would be a blocker or server for her practices and both Holly and her coach Anna Collier would urge me to compete in an event. Finally, they challenged me to play in the next event or I would owe them a hundred bucks.”
Collier found a partner, Colleen Harp, who had enough points to qualify for the tournament and the duo entered the Austin event.
“We won enough games to make it to Sunday which meant we took a 9th place,” Arce-Zimmerman said. “It earned me more than the $100 I would have ‘owed’ to Holly and Anna. At the time, Holly was playing on a different tour so she wasn’t in Austin.
“DaeLea, Anna, Holly and my brother Rick, who was my first partner in co-ed events and eventually coached me on tour, were major influences in my beach volleyball career.”
Most of the players Arce-Zimmerman rooted for at events played at Marine Street throughout the week. Tim Hovland, Mike Dodd, Brent Frohoff, Kevin Cleary and Tim Walmer were some of her favorites. Once Holly started playing in events, Zimmerman began watching the women more which included Nina Matthies, Elaine Roque, Kathy Gregory, Linda Hanley and Jackie Silva.
Arce-Zimmerman was a quick learner. Her high-octane offense combined with tremendous ball control and defensive skills earned her the WPVA Rookie of the Year in 1994. She won the Queen of the Beach tournament twice and, in 1997 was named the WPVA’s best blocker, best hitter and ace leader.
Arce-Zimmerman won 20 domestic and international tournaments, 14 of those with McPeak after the duo formed a partnership in 1996. The team’s — and Arce-Zimmerman’s — final tournament win came in Hermosa Beach on the AVP Tour in 2001.
“Winning my first tournament with my high school and college teammate and friend Holly McPeak is my favorite memory,” Arce-Zimmerman said. “It was the first time I played with her in a tournament and we won the event in Puerto Rico.”
Arce-Zimmerman also enjoyed success with partners Barbra Fontana, Patty Dodd, Marie Anderson, Rachel Scott, Leanne McSorley and others.
“I idolized many members of the Hall of Fame inductees and am so honored to be included with them,” Arce-Zimmerman said. “I thank the coaches who got me out on the sand and encouraged me to start competing in events which allowed me to play with so many great partners throughout the years.”
After serving as an assistant coach for more than 15 years under Aldrich, Arce-Zimmerman took over the Mira Costa’s head coaching position in 2007 leading the Mustangs to CIF, State and National Championships while winning an unprecedented 37 consecutive matches without a loss.
Arce-Zimmerman recorded an impressive 174-57 record (.753 winning percentage) during her tenure as head coach and had 27 players advance to compete on the collegiate level.
“I am so excited that volleyball has grown for the women to compete both indoor and on the beach,” Arce-Zimmerman said. “Competing in sports grows a woman’s confidence and self esteem, so I am glad that there are more opportunities for more players to continue on in college.”
Jon Hastings was raised in Hermosa Beach, attended Mira Costa High School alum, and later helped promote the sport of beach volleyball through the written word.
An avid beach volleyball player since the age of 14, Hastings has been involved with the sport for more than 40 years, most notably as the editor/publisher of the game’s leading publications.
Hastings recalls watching many legendary pioneers of beach volleyball such as Ron Von Hagen, Tom Chamales, Jim Menges and Greg Lee play in the 1970s.
Hastings cut his journalism teeth while writing for the Mira Costa High School student newspaper La Vista while playing on the Mustang’s basketball team alongside future beach volleyball Hall of Fame members Mike Dodd and Jon Stevenson.
He attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo before working for newspapers such as Maui News, Nevada Appeal, Honolulu Advertiser and San Luis Obispo Tribune.
In 1982, Hastings and Dennis Steers founded Volleyball Monthly Magazine which eventually merged with Volleyball Magazine in 1994. Hastings served as publisher until he helped launch DIG Magazine in 2003.
Hastings, 59, also coached indoor volleyball for nearly a decade, leading the San Luis Obispo High School boys team to eight league titles in nine seasons and the girls team to the CIF semifinals in his first season.
His daughter Kellen and son Connor were both all-CIF setters for the Tigers. After graduating from UCLA, Connor played several seasons on the AVP Tour and is now a regular contributor to DiG.
Hastings and his wife of more than 30 years, Tahlia, reside in San Luis Obispo and these days Jon finds himself spending more time on the golf course than on sand courts.
He continues to play beach volleyball at the Motherlode in Aspen each year, where he says the benefit of getting older “is that you are always a year closer to moving up an age division.“ He lists his favorite tournament beach partners as Andy Schroeder, Dan Salyer, Jon Lee, Brant Lee and Jon Stevenson.
“It’s rare when career, passion and family intersect,” Hastings says. “But when they do you have to feel pretty lucky.“
Hastings believes the sport’s athleticism and lifestyle are the major factors of the world-wide increase of popularity of beach volleyball.
A staunch supporter of women’s beach volleyball who founded and promoted the Women’s World Championship in Pismo Beach in 1986 and 1987, Hastings believes current USC star Sara Hughes will be a beach volleyball star for the next decade.
Nancy Cohen Fredgant grew up around the courts at Will Rogers State Beach. She had a volleyball in her hands from the time she began to walk.
At 15, Fredgant competed in her first Women’s Open teaming with fellow State Beach player Jean Brunicardi (CBVA Hall of Fame Class of 1993). The duo defeated future Hall of Fame members Eileen Clancy (1995) and Barbara May (1998).
“I was so proud to win that tournament, especially on my home court,” Fredgant said. “Jean was my mother’s best friend, while my dad was on the sidelines giving me pointers with his volleyball wisdom. I also loved just playing with my dad.”
After leading Pacific Palisades High School to the LA City championship in 1976 which earned her MVP honors, Fredgant played four years at Pepperdine but continued to play on the sand during her indoor career teaming with Kathy Gregory (CBVA HOF Inaugural Class of 1992) in 1977. It marked the beginning of a dominant team that won 13 of the 15 Opens the duo competed in together including the Manhattan Beach Open in 1979.
Being the shorter player, Fredgant handled most of the serves but thrived on the pressure.
“Teaming up with Kathy Gregory was the glory years of my career,” Fredgant said. “We got along famously. She was so good and knew exactly where to set me for each different play. She was as knowledgeable and cerebral about the game as anyone I’ve seen. I’m lucky she liked playing with me, because I sure enjoyed playing and winning with her.”
Fredgant finished her beach volleyball career winning 17 Opens of the 33 tournaments she entered. She also had success with many other players in an era when athletes competed for the love of the sport with little prize money. Fredgant earned a total of $1,700 in her career.
“It’s extremely gratifying to be in the Hall of Fame because I’ve been validated and recognized by my peers,” Fredgant said. “This is a special time in my life because it brings back a lot of memories that remind of what I did when I was younger – how much I loved playing and how much volleyball was a part of my life – perhaps it was all of my life. In a sense, I realize it’s pretty much who I am, physically and emotionally. To be included with all these fine players is a true honor.”
Following her retirement, Fredgant remained active in the sport as a coach and player.
“I’ve met so many fun and great people on the beach over the years,” Fredgant added. “I still play ball to this day with people and family I’ve known since I was born and the feeling of completeness this induction brings to my life is unexplainable.”
Ricci Luyties was another beach volleyball legend who began his volleyball career on the hardwood.
Winning national championships at UCLA (1981-84), Luyties was a two-time All-American and twice named Player of the Year and NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player of the Year (1983-84).
Yet Luyties epitomized the beach volleyball player. Standing 6-foot-5 with a chiseled body, Luyties combined the strength of an intimidating blocker with the finesse of a perfect setter.
He began his career on the sand in 1983 with Steve Obradovich while playing both beach and indoor volleyball.
A member of the USA Indoor National Team, Luyties won a gold medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea alongside former UCLA teammate Karch Kiraly. That same summer, Luyties and Kiraly teamed to capture the prestigious Manhattan Beach Open.
It was during the same period of playing both indoor and on the sand that Luyties competed in his most memorable tournament — again with Kiraly.
“We had National Team practice in the morning followed by a track meet that coach Marv Dunphy dreamed up where we ran 220s, 440s, and sprints,” Luyties recalled. “We hurried to the airport right after, flew to Mobile, Alabama, and drove to Panama City arriving at the hotel about 3 a.m.
“We lost the first match of the day with me stinking it up, but came all the way back through the loser’s bracket to play a double finals which we eventually lost to Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos.”
Missing their flight home, the duo jumped in the pool, raced back to the airport, flew to Los Angeles and drove to San Diego arriving at 2 a.m. and making it to National Team’s 8 a.m. practice.
After retiring from the National Team, Luyties competed full-time on the beach volleyball circuit for the next 13 years. He partnered with all of the great players of his era including Kiraly, Stoklos, Mike Dodd, Scott Ayakatubby, Jon Stevenson, Pat Powers and Brian Lewis.
He had his best success with Adam Johnson, winning three Opens, including the 1991 U.S. Championships in Hermosa Beach.
“The USA Championships in Hermosa is the win I remember most and maybe the single moment that I’ll remember forever,” Luyties said. “It was the largest crowd and most important tournament of the summer with the most prize money. Smith and Stoklos had been the top team forever and we beat them in a close finals. I stuffed a ball that I knew meant the end of the game.”
Luyties set the standard for the wave of big blockers that would follow. As the rule changed in the 1980s to allow blocking over, he used his long wingspan and technique to create a wall that accounted for innumberable points for his teams..
After leaving the tour in 2001, Ricci became a successful indoor coach still serving as head coach at UC San Diego.
“My mom used to talk about playing with some of the early greats of the game. Then I grew up watching some of the generation that put beach volleyball on the map so I have a deep respect for the history of the sport,” Luyties said. “I was fortunate to play in an amazing era of the game. It was a privilege to compete with some of the greatest players and personalities of beach volleyball. To be put in the Hall of Fame with these gifted athletes is truly an honor.”
CBVA Youth Cal Cup
Among those recognized as winners at the 10th annual Youth Cal Cup will be four girls from Manhattan Beach with special ties.
Lindsey Kelly and Olivia Bakos captured the crown in the Girls 14-under division while Kelly’s sister, Leah, partnered with Ava Gallien to win the 12-under title, defeating tournament favorites Kyla Doig (Redondo Beach) and Mandalay Rennon (Trabuco Canyon) in the finals.
Bakos and Gallien are cousins who cheered each other on amidst a large group of family members. Their mothers, Lisa Hoven Gallien and Lee Hoven Bakos, are identical twins who played for Mira Costa High School’s first girls volleyball state championship team in 1982 and later played at Pepperdine.
“It was lovely watching the girls play — and win — on the beach,” Lee Bakos said. “Our father [John] took us to tournaments all over the place when Lisa and I were young, so it’s nice to see our daughters following in our footsteps. Playing on the sand brings families together, much more than playing inside a gym.”
Best friends since second grade, Leah Kelly and Gallien enjoyed another successful summer as beach volleyball partners.
“Leah and Ava had their sights set on winning the Cal Cup all year long,” said Leah’s mother, Megan Kelly. “It’s such a prestigious tournament and every team is good. All of the girls worked very hard this year so they were so thrilled with the win.”
For Lindsey Kelly, who split time during the summer playing indoor for Mizuno Long Beach Volleyball Club, the Cal Cup marked the first time she and Bakos had played together. The two had qualified for the Cal Cup at different tournaments.
“”Lindsey and Olivia weren’t expected to win,” Megan Kelly said. “They had a tough semifinal game that was tied 24-24. Obviously, Kyla and Mandalay were disappointed by finishing second, but we weren’t home an hour when Mandalay, who plays at Mizuno with Lindsey, called to congratulate her. The beach volleyball community is very close which makes the fierce – yet friendly – competition on the sand so special.”
