Manhattan Beach’s elite volleyball players came to engage in a friendly competition at The BarryBob Invitational tournament Saturday on the beach near Ninth Street. The event attracted some of the best volleyball players in the world, with Olympic Gold Medalists and Volleyball Pro Tour winners composing some of the teams. Despite the high skill level of the players, the mood was laid-back and non-competitive, with athletes engaging in friendly banter throughout the day.
“It’s kind of a mix of our friends, guys who play on the (pro volleyball) tour now and some old legends that used to play back in the day,” tournament organizer Kevin Cleary said.
The tournament was run under single-elimination rules with two teams of four playing under standard beach volleyball rules. In beach volleyball, the teams play against each other until one team has won two sets. A set is won by the first team to reach 21 points with a two point lead. Should both teams win one set, the tie is broken by playing one more set to 15 points.
The day started off with preliminary matches to determine which teams would advance to the playoff portion of the tournament. During the prelims the crowd was spread out amongst the various courts, with family and friends of the players eagerly watching their performance. The crowd would often shout words of encouragement or good-natured insults at the players during the game. It was during these games that the fun-loving nature of the volleyball community shined through.
“It’s the lifestyle of the California dream,” said Tim Hovland, five-time winner of the Manhattan Open. “There are generations of beach people here, fathers and sons playing side by side. BarryBob is a first-class volleyball tournament, that’s for damn sure.”
After the prelims and a lunch break, the 16 playoff teams began competing. The playoffs were a slightly more serious affair, with games ending on a mere two point difference. Players were diving through the air with expert form and determination, doing whatever it took to keep the ball off of the coarse, unforgiving sand.
At approximately 5 p.m. only four teams were left standing, meaning that it was time for the semi-final rounds. One of these teams was led by professional NBA player, Luke Walton. Walton once played for the Los Angeles Lakers, but was recently traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers. His 6’8’’ build was a huge asset to his team, as he was able to shut down numerous attacks at the net.
“I love the beach and (volleyball) is just a great way to get exercise and have a little competition at the same time,” Walton said. “These tournaments are a lot more laid back (than the NBA), everyone’s out here having a good time, hanging out at the beach.”
On Walton’s team was another professional sports star, NHL legend Marty McSorley. McSorley played for the Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers alongside Wayne Gretzky, winning the Stanley Cup in 1987 and 1988. McSorley brings the same determination and relentless playing style to the beach as he does to the ice. When asked to compare the two sports communities, McSorley said the following:
“I think when you’re dealing with athletes you’re dealing with the same mindset…there’s trials and tribulations, there’s hurdles to overcome. There’s a tremendous amount of hard work that has to be done, and the people that put the work in are dedicated mentally and physically. They have the best chance for success. That’s the same with all sports.”
The teamwork between the sports stars and their teammates led them to a definitive victory in their semi-final game. However, their combined star power wasn’t enough to take the tournament. They were shut down in the finals round against a team composed of Weston Carico, Kevin Cleary, Denny Smith and Michael Lennon. Kevin Cleary is the son of Bob Cleary, who is one of the two men that the tournament is named after. The other man is Barry Walmer. Cleary gave a brief description of the tournament’s origins:
“The Clearys and Walmers have been family friends for a long time. Barry and Bob were good friends, our moms were good friends. Tim Walmer and I used to play on the pro tour together for five years. Our dads retired at a young age, in their ‘50s. They would go around and watch us play, they’d hang out on the bike path, have a beer. When they both passed away, Mike Walmer had an idea to make a tournament in their names. So that’s what we did. That’s how this all came about. It’s a great lifestyle and I feel very fortunate to have grown up here.”
