From six man to six pack
Manhattan Beach struggles to reverse the deteriorating direction of its treasured six man volleyball tournament. The 2009 Charlie Saikley Six-Man Volleyball Tournament. Photo by John Post The 1979 Charlie Saikley Six-Man Volleyball Tournament. Photo by Robi Hutas Charles Saikley Jr. was playing in the back row of a tightly contested Manhattan Beach Six-Man volleyball game last summer when he dove for the ball and into a guy’s foot. “He was standing right outside the court, and I missed it,” Saikley Jr. recalled. “It was an important point. He wasn’t even watching our game.” After the game, Saikley said, he went back to his team’s tent and was told to leave. “There were people trying to kick me out of my own tent, saying it was theirs,” he said. “Last year was the first time I’ve seen the tournament out of control,” he added. “It’s just not volleyball. It was ridiculous. Way out of control.” The city estimates the crowd on the first day of last year’s tournament, involving 200 six-player teams, at 60,000. Many were drunk and openly drinking on the beach. “Sunday was back to normal,” Saikley Jr. said. “How come all those people didn’t come back Sunday? Because they’re not volleyball…
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