AAU, CBVA, USA Olympics youth program court local players
The next generation of beach volleyball stars will have ample opportunity to showcase their skills locally this summer.
Two of the top female players are Redondo Beach’s Abril Bustamante and Manhattan Beach’s Skylar Caputo, The two teamed to win their second CBVA Cal Cup in 2014.
Both earned scholarships to play sand volleyball in college where they will continue their high school rivalry. Bustamante, who will attend USC, played indoor volleyball for Redondo while Caputo led Mira Costa’s squad and will compete for Pepperdine.
The longtime friends agreed to play with different partners on the beach this summer but plan to join forces for major tournaments.
“As much as we love playing together we feel like it’s in both of our best interest to start playing with other people since next year we will be at different schools,” Bustamante said. “We are still going to play in a few tournaments because we feel we do the best together.”
Bustamante has set high goals for herself this summer, aiming to win at least one open tournament, the Nationals, Junior Olympics and the Cal Cup. She hopes a strong showing will provide the opportunity to travel while representing the USA Jr. National team at the NORCECA qualifier.
“I feel a successful summer will give me a lot of confidence going into USC,” Bustamante added. “If I do well and place high in open tournaments, I feel like I will be able to hang at the college level.”
AAU
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) hosts nine local tournaments this summer, highlighted by the Junior National Championships (July 11-12) and the West Coast Jr. Olympic Games (July 23-26), both in Hermosa Beach. aaubeach.org.
CBVA
The California Beach Volleyball Association (CBVA) hosts various youth tournaments at local beaches. Its premier CBVA ROX Tour consists of 10 tournaments from Santa Cruz to San Diego. The tour’s goal to take the top players in each age group from all 10 locations and bring them together for the Championships to be held in Manhattan Beach Aug. 29. cbva.com.
South Bay tour stops include Manhattan Beach (July 18-19) and Hermosa Beach (Aug. 22-23).
USA Volleyball
Elite players will display their skills when the USA Olympics Volleyball High Performance Championships are held in Hermosa Beach July 15-19. teamusa.org.
Manhattan Beach Volleyball Clinic
Coach John Featherstone founded the Manhattan Beach Volleyball Clinic in 1994 for his four daughters and a few friends. The friends and daughters have grown, but each summer the El Camino College football coach continues to teach the fundamentals of the game in a very unique, entertaining, and fun way. Age range: 6-15 years old. Coed. Clinic location: 16th Street beach in Manhattan Beach.
Feathervolleyball@gmail.com or keeganfeather@gmail.com. Feathervolleyball.com.
