Kerri Walsh-Jennings, Jim Menges, Phil Stutzel recall love of the game at CBVA Hall of Fame inductions
by Kevin Cody This year’s California Beach Volleyball Association Hall of Fame honorees covered the spectrum of players who make up what emcee Jim Arico calls “The Tribe.” At one end was Kerri Walsh-Jennings. Her three Olympic gold medals, four FIVB Beach World Championships and seven Manhattan Beach Open championships make her the undisputed Greatest Of All Time women beach volleyball player. Or in the words of her husband, former top ranked AVP player Casey Jennings, who introduced her at the inductions, “A bad MF.” On the other end of the spectrum was inductee Phil Stutzel, the backbone of beach volleyball during his years as CBVA president. Stutzel said friends told him to remind the audience of his contributions to the sport “because people probably won’t know who you are.” Which wasn’t true. Since the founding of the CBVA in 1962, just about every American professional beach volleyball player has qualified for the AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) by earning his or her AAA rating on the CBVA tour. Casey Jennings introduces his wife and inductee Kerri Walsh-Jennings. Photo by Kenny Ingle (KennyIngle.com) Casey Jennings, before introducing his wife, told the crowd…
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