London calling – Sean Rosenthal, Olympic beach volleyball
Sean Rosenthal stretches out during the last year’s Jose Cuervo Hermosa Beach Open. Photo by Pete Henze (PeteHenze@gmail.com)
Citius, Altius, Fortius. The Latin words that comprise the Olympic motto translate to Swifter, Higher, Stronger and no one exemplifies the entire credo more than Redondo Beach native Sean Rosenthal and the athletes who compete in the sport of beach volleyball.
Elevating one’s body out of soft sand to overpower an opponent with a block or an offensive smash above a net, returning to the ground and quickly retreating to a defensive position with split-second timing is an authentic demonstration of the exemplary skills possessed by an Olympic athlete.
The appreciation of such athleticism is obvious. Tickets for beach volleyball are among the most sought after of any sport in the Olympics. Rosenthal plans to give spectators their money’s worth when London hosts the XXX Olympiad July 27 through August 12.
Beach volleyball competition begins Saturday, July 28 in Horse Guards Parade in the shadow of the House of Parliament. The women’s medal matches are Wednesday, Aug. 8, and the men’s championship is the following day.
Sean Rosenthal at the Rosie’s R8drs 10th Street Hermosa Beach practice court. Rosie’s R8drs plan to be courtside in London to support Rosenthal with their unique and colorful Hermosa heckling. Photo by Pete Henze (PeteHenze@gmail.com)
With a limit of two teams per gender for each country, Rosenthal believes the United States could have four teams reach the podium.
On the men’s side, defending gold medalists Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers are ranked second in the world in the Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). Rosenthal and longtime partner Jake Gibb are ranked fourth.
Manhattan Beach resident Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor are seeking their third consecutive gold medal and are ranked third in the world, just one spot ahead of America’s second women’s team of Jennifer Kessy and April Ross.
The London Games will be the second Olympic appearance for Rosenthal and Gibb, who joined forces in 2006, the same season Rosenthal was named the FIVB Top Rookie. The team earned a fifth-place finish in Beijing, China in 2008.
“In 2008, I thought we were playing the best ball of our career,” said Rosenthal, who now resides in Hermosa Beach. “I think the experience of playing in Beijing will help us this year because we know what to expect. We’re playing great right now and we’re very excited and confident going into to these Olympics. We just have to worry about our side out and everything will fall into place.”
The road to London has not been an easy one for Rosenthal and Gibb. With Dalhausser and Rogers securing the top U.S. men’s spot after a successful 2011 season, there was a dogfight for the second spot. Matt Fuerbringer (Hermosa Beach) and Nick Lucena held a slim, 60-point lead entering the 2012 season.
Every match during seven international tournaments had Olympic implications for both teams. It wasn’t until the final qualifying tournament in Rome that Rosenthal and Gibb earned their chance to once again represent the United States in the Olympics, and they did it in grand fashion.
For the first time in the team’s illustrious career, the duo won a grand slam gold medal on the FIVB World Tour, convincingly defeating reigning world champions Emanuel Rego and Alison Cerutti of Brazil, 21-13, 21-12.
“That was a great win for us,” Rosenthal said. “We have simplified the game and are serving tougher with fewer service errors. Defense is much easier for me when we can get the other team out of rhythm. We are playing more consistently than ever before and have the second highest point total this season.”
Rosenthal, 32, and Gibb, 36, are coached by Manhattan Beach native and volleyball legend Mike Dodd, who mentored the team in the 2008 Olympics.
“Mike knows the game so well and has been there and done that,” Rosenthal said. “Whether it’s passing, setting, serving or blocking, he breaks down the game for us. More importantly, he knows how to win.”
Dodd believes the pressure of fighting to become the second men’s Olympic team will benefit his squad.
“I think the battle Jake and Rosie had with Furby/Lucena was the ultimate Olympic preparation,” Dodd said. “Every match each team had during these seven tournaments in 2012 carried with it the Olympic pressure and consequences. I can’t emphasize enough how proud I am as an American of both teams. The way they battled and pushed each other was magnificent. As the process unfolded, I knew whatever team prevailed would be arguably the most prepared team for the Olympic pressure.”
Rosenthal said that representing the United States in the Olympics is a dream come true.
Sean Rosenthal’s defensive play is key to his team’s hopes for Olympic Gold in London this month. Photo by Pete Henze (PeteHenze@gmail.com)
“It’s awesome to be a part of it all,” Rosenthal said. “It means a lot to me, my family and friends. I never thought about playing in the Olympics until I started playing with Jake in 2006.”
He also hopes to create more memories while competing against the best beach volleyball players in the world. His most memorable moment from Beijing came early in the tournament.
“I remember our first match,” Rosenthal said. “We went into the training room to stretch out and get ready for our match against The Netherlands. I got a phone call from a friend who asked if we were still going to play. The weather was nice when we went in, but suddenly it was pouring rain. Jake and I agreed to just enjoy the moment and make the most of it. We went out and played error-free ball and won our first Olympic match.”
While the majority of top American beach volleyball players made the transition from playing indoor volleyball in college, Rosenthal is the exception. Although he attended Redondo Union High School, Rosenthal did not play for the Sea Hawks, focusing on the beach game he fell in love with at an early age.
Rosenthal learned the game while playing at 8th Street in Hermosa Beach and continues to train on the local courts. He also has a fan base like no other. Anyone watching Rosenthal compete in a South Bay tournament will undoubtedly leave with an opinion of the large – and extremely vocal – contingency known as Rosie’s R8drs.
A few years ago, members of Rosenthal’s fan club mounted a sign on the post of the first volleyball court at 8th Street and The Strand in honor of their local hero.
Rosenthal said there will be a few R8drs flying to London to support him in his quest of an Olympic medal. He is also pleased that his mother, Laura, will be there after not being able to attend the Beijing Games.
“I have a couple of friends who work at bars in Hermosa, so I’m sure there will be a lot of R8drs having viewing parties during our matches in London,” Rosenthal said.
In the absence of a stable domestic tour, top American players utilize the opportunity to play on the FIVB tour. Rosenthal and Gibb will spend more than a month in Europe. The duo left at the beginning of July and will compete in tournaments in Switzerland, Germany and Austria before heading to London for the Olympics.
“The FIVB is where the money is,” Rosenthal stated. “Plus, we want to keep our momentum going so we’re at the top of our game going into London.”
Following the Olympics, Rosenthal and Gibb plan to compete in Poland before returning to Southern California, where they will attempt to earn a second plaque on the Manhattan Beach Pier by winning the Manhattan Beach Open during the weekend of August 24. The team captured the Manhattan Beach Open title in 2009.
“Hopefully, we’ll be showing off Olympic medals when we get home,” Rosenthal said.