When we hear the phrase “beach volleyball,” images of sunny California, endless sandy beaches, and tanned athletes immediately come to mind. However, in 2024, this established picture is being decisively changed by two athletes from Louisiana. Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth are not just playing beach volleyball – they are rewriting the history of the sport, proving that success doesn’t require being born on the Pacific coast. This is confirmed by the odds of bookmaker companies, such as Mostbet, which regard this duo as a dominant force in any tournament.
Louisiana’s Revolution in Beach Volleyball
While Nuss and Kloth battle for Olympic gold on the sands of Paris, true madness is unfolding in Louisiana. Hundreds of fans gather at volleyball clubs in Baton Rouge and the suburbs of New Orleans to support their heroines. Mango’s Beach Volleyball and Coconut Beach Volleyball have become epicenters of public jubilation.
“Although it’s not California and we don’t play on beaches, beach volleyball has become very popular in this small southeastern Louisiana area,” says Russell Brock, who coached Nuss and Kloth at Louisiana State University (LSU).
This support did not appear out of nowhere. Nuss and Kloth have been winning the love of local fans for years, playing for the university team. Now, as the girls have taken the Olympic stage, this love has turned into real obsession.
From Baton Rouge to Paris: An Unusual Path to the Top
Nuss and Kloth’s success story shatters all stereotypes about beach volleyball. Kristen Nuss is a native of New Orleans who fulfilled her dream by playing for LSU. Taryn Kloth hails from Sioux Falls, South Dakota – a state where the nearest beach can be found only in pictures.
Their path to the Olympic dream began at LSU, where the girls formed an unbeatable tandem. After graduating in 2021, they resisted the temptation to move to California and stayed in their hometown of Baton Rouge.
“We don’t have to live in California to succeed in this sport,” Nuss stated in her blog at the time. “I want to rewrite the script.”
And she really is rewriting it. At just 168 cm tall, Nuss is significantly shorter than most of her opponents. However, her incredible speed, athleticism, and tactical thinking more than compensate for her lack of height.
Kloth, on the other hand, has impressive dimensions (193 cm) but had to undergo a challenging adaptation to beach volleyball after a successful career in indoor volleyball.
“It takes time for this transition,” recalls coach Brock. “She embraced the mental side of the game.”
Breaking Stereotypes: Not Just California
Since beach volleyball was included in the Olympic program in 1996, the sport has been exclusively associated with California. Legendary Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings, who won three consecutive golds, were natives of the Golden State. The same can be said for Tokyo 2020 champions April Ross and Alix Klineman.
Nuss and Kloth completely break this paradigm. They prove that success in beach volleyball doesn’t require being born on the Pacific coast. All it takes is talent, perseverance, and the right environment.
Louisiana – The New Capital of Beach Volleyball?
Nuss and Kloth’s success has already led to a real boom in beach volleyball in Louisiana. Local clubs are crowded with those eager to try their hand at the sport.
“The support they’ve received in our community has been there from the start,” says Brock. “And now, with the Olympics, it has become simply incredible.”
Mango’s Beach Volleyball in Baton Rouge, where Nuss and Kloth train, has turned into a true mecca for fans of the sport. Tournaments, master classes, and friendly games are held here.
Moreover, the success of the Louisiana duo inspires young athletes across the country. Now girls from Iowa, Nebraska, or Missouri know that they too have a chance to become Olympic beach volleyball champions.
