Mike Dodd’s odyssey [BEACH VOLLEYBALL]
Mike Dodd’s wide ranging volleyball career has included Olympic silver medalist, volleyball commissioner, broadcast commentator and coach. Photo by Bo Bridges (BoBridges.com)
When beach volleyball was introduced as an Olympic sport at the Atlanta Games in 1996, it was no surprise that teams from the United States would contend for a medal.
A strong domestic tour provided top-caliber competition, which produced an all-American gold medal match between four of the sport’s all-time greats.
Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes prevailed over Mike Dodd and Mike Whitmarsh 12-5, 12-8 in the championship match that was played under the side-out scoring system, where points are awarded only to the serving team. The format has since been changed to rally scoring, where a point is awarded after every serve.
As Dodd stood on the podium to receive his silver medal, little did he know it would mark the first of five consecutive appearances at the Olympics, though his only one as a player.
The Manhattan Beach resident was a skilled volleyball player at an early age, earning his AAA ranking at the age of 15. Yet he didn’t play on the Mira Costa High School team until his senior year, believing basketball was his future.
“Volleyball was in its absolute infancy,” Dodd said in a 2010 interview with the Easy Reader. “In those days, volleyball was something you did to social network. I wanted to be a professional athlete. I wanted to be a Laker and live in a big house.”
After playing guard for San Diego State from 1975 to 1979, Dodd was a 10th round draft pick of the San Diego Clippers. But when he was cut after only three days his focus shifted to volleyball.
Dodd had a year left of eligibility in collegiate volleyball, so he returned to SDSU in hopes of playing in the Olympics as a member the National Team. When financial problems arose, he decided to go to Italy to play professionally.
Dodd returned to the United States and began a beach volleyball career with the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP). He won 75 tournament titles, including five Manhattan Beach opens, earning induction in the Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame.
With a wealth of volleyball knowledge, Dodd easily made the transition from the sand to the broadcast booth, serving as beach volleyball analyst at the 2000 Olympics and an indoor analyst at the 2004 Games.
Dodd returned to the Olympics in 2008, but as a coach leading Redondo Beach native Sean Rosenthal and Jake Gibb to a 5th-place finish.
In 2009, Dodd became the first person to coach the men’s and women’s champions of the same Manhattan Beach Open (Gibb and Rosenthal and Nicole Branagh and Elaine Youngs). He also captained Team USA to a win over Brazil’s best players in the inaugural AVP World Challenge that same year.
Dodd, who continues to serve as coach for Rosenthal and Gibb, was assured of participating in his fifth straight Olympic Games when his team edged out Matt Fuerbringer and Nick Lucena for the second men’s team to represent the Unites States in London later this month.
“Being involved with the Olympics means a lot,” Dodd said. “As far as volleyball goes, and having the privilege of still being involved with the game I love so dearly, the Olympics is where you want to be. It is so much fun and the ultimate affirmation of your hard work and dedication. Every great athlete wants to be remembered, to leave a legacy. Becoming an Olympian makes you part of history, something you and your family can be proud of in-perpetuity, throw in a medal and the podium experience and you have hit the Volleyball Lotto. I feel so fortunate to be experiencing my fifth Olympics in person.”
Dodd feels the competition on the FIVB tour to determine the second men’s team will pay dividends for Rosenthal and Gibb.
“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.”