Father’s Day Beach Volleyball Tournament
June 19
Father and daughter and Father and son volleyball teams compete in pool play, south of the Manhattan Beach Pier, where the Manhattan Open will be played later in the summer. T-shirts for each. 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. $100. For registration assistance, please contact the Registration Help Desk (310) 802-5448 or visit citymb.info/fathersdayvbtourney.
Queen of the Beach,
King Kong tournaments
June 24-26
Hermosa Beach
The South Bay “Mecca of beach volleyball” will attract thousands of players this summer with competitive and recreational tournaments for athletes of all ages and skill sets.
Along with the well-known tournaments such as the Manhattan Beach Open, Smackfest and the Manhattan Beach Saikley 6-man, two new events will be showcase the stars of tomorrow.
The Queen of the Beach and King Kong tournaments will conclude with female and one male player from both high school and college being named King or Queen. The tournaments will be held in Hermosa Beach June 24-26 as part of USA Volleyball’s Junior Beach Tour.
Olympic beach volleyball gold medalist Eric Fonoimoana hosts the Queen of the Beach, which allows the top college players to test themselves against the nation’s best competition and allows the top high school players to showcase their talents to college coaches from across the country.
“Beach volleyball is the fastest growing sport for female athletes at the college and high school levels, with approximately 60 colleges fielding teams this year and the NCAA holding its first national championship in 2016,” Fonoimoana said. “I’ve always been a big supporter of helping the sport grow and I’m very excited about bringing together the best competition in one place.
“The high school players we’ll see on the court will become the stars of the college game in the coming years, and the college players at our tournament very well could be representing the United States in the 2020 or 2024 Olympics.”
The Queen of the Beach Invitational will feature separate fields of 48 college players and 48 high school players. Players in each field will be seeded and divided into pools of four, with each player playing a game to 21 with each of the other three players in her pool. The top two players in each pool, determined by their won-loss record and point differential, will advance to the next round until a winner is crowned for the college field and the high school field.
The event will also feature coaching seminars and discussions with coaches from many of the country’s top college beach volleyball programs.
AVP Manhattan Beach Open
July 14-17
Manhattan Beach
The longest running tournament in the sport of beach volleyball, the 57th AVP Manhattan Beach Open (MBO) will be played one month earlier than last year, serving as a tuneup for the American teams who will be competing in the Summer Olympics, held Aug. 5-21 in Rio de Janeiro..
Defending MBO champions Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena will likely be the No. 1 United States men’s team while John Hyden/Tri Bourne (Manhattan Beach) and Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson battle it out for the second qualifying position.
April Ross, who won the 2015 MBO women’s title with Jennifer Fopma, and teammate Kerri Walsh Jennings (Manhattan Beach) are ranked No. 1 for the U.S. Walsh-Jennings, who missed last year’s MBO because of a shoulder injury, will be seeking her fourth straight Olympic gold medal in beach volleyball.
Vying for the second spot on the U.S. team are Lauren Fendrick (Hermosa Beach)/Brooke Sweat and Emily Day (Hermosa Beach)/Jen Kessy.
Referred to as the Wimbledon of beach volleyball, the MBO will feature a full festival village, MBO Legend’s match, kid’s clinic, athlete signings, movie night, interactive games, and the annual MBO Walk of Fame Pier Ceremony.
For the first time in the history of the tournament, the MBO will offer an elevated VIP Skybox Competition begins 8 a.m. Thurs. – Sat. And 9 a.m. on Sunday.
In addition the pros, the 2nd Annual AVPFirst Junior Championships will bring some of the top youth beach volleyball talent from across the country for a weeklong volleyball experience. The event will act as a showcase for young athletes and include tournament play, NCAA Sand Coach Forum, college campus visits and training sessions with AVPFirst Master Coaches and AVP Talent. avp.com
Smackfest
Saturday, July 23
Hermosa Beach
Combining beach volleyball, fashion and music, the beach culture is celebrated each year at Smackfest. The Bill Sigler tourney is celebrating its 23rd year and features costumed-themed coed 4s and Pro 4s tournaments. (310) 318-5062. smackfestevents.com
Charlie Saikley 6-Man
Thursday, Friday, August. 4-5
Manhattan Beach
Competition at the International Surf Festival kicks off with the popular Charlie Saikley 6-man tournament. The defending men’s champion is Fletch and 900 Club Bacchus captured the women’s title last year.
On Sunday, Aug. 7 the 2nd annual Junior 6-Man Beach Volleyball Tournament will held. Open to youth ages 10-18, divisions include boys, girls and coed. Prizes for the best costume. Registration deadline is July 17. (310) 802-5448. surffestival.org.
AAU
Throughout summer
Hermosa, Manhattan Beach
The Amateur Athletic Union holds various youth tournaments, highlighted by events in Hermosa Beach, including the Southern Pacific District Championship (June 5), the 23rd Girls’ National Championships (July 6-9) and the West Coast AAU Junior Olympic Games (July 20-23). (323) 870-7272. aaubeach.org
CBVA
Throughout the summer
The California Beach Volleyball Association holds numerous tournaments for men, women, boys and girls, including the popular Mike Cook Mixed on Aug. 27 at Marine Street, which includes a father/daughter tournament. The season culminates with the Cal Cup played Sept 3-4 in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach.
Youth compete in the Premier CBVA Rox Volleyball Tour, comprised of 12 stops including Manhattan Beach (July 16), Dockweiler (July 23-24) and Hermosa Beach Aug. 20-21. The winning team in each age group of all the tour stops is invited to play in the Championship tournament on Aug. 27 at Manhattan Beach Pier. cbva.com
USA Volleyball
Summer
Hermosa Beach
The next generation of Olympic hopefuls compete on the USAV Junior Beach Tour, with stops in Hermosa Beach, including the So Cal Open (June 11), Olympic Day Open (June 23), and the Queen of the Beach and King Kong Invitationals for high school and college males and females (June 24-26). teamusa.org
National Volleyball League
Aug. 9-13
Hermosa Beach
Established in 2010 by former professional standout Albert Hannemann, the NVL was created to provide a sustainable future for pro beach volleyball in the U.S. The NVL tour comes to Hermosa Beach with the NVL RIZE Junior Tour’s West Coast Summer Classic on Aug. 9. The pros follow with the West Coast Championships. Qualifying rounds begin on Aug. 11. Main Draw competition takes place Aug. 12, with the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals held on Aug. 13. Thenvl.com
Asics World Series of Beach Volleyball
Aug. 23-28
Long Beach
Now in its fourth year, the ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball attracts many players from the Beach Cities who compete in a variety of tournaments. The event include the FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam, the first international competition following the Olympic Games. Competitions include co-ed and single gender 4s and 6-man, youth, and collegiate tournaments throughout the week, along with a multi-day music festival. A celebrity volleyball match features stars from the worlds of film, television, sports. General admission is free. Wsobv.com.
