Olympians at Manhattan : Spiker Tourney Finds a Few Stars

Desperate to get well-known players, officials of the Manhattan Beach Open volleyball tournament moved the date of the event.

The annual tournament, normally played the first weekend in August, has been rescheduled for Saturday and Sunday so that U. S. Olympic volleyball team members could participate.

Olympians Karch Kiraly, named the world’s best player by the International Volleyball Federation; Steve Timmons, the national team’s most valuable player in 1987, and Bob Ctvrtlik have signed up for the Manhattan Beach tournament, and other Olympic team members are also expected to play in the $35,000 event.

Tournament promoters were able to get the international stars because the Olympic team was in town last week for the USA Cup and players who competed then would be available this weekend. After July 4, national team members will not be allowed to play in such events so they can prepare for the Olympics.

“It was a last-minute change that we made so we could get those guys,” said Edward Montan, assistant parks and recreation director for Manhattan Beach. “In 1984, an Olympic year, we also moved the tournament date and it worked out fine.”

By catering to the Olympians’ availability, officials were protecting the 29th annual tournament, which otherwise would have lacked big names because the top professionals are committed to events on the Miller circuit.

“We told them up front,” said Kevin Cleary, president of the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), “that no one has come close to the commitment that Miller has made to us. Because of its commitment, we are able to run first-class tournaments. We manage all of our events and we were willing to do that with Manhattan Beach, but they (city officials) said no.”

So Saturday and Sunday the top 32 beach volleyball professionals will be in Providence, R. I. for a $40,000 Miller circuit tournament.

The event is part of a three-year contract the association signed with the Miller Brewing Co., which includes $4.5 million in prize money.

“Without our top guys,” Cleary said, “I think it (Manhattan Beach) will be an “A” tournament with about four quality players. Even Karch (Kiraly) hasn’t won a beach tournament in awhile. He’s No. 32 in the AVP rankings.”

Mike Dodd, a top-rated beach volleyball player who grew up in Manhattan Beach and has won the open five times, says most of the players in the AVP want to play in Manhattan Beach because of its tradition and location.

“I think there was lack of foresight on the part of the City Council and the recreation department,” Dodd said. “We offered them everything, but they listened to the high words of a lot of promoters and obviously the promoters had no players, no sponsors, no money and no nothing. That’s why they had to work out a deal with those guys’ agents.”

The addition of the Olympic players was at least enough for tournament promoters to get PCH clothing, Coppertone and Gatorade to sponsor the open even though top-ranked beach professionals like Sinjin Smith, Randy Stoklos and Dodd will be on the other side of the continent.

“It’s great for us,” Kiraly said. “It’s a great opportunity to play on the beach. We all love to play on the beach, but we can’t compete in most of the tournaments because the player’s association won’t allow us to unless we sign a contract.”

To keep the tournament contract-free, the Manhattan Beach City Council turned down a proposal made by the AVP in November. It guaranteed more than double the prize money the city is offering, an agreement with ESPN television cable network and the country’s top 16 beach volleyball players.

“We offered a $75,000 prize and national television coverage,” Cleary said, “and they still turned it down. I think it’s a matter of pride for them.”

According to Montan the AVP’s offer was rejected because city officials don’t want their event to be another stop on the Miller circuit.

“They (AVP) didn’t say they’d promote it,” Montan said. “They wanted to buy it. That’s not what the city is working for. For years this has been one of the best beach tournaments, the Wimbledon of sand, and the city is desirous of capitalizing on that.”

So the city hired Group Dynamics Inc., a promotion firm, to handle the tournament. Group Dynamics President Jack Butefish says the council chose his company over the AVP because the AVP did a poor job in its presentation to city officials.

“They’re (AVP) totally naive as to what’s important to the city,” Butefish said. “The city’s interest is to have a nice, sufficient and clean event, not the big television contracts or some of the other things they (AVP) offered.”

Members of the AVP would still like to see the dispute between their organization and city officials ironed out, according to Dodd. He definitely wants a future agreement since he loves competing in his hometown.

“I’ve been playing in it since I was a kid,” he said, “and I really think it’s a tragedy. I’m sick about it.”

The open starts on Saturday at 8 a.m. on the south side of the Manhattan Beach pier. Finals are scheduled Sunday afternoon.