Volleyball Still Fun but Now Pays

Jay Hanseth walked out of the water of Mission Bay and up the beach toward the sand courts where the $100,000 Cuervo Gold Crown men’s beach volleyball tournament is being held. Hanseth had taken a quick dip after he and partner Leif Hanson were eliminated in Friday morning’s qualifying portion of the two-day tournament.

As Hanseth walked toward the complex, he encountered a sea of portable grandstands, electronic scoreboards at each court, tents to protect easily burned sponsors and signs touting the dollar figures awarded to the winners.

At one time, there was only the court and a couple guys on the other side of the net. Hanseth was a part of that time.

Hanseth, 37, has played beach volleyball since 1972, long before sponsors and television helped put the word pro before the sport.

“My first tournament win was in ’73 in Laguna,” Hanseth said. “I think I got a trophy and a dinner at the Chart House. It wasn’t a huge change in life style, although I thought it was pretty good at the time.”

That certificate for a free meal handed to Hanseth 16 years ago would be replaced by a check today. And a sizable one at that.

The winning team in today’s final (3 p.m.) will get $50,000. Mike Dodd and Tim Hovland have won the two previous Gold Crown tournaments this season and lead the money list with $156,000 each. Dodd, who played basketball and volleyball at San Diego State and was drafted by the NBA Clippers, and Hovland defeated Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos in last year’s final and both Gold Crown events this year.

But the money and surroundings are not the only differences. A film crew will shoot some background scenes during the tournament for a movie set against pro beach volleyball entitled “Sideout.”

The film is expected to be released in the spring or summer of next year and will star Peter Horton, of the television series “thirtysomething,” as the venerable veteran who is brought back to life by the naive newcomer, played by C. Thomas Howell of the films the “Outsiders” and “Soul Man.”

And in a more realistic scenario, beach volleyball is being seriously considered as a demonstration sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics by the Federation of International Volleyball.

But even with evolution, one thing remains constant: the life style, or at least the life style that the public believes the sport to offer. And nobody knows this better than the players.

“The best thing we have going for us is the life style that’s associated with it,” Hanseth said. “It’s a great avenue for liquor, sun glasses and beach wear. The people can get real close, and we can wear anything and drink anything.”

But the life style is also changing for the players, with athletic trainers giving rubdowns and therapy before matches and gratis hotel rooms awarded to the top players.

“In ’72 we went to tournaments in a Volkswagen van,” Hanseth said. “You brought your hotel with you. And the most critical preparation was who was going to throw the party, where it was at and who was going to be there.

“There were more than a few guys who got ready for a tournament by sleeping on some guy’s coffee table and waking up an hour before his first match.”

Pool play continues today at 9 a.m.