BEACH VOLLEYBALL : Business Decision Pays Off in a Big Way for Kiraly

In business, the right decision at the right time can make a world of difference--and what a difference it made for Karch Kiraly.

And for Brent Frohoff, for that matter.

Kiraly, a two-time Olympic gold medalist who now conducts business on sandy beaches around the country, decided this week to dump the volleyball teammate he started the season with and re-form a partnership with Frohoff.

Dividends came Sunday at Venice Beach in the way of a relatively easy disposal of all the competition, including beach volleyball’s most successful duo--Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos. And, subsequently, in the way of a check for $16,500.

Kiraly and Frohoff defeated Smith-Stoklos twice, 15-5, in the semifinal of the winners’ bracket and, again in the final, 15-2, in front of about 15,000.

“It was basically a trial period to see how we would do against Smith and Stoklos,” Kiraly said of his partnership with 21-year-old Kent Steffes. “The chemistry just didn’t mix.”

The reunion of Kiraly and Frohoff, who played much of last season as a team, did.

Thunderous jump-serves, timely blocks and perfectly placed spikes by Frohoff, and the delicate touch and usual consistency of Kiraly, combined to frustrate Smith-Stoklos into an almost embarrassing loss.

Kiraly and Frohoff walked off, seemingly an unbeatable pair.

“If they continue to play as well as they did (Sunday), they’ll win every tournament,” Stoklos said. “But there’s no way they’re going to do that.”

Frohoff, who lost his former partner two weeks ago to a back injury, was in particularly high spirits and recalled his reaction to the telephone call he got Thursday from Kiraly, asking him to become a teammate.

“I didn’t want to go around telling everybody, ‘Hey, Karch asked me to be his partner,’ but I was very, very happy,” he said.

One person not too happy about Kiraly’s decision was Steffes, who wound up scrambling for a partner after getting the short-notice boot by Kiraly.

“We had just won (an exhibition) in Mexico and we were on a plane for six hours Wednesday and he didn’t say anything,” Steffes said. “(Thursday) I get calls from other players asking if I need a partner, before I even hear from Karch. The way he handled it was classless.”

Steffes teamed with Andrew Smith, younger brother of Sinjin, and finished fourth.

Many, including Kiraly, feel young Steffes’ time will come.

But for now, the business move by Kiraly appears a sound one. Whether it will accomplish his objective--to dethrone Smith and Stoklos as Kings of the Beach--remains to be seen.