VOLLEYBALL / TEAM CUP AT FORUM : Will Stoklos Follow Others to Italy?

In the past, it would have been the exception: Randy Stoklos, who along with Sinjin Smith forms the pre-eminent beach volleyball team of the last decade, playing under a roof, where the wattage and stage are man made.

Now, with the return of Team Cup competition Wednesday night at the Forum, chances are very good it may be a preview. Or a sendoff.

A former standout at Palisades High and UCLA and once a member of the U.S. national team, Stoklos will decide by Monday whether to become another of the prominent Americans to play in Italy, following Steve Timmons and Karch Kiraly. Indoors in Italy, that is, if what appears close to a done deal with the club team in Padavo gets finalized.

“Obviously, one enticement is money,” he said, a day after returning from nine days of watching his probable future team. “But the other enticement is going over there and competing with the world’s best. And believe me, the competition over there is the best in the world.

“I’m 30 years old--which I sometimes have to think about once or twice to believe it--but I feel much younger as a player. I think that’s because I have not matured as a top indoor player.”

And still be able to return to the beach next spring after missing only a few tournaments. Stoklos--a member of the Team Toyota squad that lost the opener of Team Cup to Team Paul Mitchell, 30-28, 30-28, in the unique scoring system--would go for that challenge more than the money. Which is good, because there will be a big challenge in the transition from the two-man beach game to the indoor brand with six on a side.

Il Messaggero, the Italian team that Timmons and Kiraly play for, won the second match of the night in the round-robin competition that continues Tuesday, defeating Team Coca-Cola, 29-31, 30-20, 11-2.