AVP Adds Bryan to Its Roster : Pro volleyball: The former executive director of women’s association takes on job with rival organization amid controversy.

Flo Bryan, who resigned last month as executive director of the Women’s Professional Volleyball Assn. after less than two months on the job, has accepted a position with the rival Assn. of Volleyball Professionals, the governing body of the men’s pro beach tour.

Bryan, who was hired by the women’s association in March with hopes that she could get the financially struggling organization on its feet, has been named vice president of business development for the AVP. One of her responsibilities is to develop the association’s women’s tour. Earlier this year, the AVP signed eight players from the WPVA.

At the time, Bryan was WPVA executive director and she criticized the departing WPVA players.

“Me leaving the WPVA had absolutely nothing to do with the AVP,” Bryan said. “I’m here because it’s a wonderful business opportunity for me.”

The news that Bryan has joined the AVP was not well received among players and a representative of the WPVA.

“I’m just so furious right now,” said Karolyn Kirby, the WPVA’s top-ranked player. “I feel deceived. I feel that she misrepresented her position to this whole organization. It would be nice if people had some decency and honesty. I feel like she owes us an explanation for her decision because we trusted her.”

Marla O’Hara said Bryan did the opposite of what she preached during player meetings. O’Hara, who attended El Camino College and Cal State Dominguez Hills, is in her fifth year on the tour.

“At one of our meetings she really pushed the women’s movement all the way,” O’Hara said. “She said she would fight till the bitter end for us. I guess not.”

LeValley Pattison, a former beach player who serves as WPVA tour director, says Bryan misled members of the organization.

“How can you stand in a room with 50 women and tell them you’re behind them then sell yourself to the AVP?” said Pattison, who is also the women’s volleyball coach at El Camino. “She has no credibility.”

Bryan refused to respond to Kirby, O’Hara or Pattison’s comments.