Beach Volleyball Eyes Stardom in Atlanta

Beach volleyball, Southern California’s big contribution to the 1996 Olympics, has a lot of pros who have concentrated on going for the bucks now dreaming of going for the gold.

They’re thinking of the honor of playing for their country in the sport’s first Olympic competition--not to mention the endorsement bonanza that could go to the winner.

“Just playing in the Olympics is the biggest sporting event in the world.” said Sinjin Smith, who has won more tournaments than any player in beach volleyball history. “If I can keep my body in tiptop shape and stay competitive, I’ll be there.”

“Whatever team wins is going to get some extra sponsorship money out of this,” said Adam Johnson, another ace player who also is planning to train for the Olympics.

In September, the International Olympic Committee approved the sport’s first entry in the Summer Games. There will be 24 men’s and 16 women’s teams, of two members each, playing at the Olympic venue in the Savannah, Ga., area.

Beach volleyball pros are welcome, said Rich Wanninger, a spokesman for the U.S. Volleyball Association.

Television has given the sport the prominence that led to the Olympics. And Wanninger notes the precedent of the NBA “Dream Team” playing basketball for America in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

The association is negotiating about pro participation with the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals, beach volleyball’s version of the pro golf tour.

Both sides predict eventual agreement but still must settle schedules, TV deals and the availability of top stars.

The United States will dominate the competition, Johnson said.

The sport grew up on California’s beaches, turned pro in that state in the mid-1970s, and many of its its top players live there. Brazil is making inroads, but is not a big threat, Johnson said.

Johnson and other stars consider Karch Kiraly and partner Kent Steffes the men’s team to beat, although Kiraly hasn’t said flatly that he would play. A lot will depend on whether the two associations work out their differences, he said. Kiraly and Steffes are the AVP’s top-ranked team.

Other national volleyball teams may draft indoor players, said Ricci Luyties, the AVP’s 1991 co-champion with Johnson. Some of them may find the transition tough, said Luyties, an indoor volleyball gold medalist in 1988.

Indoor players can specialize because there are more players on a team--six.

“Big hitters and blockers who can hardly do anything else can be great indoors,” Luyties said.

On a two-man beach team, however, there is no place to hide. “If you have any weakness, it gets exploited,” he said.

Some indoor players won’t survive the frustration, predicted Holly McPeak, winner of the AVP Women’s Tour Grand Prix.

“Some of the best players in the world come out to the beach and they are horrible,” McPeak said.