Family Ties Help Ciarelli Be Successful on Beach Circuit : Volleyball: Former UCLA All-American and partner Holly McPeak, 1993 champions at Seal Beach, start their defense with a quick victory.

Cammy Ciarelli must have felt right at home shuffling through the hot, sticky sand Friday when she began the defense of her title at the Miller Lite Open beach volleyball tournament.

Her husband, Rocky, is in his usual place, sitting in his wife’s chair inside the players’ box watching her every move and giving her encouragement.

Her 4-year-old son, Tony, is just beyond the fence that encircles the court and most of his time is spent kicking sand into the gentle breeze.

Then there is Felicia, standing nearby, who at 6 already has the long golden hair reminiscent of her mother.

And the four of them will be back today, because Ciarelli and partner Holly McPeak made quick work of their opening-round match, defeating Patty Dodd and Jennifer Murrell, 15-5, in just over 30 minutes Friday.

Ciarelli and McPeak, seeded second in the eight-team Assn. of Volleyball Professionals event, had just the start they were looking for in their bid to repeat as tournament champions and earn their fourth tour victory this season.

In her five years of playing professional beach volleyball, Ciarelli has earned nearly $125,000, including $22,279 through 11 events this year.

However, volleyball is not just a job for Ciarelli, it has been her lifestyle since she was an all-league player at Laguna Beach High in the late ‘70s.

Since her marriage to Rocky Ciarelli in 1987, it has become a partnership on and off the sand as the two have combined to bring continued success to the Huntington Beach High volleyball teams.

They coached the girls’ team, which advanced to the semifinals of the Southern Section playoffs last fall. The Oilers are expected to be one of the top teams in the county this year.

Last spring, they coached the boys’ team to the Division I championship with back-to-back upsets over top-ranked El Toro in the semifinals and Laguna Beach in the title match.

“It’s definitely been a volleyball marriage,” Cammy Ciarelli said. “It’s tough playing and practicing with the same partner all year, so I rely on Rocky for my training and Holly for the matches.”

Marrying into the tightly knit Ciarelli family has helped pave the road to success for the former UCLA All-American. She has learned the mental approach to the game and enjoyed prolonged victory celebrations with her “extended family.”

“There are lots of family celebrations in our house,” she said. “And plenty of red wine and pasta.”

Ciarelli credits her husband with encouraging her to stick with volleyball once she returned from playing professionally in Italy in the mid-80s and also with his advice on dealing with the mental side of the beach game.

“To be successful in this sport you have to develop all your skills and also be able to know the cagey side of it, such as knowing your opponents and where to place the ball,” she said.

Daily training, staying fit and good nutrition are equally important to staying competitive on the pro level, she said.

And nothing beats a good Italian celebration afterward.

*

Of the top eight teams, only sixth-seeded Scott Ayakatubby and Brent Frohoff were eliminated. They won their opening match but were defeated by Canyon Ceman and Dan Vrebalovich in the second round, then were eliminated in the consolation bracket by Kevin Martin and Chris Young.

*

The top two seeded teams of Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes and Mike Dodd and Mike Whitmarsh had no problems advancing to today’s semifinals.

However, No. 3 Randy Stoklos and Adam Johnson will have to come out of the consolation bracket, since they lost their second-round match to the No. 14-seeded Brian Gatzke and Jeff Rodgers.

Ninth-seeded Tim Hovland and Leif Hanson also had a scare when they lost their opener, 12-10, to 24th-seeded Larry Mear and Mike Minier. Hovland and Hanson then rallied to win two in a row and stay alive for today’s rounds.

Notes

In men’s semifinals today: Karch Kiraly-Kent Steffes vs. Troy Tanner-Wes Welch, 8:30 a.m.; Eduardo Bacil-Jose Loiola, 8:30 a.m.; Brian Gatzke-Jeff Rodgers vs. Canyon Ceman-Dan Vrebalovich, 9:30 a.m.; Bill Boullianne-Eric Fonoimoana vs. Mike Dodd-Mike Whitmarsh, 9:30 a.m. In today’s women’s semifinals: Nancy Reno-Angela Rock vs. Sandra Pires-Jackie Silva, 8:30 a.m.; Valinda Hilleary-Pat Keller vs. Holly McPeak-Cammy Ciarelli, 9:30 a.m.