Former Edison Star Hanan Juggles Swimsuit, Pocket Protector

Dan Hanan’s 6-foot-6 frame is hunched in front of a desk in what he calls his “computer alcove,” which juts off the master bedroom in his two-story condominium in La Jolla.

Hanan, who attended Edison High, is typing frantically at a keyboard with one hand and clicking a mouse with the other as he steers a fireman through a burning house on the computer screen.

He is slightly chagrined that he is not winning. After all, he invented the Fireman computer game along with his friend, Dean Rasmussen, in their spare time when they were playing for the U.S. national volleyball team in 1991.

“Let’s see, I know there’s some hidden stuff around here somewhere,” he says while maneuvering the jerky, little figure.

Hanan, 28, accidentally sends the fireman into a burning wall. No problem--he points to the bottom corner of the screen.

“The computer programmer gets eight lives,” he says with a grin.

In reality, Hanan has two lives. By day, he is a mild-mannered computer programmer, creating complicated in-house programs for Science Applications International Corp. in La Jolla. On the weekends, however, Hanan becomes a sand-kicking, high-leaping middle blocker in the Bud Light Pro Beach Volleyball four-man league.

Hanan’s two lives are juxtaposed on the World Wide Web at the “Volleynerd Home Page,” which Hanan created from his computer alcove--”It’s easy,” he says. “You just have to know the codes.” The page defines “volleynerd” as “Computer programming plus Beach Volleyball” and includes sections on “Nerd Stuff” and “VBall Stuff.”

Volleyball came before computers for Hanan. As a senior at Edison in 1986 he led the Chargers to the Southern Section final and was selected The Times Orange County player of the year.

While touring Stanford’s campus as a recruit, Coach Fred Sturm turned to him and asked, “What do you expect out of the Stanford volleyball program?”

Hanan diplomatically responded that he didn’t expect to start right away.

Sturm seemed surprised, and Hanan realized he might be better at this sport than he thought.

He was. Hanan led the Cardinal to the 1989 NCAA final, was a three-time All-American and began to play part-time with the U.S. national team.

At Stanford, Hanan decided to give computers a whirl. He jumped right in with an advanced class and ended the semester as the top student. As graduation neared in 1990, Hanan watched as his friends from the computer science department landed jobs at companies like Microsoft. Hanan waved good-bye, picked up a volleyball and headed to the national team training center in San Diego.

“You can’t turn down the chance to travel around the world for free and play against the best players,” he said.

Hanan earned a starting job at middle blocker during the 1991 World League. In 1992, however, Hanan was not selected to the 12-player Olympic roster. That disappointment, combined with four years of the grueling, national-team schedule, took its toll.

In 1993, the Bud Light Pro Beach Volleyball League expanded, offering more tournaments and prize money. Hanan quit the national team, took a full-time position at SAIC and began to learn about an X-play in the four-man beach game.

Hanan won league championships in his first two seasons and was selected the league’s offensive player of the year last season. In a tournament at St. Louis, Friday through Sunday, Hanan’s Team Outdoor Products (9-13) will try to knock Ocean Pacific (15-9) out of first place. The tour will stop at Huntington Beach, July 12-14.

Not only has Hanan established himself as one of the league’s top players--he ranks third in in kills with 166--he also has carved a niche for himself on the beach.

“I’m the resident computer advice guy,” he says.

Well, someone has got to do it.

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No doubt Shane Beschen is on top as the San Clemente surfer retains his No. 1 spot in world surfing. But judging by his latest exploit at Saint Leu, Reunion Island, it appears he can do nothing wrong.

After a brief stay in Hawaii following his victory at G-Land in East Java earlier this month, Beschen packed his bags and surfboards for the Reunion Island Rip Curl contest that started Monday.

But because of a flight delay in Hawaii, Beschen, 23, arrived on Saint Leu the morning of the contest. And to make matters worse, his surfboards were misplaced by the airlines so he had no surfboard to compete with.

Not wanting to forfeit his spot, Beschen turned to longtime friend and competitor John Shimooka of Hawaii and asked him if he could use his surfboard in his heat.

With hardly any sleep and a three-day layoff from surfing, Beschen paddled out on a board that wasn’t his. For many there, it would seem that Beschen’s winning streak was about to come to an end.

Instead, however, Beschen not only won the heat, but he did it with three waves--the three mandatory waves that are required by the World Championship Tour. Opening with a 7.5 ride, Beschen came back with a 9.0, then caught his third and last wave for a perfect 10 on the five-foot surf.

“I had some problems getting here and with my surfboards,” Beschen said from Reunion Island. “But the waves were great and I’m just happy to be in this [contest].”

Beschen’s next competition will be against a tough Mark Occhilupa of Australia in Round 3. Going into Round 3, Beschen and Occhilupa have accounted for the top scores of the day.

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While the spotlight may be on Beschen, don’t count out Laguna Beach’s Jeff Booth, who also advanced to Round 3 after beating Tadeu Pereira of Brazil.

Booth, 27, who is ranked 15th in the world, scored the day’s only perfect 10 on Tuesday.

“It was beautiful out there,” said Booth from Reunion Island. “Just one totally rippable wave after another. I settled into a solid rhythm at the start of the heat and managed to get the better set of waves to come through.

In his 25-minute heat, Booth was impressive, opening with a nine-point ride followed by an 8.75 and finally his perfect 10. He finished with a 27.15 to Pereira’s 23.15. Booth faces Australia’s Jake Spooner in the third round.

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Richie Collins and David Post of Newport Beach will join Nea Post and Kim Hamrock of Huntington Beach Saturday and Sunday in a men’s and women’s ProAm surfing contest on the south side of the Huntington Beach pier.

The contest will offer a total purse of $10,000. Competition starts at 7 a.m. both days, with championship finals on Sunday.