Marianas Cup kids clinic draws crowd

Around 60 youngsters participated in the beach volleyball clinic conducted by professional players from the United States, Japan, and Korea at the Pacific Islands Club Thursday afternoon.

The event kicked off the 17th Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Festival.

Olympic gold medalist Phil Dalhausser, Paul Baxter, Ji Youn Jung, Mi Hwa Shin, Su Min Jun, and Kyung Soo Shin shared their knowledge and experience of the sport.

The kids had the opportunity to learn the basics of beach volleyball such as the proper way of passing the ball, bumping, setting, and serving techniques.

Baxter led the group for a short jog around the courts, stopping around the corners to change their footing from knee-lifts to side-steps to backward-facing runs.

After that, the kids were divided into groups and worked on basic skills such as the bump (forearms straight, faced up with both hands clasped out in front) as the initial task.

They later transitioned to sets where Dalhausser cautioned the kids to “never let the ball spin” and to “reach high.” After repeated rounds, the kids learned how to serve, both underhand and overhead.

Tournament director Jon Cramer invited the kids to watch the pros in action on Friday evening for the free Pro Exhibition Match which begins at 5pm at PIC’s beach volleyball courts.

Nakaya, 29, leads the cast of Japanese players. Standing at 6’2”, he is ranked No. 5 in Japan. The Osaka native began his professional career in 2004 and his favorite pastime is billiards.

Aoki Shimpei is 28 years old and the 6’1’ native of Ashigarashimo-gun is currently ranked 11th in Japan.

Since 2003, Shimpei won 10 world events and over a hundred at home.

He enjoys reading historical novels and plays sepak takraw on his free time.

Shimpei then shared his talents during the kids’ beach volleyball clinic along with three other Japanese stars—Yasuo Nakaya, Shinako Tanaka, and Hiromi Suzuki.

Aoki teamed up with Nakaya in the exhibition match against pros from the United States and Korea late yesterday afternoon, while Tanaka and Suzuki paired in the women’s side of the show.

All the 12 professional players will be raffled off and each of them will play along side an amateur entry.

Shinako Tanaka, 33, from Saitama stands 5’8” and started her sports career in indoor volleyball, having played for the women’s national team.

She finished first in a 2006 FIVB tournament in Phuket with partner, Eiko Koizumi, and together they also won the silver medal in the women’s team competition at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.

Hiromi Suzuki, 30, also from Saitama stands 6’1”. She started playing in high school. She joined the Ito Yokado team in 1997 and was selected as a member of the national team for the World Championships in 1998.

In 2006, Suzuki made the switch to beach volleyball and joined the professional beach volleyball team, the Leopalace Winds. She partners with Satoko Urata.

In addition, the Marianas Cup Kids Tournament for youth ages 10-15 years is scheduled tomorrow at PIC. The co-ed format requires four players and only costs $5 per person.