Kiddie beach volleyball caps Marianas Cup

Following a full weekend of jaw-dropping pro-am volleyball action that featured an elite cast of players, the 17th Annual Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Festival culminates with the smaller version this Sunday, March 15, at the Pacific Islands Club sand courts

The Kids’ Marianas Cup will showcase future local beach volleyball stars, who have joined the clinic conducted by no less than the pros including Olympic gold medalist Phil Dalhausser.

The tournament is set from 8:30am to 4pm with the co-ed teams composed of four players, 10 to 15 years old.

Organizers said that each team must have at least have woman player.

Entry fee is $5 per participant that includes a free PIC Water Park Pass.

Last week, Dalhausser along with pros Paul Baxter, Shimpei Aoki, Yasuo Nakaya, Ji Youn Jung, Mi Hwa Shin, Su Min Jun, and Kyung Soo Shin conducted the Free Kids’ Clinic at the PIC.

Some 100 kids came out to learn some basic skills of the game from the pros.

These include passing, bumping, setting, and serving.

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

The students were then 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 them to “never let the ball spin” and to “reach high.”

After repeated rounds, the participants learned how to serve, both underhand and overhead.

The kids’ clinic last March 5 was followed by the exhibition game among the men and women professionals from the U.S., Japan, and Korea on March 6, which were all special side events of the tournament proper on March 7-8.

Baxter and amateur partner Hugo Dooner, a banker from San Diego California, ruled the 17th season of the Marianas Cup, known as the longest standing beach volleyball event in Micronesia.

It was Baxter’s third consecutive title, while Dooner won his second since winning it first in 1994 alongside his former partner Tyce Mister.

Mister settled for runner-up this time with Dalhausser.

Dalhausser and Mister lost twice to the Baxter-Dooner tandem in the winners’ bracket, 21-19, and in the championship, 21-18.

Yoko Miki and Chie took the women’s title for the second straight year by beating the pair of Italy’s Federica Tonon and Daniela Gitelli, (21-15).

Gitelli saw action in the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

Northern Mariana Islands Volleyball Association expressed thanks to this year’s sponsors.

PIC Saipan donated over $50,000 in complimentary room nights and meals for the pros, media and return winners in addition to staff, equipment and venue usage.

The other sponsors who made this international event possible include: Aon Insurance, Aqua Resort Club, Burger & Comer, Chong’s Corporation, Delta Management Corporation, Glooay Mai Thai Spa, Gregg Elliott Artworks, Elite Printing, Hertz, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Island Apparel, IT&E, KSPN2, LISS, Marianas Eye Institute, Marianas Medical Center, Mariana Resort & Spa, Marianas Trekking, Marianas Visitors Authority, Microl Corp., Miller Lite, Monster, No Ka Oi, Northwest Airlines, Pacific Development, Inc., Pacific Eagle Enterprises, Paradise Island Chiropractic, Pepsi/Gatorade, PIC Guam, Rainbow Color, Saipan Grand Hotel, Seafix Inc., Shell Marianas, Star Sands Plaza, Stars & Stripes, Law Offices of Stephen J. Nutting, Tinian Dynasty Hotel & Casino, Topnotch, Traders Insurance, Triple J Wholesale, and WDI Saipan (Tony Roma’s & Capricciosa’s). [B][I](PR)[/I][/B]