Vote on who you think will qualify for London 2012 Beach Volleyball

The count down for 2012 Beach Volleyball began in earnest at the start of this year. Having witnessed a few Olympic battles for qualification seeing it being played out for our home turf is exciting.

Two years ago the race might have seemed a done deal but it's anyone who wants it! Although there are early leaders the good result to leap frog into contention is never more than a top 9/7/5 position away.

Who will we see on horse guards parade?

Less than a year to go ....

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Location:Horse Guards Parade

London 2012 beach volleyball FIVB Olympic rankings

Find the names of
Dampney and Mullin with the Olympic rings beside their name http://www.fivb.org/EN/BeachVolleyball/Competitions/WorldTour/2011/OlympicRanking_W.asp only 5 names above them you could almost remove the H beside their name and they will have qualified for the beach volleyball Olympics in their own right.

Mo Glover and I have known all along since starting to coach them as juniors in 2001 through to the BVF programme that the athletes had the potential to be world class. Now yet again with a 17th in Norway at a Grand Slam to add they are showing their capabilities on the world stage.

Professionals showing what can be achieved through determination and hard work.

The best of luck to secure that spot in your own right, not just because we are hosting the olympics, in doing so it truly says that despite all the odds yet again Britain with the right athletes can hold it's own.

Matthew Pinsett we are waiting for an apology?

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Location:Frogstreet Hill,,United Kingdom

Gold Coast 2011

Packing up waiting for the womens 2nd division final to finish at 7pm in near perfect conditions on Sunday was the most apt way to end a weekend that had it all.
Highest ever tides pushing us almost into the dunes to play on far too sloping courts.
25-35 mph gusts.
Torrential rain.
An escaped cow swimming in the sea being rescued by the life guards.
Nick Thorne paddling 30+ miles around Lundy.
A 9th queen title.
Sam Dunbavin our first junior picking up a glass head trophy.
The easiest happiest pack down ever.
A brilliant fathers day for Joe constable, Mike Evans and Nick Austin getting to play or watch their kids in action while they also played.
For those that know
Beach volleyball

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Location:Croyde

Olympic tickets

Anyone one else been notified of their olympic tickets? Just logged onto my 2012 account I have nosebleed tickets to both of the beach volleyball semi finals mens and womens

Now who will it be......anyone else going to be there?
Exciting times


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Location:Horse guards

Gold Coast Saturday

Hello Beach Volleyballers,

The gold coast won't be quite so golden today but the sun will shine later and all day Sunday not quite as magical as in past years but not too shabby!

I am always so excited to play and to organised this year promises to be harder with a new baby in tow but all our club members have really stepped up and so far so good

Already had four people pull out of event so my reserve list is gone and the day hasn't started yet.....

Layla sleeping soundly after a wake up call at 2 but brain in running around with the details.

Good luck if you are playing, organising, refereeing or watching beach volleyball anywhere today

Denise
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Location:Croyde

Gold Coast Oceanfest Parkdean King and Queen of the Beach

K&Q 2010_140 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
If you click on the link you will see my look of surprise that i managed to pull another win out of the bag. When i entered into my fourties I wanted to win an event in that decade that was a goal, i managed that at 41, the urban tour wins didnt count. Although the top players are on the FIVB and of course i know they would userp the crown if they could its still a pretty tough battle since losing the title to Gabi Medricka in 2008, winning back to back titles against her has been good, thanks Gabi for the competition.
I guess my goal now is to be competing into my 50's not sure if by then i will be able to take a career win but maybe division 2 title might be called for then!?
Thanks to all the lovely people who came and made it so great.

Gold Coast Busy

Wow, what a week and we are only at Tuesday! Gold Coast this weekend, largest number of people ever.

The Wild Card meeting and organisation last night took from 21:30-23:45, I wonder if anyone who doesnt do this kind of thing ever knows what goes on to make this event happen?

It all started on Friday, well not really maybe thursday night when I had to do the admin until 1:00 am, we had our Braunton feeder primary schools beach volleysport competition, 96 teams on 24 courts, 388 matches all refereed by the U11's, 8 division winners, 4 in the senior yr 5-6 and 4 in the junior. It was one of the best days of my coaching life to date.

Saturday was our LPV http://www.swjbt.co.uk/ Croyde Open, and one of the players there Haydn Lawson took part in the first ever primary school competition in 2007 in yr 6, now in year 9 he has represented the SW as a libero and is one of our key players in the U15 team. When you see the children realising their potential through sport, the effort you put in will be endless.

Sunday saw me and Ruth Lovell-my partner in crime in coaching-off at the Volleyball England Conference for coaches in kettering, a brain storming and networking day hectic and intense.

Monday and Tuesday i am running a coaching camp for the Brighton Beach Players led by Pete Dowdell, and here i am with Ellie sick in bed and been up since 5:30am hoping there are enough hours of sleep in my schedule this week?

So my blog asks, do you know what goes on? Can you be gentle when you need to be because when you come to the event there will be one very tired tournament director who will need some TLC