(Photo courtesy of Sun Devil Athletics)
After a 2024 season that defied expectations, the Arizona State beach volleyball team is taking time during the fall semester to give back to the community that supported them throughout their outstanding spring.
Under first-year head coach Kristen Glattfelder (formerly Rohr), the Sand Devils went 21-10, made it to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history and finished the season ranked No. 12 in the country. Now, the team is taking the time during the fall to teach the sport they love to kids in Tempe.
“It’s been really special to have this here and just see the growth [of beach volleyball],” Glattfelder said. “We’re excited to have this be a yearly thing that we offer.”
Put on by Beach Nation, an organization dedicated to teaching the skills of volleyball to the next wave of athletes, Arizona State hosted three free beach volleyball clinics for middle schoolers. The first clinic came on Sept. 24, the second was on Oct. 9, and the third came on Oct. 23. The well-attended clinics also allowed for parents to come watch and any younger siblings to help shag balls or just meet the players.
The goal of the clinics is to build up the sport of beach volleyball in Arizona, and specifically in Tempe. Since beach volleyball is typically seen as a coastal sport, with primary locations being in Florida and California, beach volleyball both in Arizona and at Arizona State faces an uphill battle.
Glattfelder wants to spearhead that movement and introduce beach volleyball to a greater audience, both building up support for her own program and teaching the sport to kids interested in it.
At the clinics, the Sand Devils led the participants in warm-ups, drills, and games while teaching them the basics of beach volleyball at the Arizona State Beach Volleyball Courts in Tempe. The elements of competition helped the participants feel a sense of camaraderie with the players and the other kids, building bonds that the kids are sure to remember for a long time.
“We were all here at this point, we all had to start somewhere,” junior Arden Besecker said. “I remember when I was younger, going to camps like this with girls who played in college, and it was just the best feeling for them to take the time to be there.”
During the clinic on Oct. 9, the Sand Devils started off the session focusing on digging and specific diving techniques. Glattfelder even got assistant coach Paul Araiza to show the kids his diving, garnering laughs and cheers from the kids and the players.
Ava Haughy, a sophomore on the team, discussed the chance to teach the younger generation about beach volleyball and how impactful her coaches were to her when she was learning.
“I go back to thinking of myself when I was younger, and how much my coaches gave me, no matter what age they were and they just shaped me, not only as a player, but more importantly, as a person,” Haughty said. “And I think that goes really far, so I love to try and give that back to the younger generation.”
In addition to learning beach volleyball, the participants also got the opportunity to watch the ASU indoor volleyball team take on and beat Arizona in the Territorial Cup match on Oct. 9. The younger kids also had the chance to go on the court during the pregame and get high-fives from the team.
“It even translates to indoor,” Glattfelder said. “We would love for them to come support us, and really buy into the sport of beach volleyball. And maybe go play for their middle schools or high schools one day.”
As the Sand Devils start ramping up their training in preparation for final fall tournaments, and the looming spring season, the clinics offer the players the ability to think about their sport from a new perspective, building their own confidence and skills in the process. Glattfelder believes that the players can gain valuable insight into the game through a coaching perspective.
“Coaching in general just allows you to understand the game more, and it really just makes you better at your sport,” Glattfelder said. “I think it’s so much more than that, just like them getting to be mentors for these young kids, and to tell them their story and answer questions.”
As Arizona State Beach Volleyball picks up momentum and competitive program within the ranks of NCAA beach volleyball world, the sport of beach volleyball is beginning to gain traction in the desert with the Sand Devils at the very center of it.
“It’s been really special to have this year and just see the growth,” Glattfelder said. “Last year we had 40 total sign up. We did it in January, and this one, we have 81 signed up. We’re having more sessions in January, and we’re excited to have this be a yearly thing that we offer.”
