The term “baptism by fire” is derived from a verse in the book of Matthew, preached by John the Baptist. “But he that cometh after me is mightier than I,” he said, “whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”
The fire is a metaphor. Purely spiritual. And as far as metaphors and the spirit of an endeavor go, Dan Dearing’s reintroduction into the world of professional beach volleyball, in March of 2022, could be aptly described as the proverbial baptism by fire. In his first match, six years after last appearing in a main draw, he would meet Sweden’s David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig, a pair of 20-somethings who were running an offense and bending, twisting, shattering and setting aflame the rules of the game and doing things that had, quite literally, never been done before.
“Coach is coming up with a game plan and I’m like, ‘So I have to go up and flash this way then I have to go and seal then line and Sam [Schachter] has to slide this way,’ ” Dearing recalled on SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter. “It was my first match ever where it felt like a double game plan, because it wasn’t like ‘Ok this is what we’re doing on the third contact, we’re going to serve here and get them in this position.’ No. I had to take care of the two, then take care of the three, oh, they hit on two. Do I take that? Or does he take that? It was mind blowing.”
It wouldn’t get any easier from there. After getting swept by Sweden, Schachter and Dearing matched up with Poland’s Bartosz Losiak and Michal Bryl, the team who would go on to win the event, one of four gold medals on the year, tied for first with Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sorum. As for Sweden? They are now ranked No. 3 after a thorough dismantling of Mol and Sorum in the finals of the Tepic Elite 16.
So yes, welcome back to the Beach Pro Tour, Dan Dearing.
You can consider yourself baptized now.
Last year wasn’t the fullest year for Schachter and Dearing. They played just six events on the Beach Pro Tour, as well as a pair of NORCECAs, the Commonwealth Games, and the Vancouver Open, the Canadian equivalent to the Manhattan Beach Open. It was the perfect number. Dearing was able to readjust to life on the…
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