From ‘just trying to figure out life’ to playing with Phil Dalhausser

HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — Twice, Troy Field thought it must be a joke. The first came in December. Tri Bourne and I had posted our thoughts on who the next first-time winner on the AVP Tour would be, both of our picks being Field. Phil Dalhausser waded into the comment section of that post: “If you want a W,” he wrote to Field, “you know who to call.”

Field didn’t think anything of it.

Must be a joke, a fun note to write on social media, an excellent but otherwise innocuous way to draw buzz from fans. Surely, the Thin Beast wasn’t serious.

Months later, Field received a text from Chris Reames, the founder of the Slunks board shorts Field has worn since he began his professional career. Reames had a partner for him, he said.

“I said ‘All right, it’s probably some Laguna Beach guy who’s up and coming,’” Field recalled on SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter.

The 6-foot-4 Field didn’t even bother responding. Reames continued the conversation anyway.

“We’re texting, and he goes ‘He’s bald and has a gold medal,’” Field said, now laughing at the memory. “And I go ‘Reid Priddy wants to play with me?’ And he goes ‘No, Phil!’ I didn’t even think about it. It didn’t even cross my mind.”

These were no jokes: Phil Dalhausser wanted to play AVP Miami, and potentially more, with Troy Field. Those who know Field, and have known his brief and meteoric and somewhat volatile rise through the AVP, will understand how absurd that notion is. It’s why Field thought it must be a joke, and then a joke again.

It was only six years ago that Field, who played for Saddleback Community College, was playing in AA-rated CBVA tournaments with Joel Blocksom … and losing in those AA tournaments. That he was playing in AVP qualifiers, ranked as the 30 seed in the qualifier … and also losing in those qualifiers. But an enormous talent such as Field, with a vertical leap that is currently unmatched in America and an athleticism that verges on freakish, is harder to miss than it is to notice. Priddy noticed and partnered with Field for a trio of NORCECA events in 2018. They medaled in all three. Tim Bomgren noticed and, together, they became the AVP Breakthrough Team of the Year in 2019, making a final and two semifinals. Chase Budinger noticed and Field had what he considers his first year “really going for it”…