HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — The most difficult moment of Sean Rosenthal’s storied beach volleyball career did not actually, according to him, occur on a beach volleyball court. Wasn’t in Beijing or London. Didn’t happen in any of his 16 finals on the World Tour, or his 37 on the AVP. Wasn’t in any tight three-setter, or when he had to challenge blockers the likes of Phil Dalhausser or Ricardo Santos or Alison Cerutti or any of the other dozen or so future or current hall of famers against whom he sided out.
That came last Friday night, when Rosenthal had to speak to a crowd of a few hundred in Hermosa Beach, as he was inducted into the CBVA Hall of Fame. Typically a reticent individual off the sand, and a heart-stopping entertainer on it, Rosenthal isn’t one to wax poetic, particularly about himself. But it was just one evening, one in which he had the help of his former partner, Jake Gibb, who introduced Rosenthal, one of the few players in the Hall of Fame’s history to be inducted on his first ballot.
He was inducted alongside Annett Davis, who won a National Championship for UCLA indoors and in 2000, alongside current UCLA beach assistant Jenny Johnson Jordan, became the first African American pair to represent the United States in an Olympic Games.
While Jon Lee, the third inductee, does not have Olympic experience as a player, he was honored as a contributor to the sport. A longtime writer for Volleyball Magazine — when it was still a physical magazine and not the digital only version you’re reading here — Lee still coaches clinics in Santa Barbara.
NORCECA Continentals set for December 9-11
The North America, Central America, Caribbean (NORCECA) Continental Championships that few know even exist, much less happen on an annual basis, are, alas, scheduled and have a set field. The event will be held in the Dominican Republic on December 9-11, one weekend after the AVP’s season-ending Pro Series in Central Florida. Because this is NORCECA, however, one of the most turbulent, volatile organizations in a turbulent, volatile sport, USA Volleyball was given such late notice that there was no traditional qualifier held to determine which team — yes, just one team — would represent the United States. As such, the team with the highest entry point total on the Beach Pro Tour…
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