Manhattan Beach has played a major role in the history and growth of competitive beach volleyball. Currently, it is home to MBsand, a youth-oriented club that offers training for boys and girls ages 10–17 in Manhattan Beach, Long Beach and Huntington Beach. If you’re new to this sport or trying to determine where to begin, this guide will walk you through the basics and the history, local program, what the training actually is like, and where you can look for more details regarding each of the stages.

Enter “Manhattan Beach volleyball” into Google and you’ll see various results like the pier courts, tournament results, local clubs, perhaps some professional players’ Instagram accounts. It’s a lot of information to sort through if you’re trying to determine how your family is a part of it. Let’s go back and take a look at the entire picture in one spot.

Why Manhattan Beach Matters in Beach Volleyball

Before it became an Olympic sport, beach volleyball was an integral part of life in Manhattan Beach. The Pier courts have hosted professional tournaments for a long time and many of the most famous players Karch Kiraly, Sinjin Smith, and later Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings made their names playing on the same sandy beach.

This is the reason why the local coaching talent is so extensive. MBsand was born from this lineage, created by joining the Dodd Volleyball School with the Manhattan Beach Volleyball Club. The director of the club, Patty Dodd, is a Beach Volleyball Hall of Fame member and former UCLA All-American and her husband, Mike Dodd, won a silver medal at the sport’s very first Olympic competition in 1996. It’s not a club that happens to be situated in a good area of sand. It was founded by athletes who have played at the top of their sport.

MBsand’s Locations

MBsand manages youth programs in three Southern California locations:

• Manhattan Beach, the club’s home base, supervised by Patty Dodd
• Long Beach (Rosie’s Dog Beach), part of MBsand South
• Huntington Beach, also part of MBsand South, directed by Fernando Sabla
  
  

  Fernando Sabla, MBsand South Director and beach volleyball coach.

Between the three regions, families from the South Bay, Long Beach and Orange County have access to the same type of coaching without having to be in the Manhattan Beach sand.

Getting Started: Is My Child Ready?

This is typically the first question that parents ask. The majority of kids have the capacity for structured instruction between the ages of 9 to 11, but it’s more about the ability to focus and coordination rather than a strict cutoff age. Kids younger than that may still be able to have fun with informal play, but it’s all about determining when they’re ready to receive real-time coaching and drills.

We discuss this in more detail in our guide on the is the right age for kids to begin volleyball on the beach including what the training is like from 7 to 18 years old.

Choosing a Program: What Training Actually Involves

Not every organization operates in the same way. Before deciding on a club, you should look at the credentials of coaches and whether players are classified according to their skill level and not just age; also, whether the program has an actual track record of outcomes, and not only the marketing language.

According to MBsand, the club has achieved 12 BVCA National Championships, more than 4,000 youth medals, and helped 56 players go on to Division 1 schools. Pricing starts at $99 for an introductory offer for four practices, which is the most convenient method for a new family to test the waters before committing more.

For full details of prices, what an initial practice looks like and how to sign up, check out our complete guide to beach volleyball lessons in Manhattan Beach.

Where Beach Volleyball Can Lead

For those who are thinking about the future, beach volleyball can provide a pathway to collegiate athletics. It is an established NCAA championship sport, giving competitive athletes an opportunity to continue playing at the college level. MBsand reports that 56 of its players have gone on to Division 1 programs, showing one potential pathway from youth beach volleyball to collegiate competition.

Our article about the ways that beach volleyball can help students get recruited to colleges of the D1 level explores how recruitment conversations usually begin as well as what college coaches really look for.

What Makes Manhattan Beach Different From Other Places to Learn

A few aspects make this club stand out from other clubs of the nation:

1. Coaching talent depth: Decades of AVP and Olympic-level players have walked through the region and many of them coach locally
2. Training conditions throughout the year: Southern California weather is a constant sand time and not a short time frame.
3. An integrated competitive environment: From local tournaments to the pier courts themselves kids are exposed to rivalry in their own backyard
4. Visibility to recruit college: Coaches are aware of where to look and Manhattan Beach is near the top of the list.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Is Manhattan Beach a good place to learn volleyball?
Yes. Manhattan Beach is one of the oldest centers, with a vast group of highly experienced coaches as well as consistent training conditions all year round.

Which club provides beach volleyball instruction in Manhattan Beach?
MBsand offers beach volleyball instruction for youth in Manhattan Beach for kids ages 10-17. There are additional places in Long Beach and Huntington Beach through MBsand South.

How can I get my child to participate in beach volleyball at Manhattan Beach?
The most straightforward first step is to try a trial practice. MBsand’s $99 New Client Introduction Offer includes four practice sessions for two weeks.

Could beach volleyball get you an academic scholarship to college?
Yes. MBsand has been able to send 56 players to Division 1 programs and beach volleyball continues to grow as an NCAA sport that has a high recruiting demand.

Who coaches beach volleyball at MBsand in Manhattan Beach?
The program is produced by Patty Dodd, a Beach Volleyball Hall of Famer, along with Mike Dodd, an Olympic silver medalist and Fernando Sabla, Director of MBsand South.

Sign up to try a trial session at MBsand Manhattan Beach –

Are you having questions about starting? Reach out to MBsand Director Patty Dodd at (310) 227-6628 or mbsandvbc@gmail.com.