If you were a part of the Flight School volleyball clinic at Third Coast this is the page you were looking for. The link below is home to 864 hand crafted images built specifically for you. If you don’t like the way you look in them, I’m sorry, I didn’t make your face that way. Cheers! (Which means you can buy me a beer next time you see me at 3C)
McKibbin Brothers 4 Man Tournament - Austin, TX /
Taylor Sander takes aim at a muscle-bound defender as Tri Bourne begs fruitlessly for mercy.
Ok so I was planning on writing this big long piece about the amazing 4 Man tournament put on a week and a half ago by the McKibbin Brothers in Austin but I thought to myself - people come here to see the pictures, not attempt to read my semi-literate attempts at stories. Furthermore, there are already some great articles put together by Megan Kaplon from Volleyballmag that highlight the action and events of that day. If you want to check those articles out they are HERE and HERE.
Eric Barenek has never said no to a free beer.
Back to what I do want to focus on…the pictures! That’s what I went to do and dammit, that’s what I did while I was there (while enjoying the occasional cold refreshment). Many thanks to Riley and Maddison for giving me an enthusiastic “HELL YES!” When I reached out to them about getting permission to photograph the tournament. I mean, technically I did offer my services for free but they hooked me up with the all access pass and are truly some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. They have been so appreciative of the work I did and that is something I won’t soon forget.
It might just be an AVP thing though seeing as every pro I had the pleasure of talking to on that Saturday was beyond friendly and eager to engage with the fans that showed up. And this is by Texas standards. It’s always nice when you meet your idols and they turn out to be genuine, good hearted people. And it takes me back to a previous blog post where I talked about the volleyball community and how amazing it’s been for me. I don’t know another sport you can find a community that’s got the same feel no matter which level you’re in.
Jeremy Casebeer wakes up from a mid match nap, much to the amazement of Casey Patterson.
Troy Field learns happy hour is ending during his match.
So obviously the main reason for making the trip was to watch some of the best professionals in the world play in a four person beach volleyball format, but we also had two teams representing our local club, Third Coast Volleyball. There were qualifiers for local teams from Houston, Dallas and Austin to get into the final four draw where you’d be playing against pro teams stacked with AVP and Olympic Champions.
The men’s team came up just short of making it to the final four but the women stormed through the qualifying field and found themselves matched up against current Olympic gold medalist April Ross and her team of AVP pros. In what would look like a David vs Goliath match up on paper, the local kids showed heart and an incredible ability to fight fire with fire. The scoring went back and forth for both games but ultimately Third Coast came up just a couple points shy in both sets of the match.
Kristen Nuss and Macy Jerger attempt to make tip-off a thing in beach volleyball.
Troy Field parts the seas of Tri Bourne and Taylor Sander
The finals in both the men’s and women’s fields were both professionals vs professionals with Hawaii battling California on the men’s side and California playing the Midwest on the women’s. Tri Bourne, Taylor Crabb, Trevor Crabb and Taylor Sander were able to edge out Casey Patterson, Jeremy Casebeer, Troy Field and Chase Budinger for their share of the $20,000 grand prize. And for the women, Taryn Kloth, Falyn Fonoimoana, Kristen Nuss and Corinne Quiggle took down April Ross, Karissa Cook, Macy Jerger and Geena Urango to bring home the money.
Alyssa Enneking and the Third Coast women celebrate news that McDonalds is bringing back the McRib
How many McKibbin brothers does it take to install a GoPro camera?
Both matches resembled a meteor shower with hits raining down and only the occasional monster block to thwart the offensive onslaught. The sold out crowd was “ooh”-ing and “ahh”-ing with regularity. As someone who has yet to go to an AVP event in person, I felt the atmosphere was buzzing despite the fact that attendance was capped at a few hundred spectators. That intimacy though was one of the best aspects of the whole tournament. You were never more than a few yards away from the center court where Olympic level volleyball was being played. The McKibbin Brothers have definitely found the formula for success with their 4 Man concept and I think the possibilities going forward are endless. Exciting times lay ahead for this sport that I’ve come to love.
Now if you just came here to see the massive photo dump, you can find the link to the 1300 tournament photos HERE
If you’re going to share them, I ask that you please credit me in your post. Thank you!
Ross Nelms with the bunnies on this hit
80's Night at Third Coast /
After an amazing few days in Dallas for my brother’s wedding and getting to hang with family-some that I hadn’t in years, I drove back to Houston to hang with my Third Coast Family. The wedding was beautiful and I could definitely have dedicated a post to all the excitement there…but lucky for the couple I wasn’t in charge of pictures so I won’t put you through a post with no pictures.
The theme of the night was the 80’s despite the fact most of the people playing weren’t even born in that decade. Obviously the kids know how to use Google though because the costumes were great. Follow the link below to see all the fun from Saturday night.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/q93mw9uoe5xwdef/AABrgv4MylaRETG--NXmG4I1a?dl=0
Third Coast AVP Open/April 3rd, 2021 /
It will probably come as no surprise to many of you reading this but over the past 5 months or so I have really fallen in love with the sport of beach volleyball. What started as a causal invite to play a few pick up games has evolved into an all consuming passion that has me spending as much free time as I can on the sand.
Rafa and Steven Roschitz getting that golden hour light
As much as I’d like to say it’s the ability to play a sport competitively again, get a great workout in while working on my tan or just learning a new skill, the real reason I keep coming back are the people I’ve met along the way.
Jobey being Jobey
From the first time I walked through the doors at Third Coast here in Houston, everyone I met was so friendly and eager to teach me something or invite me to a social function. The new guy that didn’t (still debatably doesn’t) know how to pass, set or hit any shots was just as much a part of the group as the most seasoned player. I knew early on I had stumbled across something special, but more importantly I had found some amazing people.
Playing in a few tournaments recently has only driven home the fact that the beach volleyball community is a huge family. After every tournament I go to I walk away with new friends and hear stories about people staying with acquaintances for tournaments all over the country. “Hey my friend lives in Pensacola, I know he’d be cool with you crashing there the week for FUDS. I’ll text him right now.”
My boy!
It might sound crazy from the outsider’s perspective but it really is just the way everyone pulls together. Maybe it’s southern hospitality but I think it’s bigger than that. I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone and accepted that first invite to come play in the sand. It has changed the course of my life and I can’t wait to see what other doors this world will open. If you’re reading this and want to come see for yourself, come out to Third Coast or any of the other courts around your town and find out for yourself. You might just find a new obsession.
With that said, I’d like to introduce you to some of the great people I’ve met along the way who happen to also be pretty badass players as well.
Micah gets a quick power nap but still can’t avoid the paparazzi
And for those of you in the tournament that would like to download/view any or all of the photos from this past weekend, follow this link!
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/6fropsf9a379x89/AABn3wYF65wiVfZ1nZQw1ILYa?dl=0
Bryson City, North Carolina /
Great Smoky Mountain National Park
I have always considered myself a Rocky Mountain aficionado. After my first trip out west when I was 14 I developed an affinity for those majestic mountains that tower over everything around them. I have had countless dreams of moving somewhere in Colorado or Wyoming when my time in Houston comes to an end, but a week in Bryson City, North Carolina this summer may have changed all that.
I had actually traveled to Bryson City (BC) two years ago when I flew out for my cousin Brenae's wedding in mid June. The wedding was beautiful, the town was beautiful, but only being there for the weekend was not. I didn't have the chance to explore the area and soak up everything it has to offer...which as I found out, is a lot!
Sunrise in the Smokeys
The planning began in late spring while out for a walk with my parents and their dog Hazel (pictured below). They told me they were going to be going back to BC in the summer and that it would be great to have Addison and I join. On top of that, my brother and his girlfriend as well as my cousins were also going to make the trip so we had a full fledged family reunion in the Smokys.
Getting to Bryson City is relatively easy as there are major airports within a 3 hour drive (Atlanta and Charlotte) as well as some regional airports 1 to 2 hours away (Asheville and Greenville-Spartanburg). The drive in to town from any direction is about as scenic as drives come on the east coast. Green as far as the eye can see, with tree covered mountains carving up the landscape.
Bryson City Outdoors storefront
Once you arrive in town you’re greeted by a postcard shot of Main Street with mountains as a backdrop. It’s not Michigan Avenue but the local shops are charming with their storefronts and brick exteriors inviting you to forego the scenery and spend some time indoors.
One of the stores you need to spend some time indoors in is Bryson City Outdoors on Main Street. It has all the Bryson City gear you could ever want as well as hiking and camping equipment for any adventure. They also have a full service bar with all kinds of local craft beers on tap. And on top of that, most nights of the week they have local food trucks serve dinner to enjoy on their front patio. It really is a unique place that embodies all of the great aspects of a scenic small outdoorsy town. (PS-my cousin’s husband is a co-owner so you should definitely help the family out and check it out for yourself! Ask for Ben!...and look for Lager and Barley the friendly shop dogs and official BCO mascots)
A portion of the beer selection at Bryson City Outdoors
Ok, on to some pretty pictures!
Found on Road Dead
The splendor of a town like Bryson City is you don’t even have to look for the beautiful areas, they surround you wherever you are. For example, this photo is from the back porch of my cousin’s home. Still in town, but you have the valley view of Great Smoky National park that is a mere 2 miles north.
In fact, if you head north to the nearest park entrance on Deep Creek road, you can get to hiking trails within 8 minutes. You can wake up at 7:30 in the morning and be hiking in one of America’s greatest National Parks by 8:00...even with a deer related traffic jam on the way.
Tom Branch Falls
The trails that will greet you from the Deep Creek trailhead aren’t some lame, roadside attraction type trails either. You will be hiking along an Appalachian stream as clear as the mountain air. Within the first half mile you will be treated to the sights and sounds of Tom Branch Falls, a 100’ tall waterfall that cascades down the side of an embankment on the other side of the creek. Benches and shade await so you can rest your still-fresh legs with a waterfall view.
From the falls, the trails continue along the creek for about a mile until they start to split and give you more options on how to traverse the park. One such trail will take you straight to the state line of Tennesse and North Carolina and the summit of Clingman’s Dome, the highest point within Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Of course, if you aren’t feeling the 13 mile (each way) and 3,000’ foot elevation gain hike, you can drive through the park to a convenient parking lot with panoramic views of the entire region.
Clingman’s Dome Spaceship style observation tower
A quick, but steep half mile hike from the parking lot will take you to the space ship inspired observation tower at the top of the mountain. It is a quick hike, but with a starting elevation of over 6,300’… be prepared to suck wind, often. But stay the course because the views from the tower are even better than the parking lot. You have a full 360 degree vantage point of everything. Tennessee, North Carolina, Bryson City, Fontana Lake, Gatlinburg, the Eiffel Tower…just miles and miles of mountain layers await. I can’t recommend this attraction enough.
Once you get back down to base camp, your next stop should be Fontana Lake which is a few miles west of Bryson City proper. Fontana Lake is a finger lake that bobs and weaves between tree covered mountains ensuring you always have your own slice of solitude. Parts of the lake are narrow enough that two boats feel tight when passing each other, but it also opens up to give you views of the mountains that aren’t lining the lake. One thing you should also stay cognizant of is the weather because those storms will creep up on you behind the mountains. Just when you think it’s a perfect time to drop anchor and work on those tan lines, you could end up scrambling to find cover from a truly shocking lightning show! Don’t ask me how I know this.
Fontana Lake boat launch
These are just a few of the attractions waiting for you in this little section of western North Carolina. As someone who has seen a large sampling of what this country has to offer from a landscape standpoint, Bryson City is about as beautiful and quaint as towns come. The outdoor lifestyle is abundant and the wildlife is just as impressive. If you haven’t made it to this corner of America yet, you’re doing yourself a disservice. So do yourself a favor, make some time for an Appalachian getaway this year and head to the mountains of North Carolina. Thank me later.
Below are some other photos from the trip from all around town:
