Post by roofed! on May 19, 2007 23:57:25 GMT -5
[ftp]http://www.dailynews.com/sports/ci_5933927[/ftp]
Volleyball: Tom adapts to beach scene
BY PHIL COLLIN, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 05/18/2007 11:21:55 PM PDT
HERMOSA BEACH - She stepped onto the sand and the stuff gobbled her up.
An Olympic hero for the United States at 19 years old, Logan Tom was braving the outdoor elements and quickly realized there might be a little more to beach volleyball than she realized.
"I was horrible," Tom said. "It was one of the hardest things I've done in my life."
The 6-foot-1, two-time Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year at Stanford was one of eight indoor college players being tutored by Holly McPeak, who had no idea she was witnessing her future partner.
"Oh, gosh," McPeak said. "I was trying to help transition some girls to the beach. It was after her junior year and yeah, she wasn't very good."
McPeak, though, hasn't become the all-time wins leader in women's beach volleyball by accident. It wasn't too long ago she plucked Misty May off the hardcourt and taught her a few tricks on the beach.
"She was challenged by that," McPeak said of Tom's mini-camp experience. "I think it's hard to be the best, best, best and then be really bad. It's really hard. And you either go for it and embrace it, or you walk the other way and she's choosing to embrace it."
Beginning today in the AVP Hermosa Beach Open, the extent of Tom's progress will be on display. She and McPeak, 38, are seeded seventh in the women's draw after a fifth-place finish last week in Glendale, Ariz. It's their highest finish as a duo that just hooked up late last season.
Tom's transition to the beach comes after years of playing in indoor leagues in Brazil, Italy, Switzerland and Spain. The 25-year-old will decide on her future after the season, which will either be taking another run in Spain or staying home.
"I've lived overseas, I like different cultures, but I also miss being home a lot of times," Tom said. "When you're overseas eight months out of the year it would be nice to do what I enjoy for the majority of the time."
McPeak wants Tom to stay.
"If she has a good beach season ... no. I'm sorry ... when she has a good beach season, she's going to be a champion, for sure," McPeak said.
Volleyball: Tom adapts to beach scene
BY PHIL COLLIN, Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 05/18/2007 11:21:55 PM PDT
HERMOSA BEACH - She stepped onto the sand and the stuff gobbled her up.
An Olympic hero for the United States at 19 years old, Logan Tom was braving the outdoor elements and quickly realized there might be a little more to beach volleyball than she realized.
"I was horrible," Tom said. "It was one of the hardest things I've done in my life."
The 6-foot-1, two-time Pacific-10 Conference Player of the Year at Stanford was one of eight indoor college players being tutored by Holly McPeak, who had no idea she was witnessing her future partner.
"Oh, gosh," McPeak said. "I was trying to help transition some girls to the beach. It was after her junior year and yeah, she wasn't very good."
McPeak, though, hasn't become the all-time wins leader in women's beach volleyball by accident. It wasn't too long ago she plucked Misty May off the hardcourt and taught her a few tricks on the beach.
"She was challenged by that," McPeak said of Tom's mini-camp experience. "I think it's hard to be the best, best, best and then be really bad. It's really hard. And you either go for it and embrace it, or you walk the other way and she's choosing to embrace it."
Beginning today in the AVP Hermosa Beach Open, the extent of Tom's progress will be on display. She and McPeak, 38, are seeded seventh in the women's draw after a fifth-place finish last week in Glendale, Ariz. It's their highest finish as a duo that just hooked up late last season.
Tom's transition to the beach comes after years of playing in indoor leagues in Brazil, Italy, Switzerland and Spain. The 25-year-old will decide on her future after the season, which will either be taking another run in Spain or staying home.
"I've lived overseas, I like different cultures, but I also miss being home a lot of times," Tom said. "When you're overseas eight months out of the year it would be nice to do what I enjoy for the majority of the time."
McPeak wants Tom to stay.
"If she has a good beach season ... no. I'm sorry ... when she has a good beach season, she's going to be a champion, for sure," McPeak said.