Two months after the conclusion of the season, many players from the women’s volleyball team are moving from the indoor courts to the beach to continue playing the sport they love.
Karl Seiler is returning as head coach for the beach volleyball team, with Ashlynn Craven and Kenna Broach as his assistant coaches. Seiler also coaches the indoor volleyball team, who he helped lead to the second round of the playoffs this past fall season.
Although some may think that beach volleyball and its indoor counterpart are indistinguishable from one another, Coach Seiler explained how changing the playing field changes how the game is played, and how his athletes need to learn to adapt to the game in this different environment.
“The learning curve is tremendous…It is extremely tough to play not only in the sand, but the different weather conditions,” Seiler said. “Most of my athletes are primarily indoor athletes learning the beach game. It takes us some time to understand the nuances of the game.”
The indoor volleyball team’s captain, Emma Bambe will also be competing on the sand this season. According to Seiler, Bambe and her partner Reese Maffitt are the pair to keep your eye on this season.
“Emma has tons of experience she is bringing back from last year, being eighth in the state, and Reese is an extremely physical and dynamic player,” Seiler said.
Photo by Hugh Cox, Courtesy of Palomar Athletics
Bambe hopes to improve her skills this season and help her team make it further than they did last season.
“I don’t think my partner and I were expecting to make it that far at the beginning of the season but we are really proud of what we did,” Bambe said. “This year I’m just going to push myself in practice and continue working hard on what my weaknesses are – just become the best player I can.”
The Palomar Comets will face off against the Santa Ana Dons at noon on Feb. 6 at El Camino College.
Look to The Telescope for further updates and season coverage for this, and other sports.