Sports This Week - Wilkerson enjoys challenge of beach v’ball

When you like most sports, you become a bit like a honey bee in a field of flowering clover, willing to go from one sport to another and enjoying the journey.

It was on one of those evenings of YouTube exploration that I settled upon a game of beach volleyball, and frankly was surprised by how much I enjoyed the sport. I mention the surprise because the regular six-on-six volleyball played on a gym court – the game most of us would have at least experienced a but in school – has always been a sport I have wanted to enjoy watching far more than I do when I tune into a game.

It’s not that I have been an avid watcher, but when Team Canada is on TV I am likely to set the DVR, yet the watching comes up disappointing, perhaps because the games seem to be serve, return, spike, and repeat, with longer rallies all too rare.

Fast forward to the beach game, and there is a different cadence to the game, one where the team work of two players can be appreciated. This is a sport I much more appreciate.

So having the opportunity to recently do a telephone interview with Brandie Wilkerson was a rather cool moment.

Wilkerson is a Canadian beach volleyball player who plays as a right-side blocker. With teammate Heather Bansley, she achieved a career-high world ranking of No. 1 in Nov. 2018, so she is certainly among this country’s elite at the sport.

Not surprisingly Wilkerson started out in regular volleyball where she was also very good playing for York University in Toronto.

In transferring to the beach game Wilkerson said a lot of the skills she already knew helped her in the sand, but the games are quite different too.

Playing right side in the gym “I didn’t do any setting, or very much passing,” she said, adding her role was blocking and hitting. For the other skills the gym game almost allows some players “to hide’ in terms of using certain skills.

In the beach game with only two players, both have to do everything.

“It wasn’t exactly a smooth transition for the first little bit. It was definitely frustrating,” said Wilkerson.

But, tackling the game made it interesting and Wilkerson said she was ready to take on something new.

“I think I was attracted to the challenge beach volleyball offered,” she said, adding it forced her to broaden her game to encompass more of the skills associated with the sport.

Beyond the skill set needed, beach volleyball means players have to deal with running in the sand, and dealing with the hot sun beating down.

“I think that’s what makes beach volleyball so interesting, every time you step on to the court it’s never the same thing. You have to use your skills and adapt,” said Wilkerson.

There of course is the team element too, a team where you have one other person to rely on on the court.

“I would argue you don’t need to be best friends with your teammate, but you need a good working relationship,” said Wilkerson, adding on the court a team needs to be on the same page. Once a game begins “. . . it’s about how well you can support your partner.”

Certainly the sport in Canada appears to be gaining fans, in part thanks to players like Wilkerson and Bansley.

Wilkerson said it’s not clear why Canadians seem to be taking to beach volleyball as they have, but added it seems fans here are willing to give various sports a look. We might be a hockey country. But fans like rugby and are taking to basketball and other sports too, she noted.

Interest in beach volleyball might get another boost should Canadians do well when the next Summer Olympics are finally held.

“I’m really hyped,” she said, adding the postponement from this summer is disappointing but noting she and other top players will be ready in 2021 to try for a spot.

It is taking self-motivation through the time of self-isolation but she is confident the players are ready for the challenges ahead of the Olympics.

“I think we’ll emerge stronger than before,” said Wilkerson.