The Invincible Volleyball Clinic’s “The Road to Gold 2012″ tour, held Monday at K2 Volleyball Club, ignited different reactions amongst the participants-shock, awe, excitement and a litany of other emotions. After all, it isn’t every day that a young athlete has the chance to learn from a two-time Olympic gold medalist like Kerri Walsh.
This is the third year that Walsh has headlined the clinich, and although she is now 33 and a mother of two, she is as passionate as ever for the sport that made her famous.
“I love beach volleyball,” she said.” I have a wonderful life. I am living my dream. My office is the beach. I have the freedom to set my own schedule, and it is really nice to be able to do that when you have kids.”
The freedom off the court also translates to freedom on the court. “Beach volleyball is a beautiful sport,” Walsh said. “It is you and your partner against two other people. You can’t hide your weaknesses (like in regular volleyball). You are out in the open, and the strengths and weaknesses are exposed.”
Walsh likes to focus her clinics on the basics and allow participants to move on from there.
“I try to emphasize the fundamentals,” Walsh said. “If you don’t know the ABC’s, you can’t learn the XYZ’s. We then focus on core skills and try to master that.”
K2 Volleyball Club co-director Christine Hames was impressd with Walsh’s approach.
“Kerri Walsh is a very sweet person,” Hames said. “She was full of energy, and the kids loved her and the clinic.”
Hames believes the magic of the clinic experience will hit home for the participants later this year.
“I think the kids will fully appreciate their experience at the clinic when they see Kerri Walsh at the 2012 Olympics in London,” Hames said.
“They will think ‘she was in our gym and gave us a high-five’, then they will understand that they had (special experience) at the clinic.:
Frances Harrison, 13, of Knoxville has played volleyball for four years. Harrison said she will never forget being a part of the Invincible Volleyball Clinic.
“It was one of the best experiences of my life,” she said. “I learned so much in so little time. Kerri Walsh has so much experience and truly loves the sport. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody put as much heart into volleyball as she has.”
Walsh and her beach volleyball partner, Misty May-Treanor, are ready to hit the road this spring that will lead to the coup de-grace this summer in London. The duo has won gold twice at the Olympics and will have all of the beach volleyball teams gunning for them. Walsh is not worriedm but looking forward to it.
“We like having targets on our backs,” she said.
Walsh said she is often motivated by the support she receives from fans.
“It may seem cheesy, but I like it when fans follow me on Twitter and Facebook,” Walsh said. “It is a real motivator when I am sent a message from a fan that is giving me (encouragement). It makes me work that much harder. I would like to encourage fans to follow me (through those outlets).”
