By Judy O’Gorman Alvarez
Members of the Sea Bright Volleyball League are prepping for the upcoming season beginning June 6. More than 1,000 members have signed up to serve, set and spike the ball for the weekly adult volleyball games on the borough’s sands.
“We’ve got 100 teams signed up,” said Corey Wagner, one of the league organizers.
The league runs about 10 weeks long every summer on the Sea Bright municipal beach. Teams pick from 10 different evening timeslots Monday through Thursday. Most leagues are recreational level with six players per team.
“We have mostly adults, but really it’s for people of all ages,” Wagner said.
Members range in ages, including some in their 70s who have been playing all their lives and, as Wagner points out, there are players who only started playing volleyball in their 60s. And then there is a youth program for 10 to 18-year-olds.
“It’s just grown every year,” said Wagner. This year’s total of 1,000 players tops their record.
But over the years the league has grown so much in popularity, membership has soared. “Demand was no longer the issue, it’s now how many time slots we can offer,” he said. “This year, we’re increasing from six courts to nine courts. And still, most of the time slots are at full capacity.”
Before Super Storm Sandy hit the Jersey Shore 10 years ago, Wagner said he was helping the
Mad Hatter restaurant with their volleyball league. The restaurant has not reopened since the 2012 hurricane so Wagner started working with the borough to create a town league.
“There’s an area of the beach that I’ve been going to since I was a kid that was always under-utilized because it’s so far from the water. So for the last 12 years, it’s been a perfect home” for playing volleyball.
The league pays the borough a set price for the courts, which the borough maintains. The league is open to everyone, not just Sea Bright residents.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic and its restrictions slowed down many activities, volleyball and other outdoor sports have not suffered too much. When people were ready – and long overdue – to get out to enjoy the fresh air and eager for activity, membership picked up again.
As Wagner points out, keeping 6 feet apart is usually pretty easy on a volleyball court. “So there was always a social distancing element to the game,” he said.
“Wednesday night is our competitive night,” he said. “The other leagues are just a mix-and-match recreational level for all ages and genders.
“The vast majority – 90% of people – are playing at a recreational level. The only time they play volleyball is 10 weeks in the summer,” he said. “They’re not trying to start a career or anything, but on Wednesday night we have a handful of people and teams that are definitely impressive to watch,” Wagner said.
He noted they have had a few past league members who played at the pro level but no team is made up of completely elite-level players.
Perhaps the biggest challenge of running the league – as many sports leagues’ organizers know – comes from nature. “If there’s rain or thunderstorms threatening, most of those nights (play) doesn’t actually happen,” said Wagner. “So you’re just constantly looking at the radar, checking to see if it’s going to hit us or blow over.”
At least a couple of times a year Wagner said they’ll have to sound the alert to take cover from lightning. “That night we’ll have to run out on the courts, say, ‘Stop the games, record your scores and get in your cars,’ ” he said. “Two years ago we canceled, thankfully, and one of the posts did get struck by lightning.”
Ryan Gillaspie of Monmouth Beach and his teammates on the Down to Dive team have been involved in the league since its formation. “We’re all former lifeguards and bartenders at Donovan’s,” he said. “After we got done working, it was volleyball time.”
“We all graduated college, gone on to professional careers – some of us are teachers, work in finance and insurance – but we still find time to get together on a Tuesday at 6:30 and have a great time.”
Nowadays, he said, the spectators on the sidelines have changed. “As we get older, the new fans are kids, babies and families.”
The reward, as always, has been camaraderie. “A pat on the back, maybe a bar tab and volleyball pride,” he said.
This article originally appeared in the May 26 – June 1, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
