Beach Volleyball is Here to Stay

As they have every Saturday for fours years, Arnold Furr and his friends walked down to the beach to play volleyball.

But something was different this time.

This time there would be no time wasted in setting up a makeshift court. Beach Volleyball is back in Seal Beach, and it’s here to stay.

With a grant from Run Seal Beach, the city recently installed four permanent volleyball courts on the west side of the pier. Not since the days that Seal Beach hosted the popular Association of Volleyball Professionals Open at Seal Beach nearly a decade ago has there been year-round beach volleyball in Seal Beach.

“We hope that everyone uses, gets great enjoyment and recreation from the new volleyball courts,” said Race Treasurer Elizabeth Kane. “Volleyball was one of my favorite sports to play in school and what a great game to watch.”

The courts will be popular, predicted Furr. One group of players has been getting together to play at the beach every Sunday for 15 years, and about 10 to 20 women get together to play every Saturday, he said.

“We’re all locals,” said Furr. “We go out and dig a hole in the sand for our posts every weekend, and one day I thought, ‘This is crazy – we’ve all been doing this for so long.’”

So Furr lobbied the lifeguards, and the city, and the chamber of commerce to bring beach volleyball back to Seal Beach year-round.

The cause became a priority for Seal Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Past President Erik Dreyer-Goldman.

“It was one of my goals as president, and I am glad to see it happen,” he said. “It’s fabulous. It allows locals to come out and enjoy the beach, and eat and shop at the local businesses.”

For the last several years, the city has put up temporary nets each summer and removed them again in the fall, said Community Services Supervisor Tim Kelsey.

The permanent courts had to be set up on the north side of the pier between First and Second streets and between Sixth and Seventh streets to avoid interfering with the winter berm.

“Our goal with the courts is to make them available to the public,” said Kelsey. “We’re very excited about it.”