Men's Beach Volleyball 2023 Season Preview

By Francisco Claudio

 

It's that time of the fall season when you pick up your sandals and shades to go enjoy some electrifying volleyball in the sand.

 

One of Westcliff Athletics' most successful programs last year was the men's beach volleyball team which was the IVC League Champions and would go on to win the inaugural AVCA Fall Collegiate League Championships.

 

The Warriors had an overall record of 14-2 and even more impressive was their undefeated conference record of 7-0.

 

Their only losses came at the hands of Weber International which the Warriors had the pleasure of meeting in the national championship match, and by now we know how that ended.

 

Now we flip the script as Westcliff gets ready to start the season under new leadership in Fernando Sabla.

 

Sabla was introduced over the summer as he transitioned from the assistant coach of the women's beach volleyball program to head coach for the men.

 

It was a natural pairing as Sabla had just won the 2023 Cal Pac Beach title with the women's team which then went on to the NAIA semifinals of the national tournament.

 

Both Sabla and those returning for the men's team are coming off successful seasons and know what it takes to win at this level.

 

"I keep saying how lucky I feel to inherit such a talented team of returning players and incoming stud players," Sabla said. "We are coming together as a team and have each other's backs. It feels like a group of brothers out there in the sand.

 

"My expectations are that we show up to practice on time, work hard, remain teachable, and stay eligible. We take one practice and game at a time, improving each day. If we are consistent and accomplish those goals, I believe we will contend for a national championship."

 

Sabla has his eye on a couple of the returners and the huge impact they can have on this team which include Djordje Klasnic, Mohamed Ilias Lazaar, Gabriel Pizza, and Jacob Titus.

 

But there have also been some key additions with Tom Dempsey, Tyler Brossard, and Kajus Mazuronis which promises to make the team stronger.

 

As for the team captain, it will be Klasnic as soon as he gets back from the Mediterranean games where he's representing his country Serbia.

 

In his absence, Mohamed Ilias Lazaar has stepped in and done an amazing job as the team leader.

 

"I'm so proud of Mohamed," Sabla said. "I'm a firm believer that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts so I'm hopeful that every player will impact the team on and off the sand. Sometimes the biggest impacts are made in practice when teammates push each other to get better, oftentimes the biggest impact is made off the sand when the team backs each other up and goes all in together. 

 

"In my experience that usually comes from a selfless role player. The result is what everyone sees in a match win."

  

The Warriors will be kicking off their season on Tuesday, September 19th, at the Orange County Great Park beach volleyball courts.

 

They will be competing against the Long Beach All-Stars with the first serve happening at 10AM.

 

Then later this week on Thursday, September 21st, the Warriors will play against the OC Riot at the Great Park once again.

 

There are some circled opponents on the October schedule for the Warriors that will give them an idea of their level of play as they continue for the rest of the season.