BeachDig Holiday Camp comes to Pompano Beach
The 6th annual BeachDig Holiday Camp was held at Pompano Beach and attracted 30 aspiring college volleyball at
The quest for greatness begins with an unwavering dedication to work harder than your peers and never being satisfied with just being good. The 6th annual BeachDig Holiday Camp came to Pompano Beach and 30 aspiring volleyball players from the ages of 12-22 hit the beach for an intense three-day camp session. While some of their friends were relaxing during the holiday break, these young athletes were busy honing their skills and preparing for the future.
Besides Florida, the camp attracted players from New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, Ohio, Virginia and Canada. The northern visitors were glad to be spending their Christmas vacation in sunny South Florida, while learning about proper fundamentals, unique strategies and the mental skills necessary to play winning beach volleyball. BeachDig is one of the nation's top training programs for aspiring sand volleyball players and more than 60 of their players have attained college scholarships.
Players like Nikki Lyons (Pepperdine), Shelby Babowicz (Jacksonville University) and Macie Tendrich (University of South Carolina) are high school seniors who have made their college commitments and are keeping their dreams alive. Lyons who attends St. Thomas High School recently met one of her goals by winning an indoor high school state championship. The 6'1 outside hitter is intent not to rest on her laurels.
"I'm here at this camp because I want to get better and that's my always my goal," Lyons said. "I'm getting a lot of reps and touches and that is very beneficial for my game. There are a lot of really good players who play this game. My motivation is to be the best."
Kendra VanZwieten is the Director of Florida BeachDig and she was there instilling drills and giving instructions to the campers. VanZwieten and her husband Steve, who was in attendance, are AVP beach pros and they were assisted by instructors Nate Davis, former FSU player Summer Weissing and current FSU player Stephanie Pelliteri.
The camp was broken down into three sessions based on age and skill levels. Being outdoors at the beach and playing the game they love was all the motivation the campers needed. There is an emphasis on having fun, but there is intensive training to help the campers achieve their goals.
VanZwieten, a Pompano Beach resident, is one of Florida's top beach volleyball professionals.
"The state of beach volleyball is improving every year and with the opportunity to get college scholarships the interest is and talent is increasing," VanZwieten said. "The players are taking their training more seriously and that is why they are here. We get to evaluate them and help them with different showcases. Many of the players are indoor and outdoor players and this will help both of their games. I'm very pleased with our turnout."
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