Top seeds take break from overseas events
Thursday, July 12, 2001
By Cindy Fairfield
MUSKEGON CHRONICLE SPORTS EDITOR
Olympic gold medalists Eric Fonoimoana and Dain Blanton enter this weekend's $125,000
Sunkist Open beach volleyball tournament as the top seeds but they're not taking anything
for granted. "We were the last team to qualify in the Olympics," said Fonoimoana, "so coming through and winning the gold medal is something I'll never forget. "But beach volleyball is a sport where you have to be at the top of your game every minute because the competition is so strong." Fonoimoana and Blanton have played in only one Association of Volleyball Professionals event and placed second. Instead, the twosome have been overseas competing on the lucrative Federal de International Volleyball tour and Fonoimoana is looking forward to returning to the states, specifically Muskegon. "I love playing in Michigan," said Fonoimoana. "Michigan is odd compared to the other sites we play because the fans there really understand the game of volleyball and really appreciate having us there."It's an area where beach volleyball seems to be a way of life." With strong high school programs and nearly 1,000 people involved in summer recreational volleyball, the greater Muskegon area has embraced professional volleyball here for more than 10 years.
"We've had Summer Celebration and the Air Fair and some other big events here," said
Muskegon city manager Bryon Mazade. "The AVP is a different kind of event but it's a big
key to the puzzle. All of those things just make Muskegon a fun place to be." Piere Marquette Beach will host 24 two-person teams in both men's and women's competition.
Admission is free. Fonoimoana and Blanton will be the team to beat in men's competition. Of the top teams on the tour, the twosome has been together the longest at four years. That stability and "chemistry" has helped the duo capture seven titles and nine runner-up finishes in the past few years."Chemistry has a lot to do with success," said Fonoimoana, who has $746,735 in career winnings over seven years. "You have to be able to get along with your partner on and off the court. If you don't get a long, things can fall apart." That's what happened to former Grand Haven resident Brent Doble and partner Lee LeGrande just before last year's tournament here. LeGrande's antics, in which he openly trash talked to opponents and fans, caused Doble to get a new partner. Doble was supposed to team up with Karch Kiraly this year but Kiraly has been sidelined all season with an injury.
So Doble and LeGrande will join forces again and enter the tournament as the No. 3 seeds.
LeGrande said he's toned down his act and won't be a distraction to Doble this year.
"I've learned my lesson," he said.Last year, LeGrande, who finished runner-up with partner Franco Neto, spat on some fans in Muskegon. "I'm hoping the fans will like me now that I'm with Doble," said LeGrande. "To tell you the truth, I have a great appreciation for Michigan fans and their Midwestern outlook. They take you at face value. "It's different in Los Angeles. It's all about who you are and how much money you make." LeGrande hopes to be in the money when competition concludes here Sunday. And so does Doble, who had to scramble in the first two tournaments to find a partner to replace Kiraly."It has been a very frustrating year," said Doble, who will stay with friends in Grand Haven while competing here. "I am looking for a breakthrough tournament. And in Muskegon,I feel like I'm playing in front of a hometown crowd."