On the attack with Elaine Youngs
Courtesy of the AVP
by Jay Polonsky
3/24/2003
The AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour's Best Offensive Player of 2002,
Elaine Youngs, is armed and dangerous.

No you won't see her in a most wanted photo on the wall at the post
office, but many opponents have found out just how much ammunition
she carries onto a volleyball court.

Hitting at a .614 kill percentage pace on last season's AVP Tour,
Youngs took her game to a new level as her and partner Holly McPeak
took apart nearly all of their competition compiling a 32-2 match
record while winning five of the AVP's seven events.

She credits her partner for much of her offensive success and
expressed pleasure at how well the duo gelled despite little practice
time together in the preseason.

But the six-foot Durango, Colo. resident puts her game into
perspective when discussing her confidence level while on the attack.

"I feel that now, with the small court, I am very tough to stop," she
said. "I have no fear of the block and have no fear of anyone. I
rarely use my partners call, I just go up to bang."

Youngs, who also garnered the AVP's Female Most Valuable Player
trophy last season, puts down a high percentage of her kills on the
second hit.

Because opponents don't want to serve her for the easy kill in a
traditional two hit offense, the pressure lies on McPeak to either
put the ball down herself or produce a hittable set — a task she has
proven worthy of on many occasions.

Youngs said that receiving great sets from McPeak enhances the
opportunity for her to put the ball on the sand and that hitting the
second ball keeps the opponents off balance.

"It's (hitting in two) a way for me to get involved offensively and
catch the defense off guard," said Youngs about the strategy her and
the partner she won the 2002 AVP Best Female Team award with
use. "Holly's partners (Lisa Arce, Nancy Reno, Misty May) have always
hit on two so it's not something new. She is such a great passer that
it makes it much easier."


The 33 year old, who earned $136,808 playing beach volleyball last
year on both the AVP and Fèdèration Internationale de Volleyball
World Tour, said the important facets in her offense consist of
staying behind the ball adding that getting too far under causes a
loss of power, vision and deception.

A perfect Youngs kill includes an on target pass, good footwork on
the approach (as a left sider she attempts to get outside the ball
every time), staying behind the ball and a high arm swing (attacking
the ball with a fully extended arm with good hand contact on the
ball). She said a good vertical leap, which she is blessed with,
doesn't hurt at all.

A set off the net is something Youngs said causes a difficult
adjustment because she doesn't rely on shots. If the ball is not
tight she is forced to wait and scan the court in order to make a
good decision on what to do with the ball instead of just winding up
and hitting it as hard as she can.

The El Toro, Calif. native learned her power game while playing
indoor ball at UCLA, with the U.S. National Team (appearing in the
1996 Olympics in Atlanta) and playing professionally in Italy and
Turkey.

Among the many people she credits for helping her learn the ropes of
the attack, the big names that stand out include coaches Andy
Banachowski and Greg Giovanazzi, and fellow players Caren Kemner,
Nancy Reno, Liz Masakayan and Jeff Alzina.

Once leaving the indoor game where she was used to hitting against
two blockers and four defenders, Youngs said the transition onto the
beach was easy for her hitting game with only one blocker and one
defender.

But it wasn't until 2001 (her fifth season on the beach), with
partner Barbra Fontana, that Youngs said she became a consistent
force and started feeling that she could put the ball down at will.

Youngs drills for her attack method include working on her arm swing
by hitting the ball against a wall inside a racquetball court and
hitting sets that are 10 feet off the net. She said that practice,
practice and more practice is the best way to improve and that
aspiring players should not be afraid to watch themselves on
television or video and should be able to adapt to change.

The many career experiences have made her the top-notch player she is
today and Youngs said through it all she learned about competing
everyday and "to put the ball down peoples throats."

Youngs said she most likely hits more balls than any one on tour
because if the serve doesn't go her way she still hits the majority
of balls for the team and commits few hitting errors.

Of course her power is a big credit to the strong numbers she wracks
up but Youngs has done a lot of homework to become the offensive
force she is currently.

"I give myself a lot of credit," she said. "I have taken the time
myself to break down many skills, and basically start over. Breaking
down skills takes a lot of courage in my mind. But it has really been
worth it."