GODS to GHOSTS Volleyball

Mike discusses: His coaching career, including time at Santa Monica Community College and an epic comeback against Orange Coast Community College and how instrumental all -time LEGEND Randy Stoklos was, some of the heaviest hitters he ever saw, how he developed indoors as a player at places like John Adams Middle School, Pierce College, etc... Playing with Dave Schaeffer indoors, and classic story of "breaking in" filling in for '64 Olympian and Stockton Cl...

Stormin' Normand discusses: The brilliance of UCLA Coach Al Scates, the infamous "CIRCLE DRILL", "The Blue Curtain", CURL OFF in UCLA weight room against Trevor Schirman... His beach volleyball career, including epic 3rd place finish with the only guy with a mustache better than him, the LATE Rick "Bear Dog"" at the '77 State Beach World Championships, and mentoring a young Sinjin Smith to his first win at the '77 ...

Stormin' Normand discusses: His youth as a kid, his time as a Green Beret in Vietnam, how he became interested in the sport, and his time at UCLA in '73 and '74. Support the Show.

Digger Discusses: - Some additional memories from his time as a player at San Diego State, including his recollection of how talented Duncan McFarland was, not to mention his other talented teammates he is honored to have played alongside with, how he transitioned from his playing career to the real world as a High School Teacher and Coach , including coaching volleyball for the girls program at Hoover HS in San Diego, and recruiting Tod Mattox to help coach, and the LIFELONG...

Jay Discusses:- The '84 player strike at the Jose Cuervo World Championships in Redondo Beach when he and Andy Fishburn crossed the picket line to win the tournament, WHY they did so, the repercussions they faced on multiple levels for years to follow, how he and Andy could have handled it better in hindsight, getting back in the good graces of their peers later on, the talent level of young lions Scott Ayakatubby & Brent Frohoff and the influence Karch...

Digger discusses:- Reflections on relationships and friends from Manhattan Beach (Mike Cook, John Gonzalez, Mitch Malpee to name a few), competing indoors in the USVBA for Players Liquor and a fun "trip" competing in Mexico , relocating to San Diego and living on Mission Blvd, competing on the men's indoor volleyball team for San Diego State in '71 & '72, starting and running the Mission Beach Volleyball clinics in '73 alongside friends and teammates, being t...

Art Discusses:- Being an influence on fellow lefty Al Scates, growing up in Los Angeles and competing in basketball at Los Angeles high school, being a member of the UCLA Bruins basketball team for legendary coach John Wooden from '48-'51, and what it was like playing for him, learning the sport of volleyball at Sorrento Beach, competing for the prestigious Hollywood YMCA Stars team from '56-'59, where the team won 4 Open Championships, and Art was named a 3 X All-American outside hitte...

Digger discusses:- Growing up in Manhattan Beach in the 60's, some of his fellow volleyball players he got his start with in the sport, the humbling and exhilarating road of playing in his first tournament at Muscle Beach in '68, to ascending the ranking system from his B to AAA ranking over the coming summers, some of the highlights of his beach playing career, including a 2nd place finish at the State Beach Open alongside partner Marshall Savage in '71, a 4th place f...

Art Alper:

- Art discuses being an influence on fellow lefty Al Scates, growing up in Los Angeles and competing in basketball at Los Angeles high school, being a member of the UCLA Bruins basketball team for legendary coach John Wooden from '48-'51, and what it was like playing for him, learning the sport of volleyball at Sorrento Beach, competing for the prestigious Hollywood YMCA Stars team from '56-'59, where the team won 4 Open Championships, and Art was named a 3 X All-American outside hitter, his memories of his teammates (including Gene Selznick, Mike O'Hara, Ron Lang, Rolf Engen, Walt Schiller, and Bill Olsson), competing on the USA Men's Indoor National team during those same years, including a 4th place finish at the World Championships in Paris, France in '56,  what he accomplished in the career world after his athletic career concluded, and his family life, including his 2 wonderful wives, and sons....

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Jay Discusses:- His time at Pacific Palisades High School competing in volleyball and basketball as a Dolphin - '68-'70, and the amazing athletes that were there at the time, going to Sorrento Beach and seeing legends like Ron Von Hagen & Ron Lang play beach volleyball, and how BIG of an influence they had on him and the other young volleyball players coming up at the time, his time at UCSB playing volleyball and finishing runner up to UCLA in '74 and '75, an...