The quintessential summer sport, volleyball games are a constant sight on beaches all over the Hamptons, but for three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings, it’s an opportunity to bring her beloved sport to more than just medalists.
From July 28 to 30, Walsh Jennings and a crew of pro players are coming back to Montauk for the 2nd Annual Hero Volley, the multi-day volleyball clinic and tournament, with a little side of surfing, wellness and great music.
“I’m thrilled to bring Hero Volley back to Montauk for its second year,” Walsh Jennings, Hero Volley’s founder, said in a statement to the press. “This year, we’ve expanded the programming to create even more ways for people to experience it on and off the sand.”
Upping the ante on the Olympic star quality, Walsh Jennings has gathered a who’s who in renowned beach volleyball talent, both seasoned and rising, including Taylor Crabb, Andy Benesh, Phil Dalhausser, Troy Field, Casey Jennings, Brooke Nuneviller, Taryn Brasher, Kristen Nuss Cruz, Geena Urango and Megan Rice.
This year, things kick off Tuesday, July 28 with Hero Volley clinics for kids in the morning and adults in the afternoon in Lion’s Fields, where Walsh Jennings will instruct on how to play (and master) the sandy version of the sport. Fees for the clinics, which are the core of Hero Volley, have not been announced as of yet, but a portion of the proceeds collected go to support the Hampton Lifeguard Association.
The big show, which is open to the public and free of charge, occurs on July 30, at 8:30 a.m. with the Pro-Am Volleyball Tournament at Hero Beach Club (626 Montauk Highway) on Kirk Park Beach and wraps up around 4 p.m.. In addition to the live action, a closing party is planned for the Surf Lodge, and there will also be multiple activations and giveaways for attendees, all to be announced in the coming weeks..
“This event has always been about more than competition,” says Walsh Jennings. “I\It’s about connection and community through the sport that has given me so much, and continues to give back in return.
For more information and event times, click here.
