Mailbag: Who are the top five blockers and defenders in the world? More fan questions

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter features the Coaching Your Brains Out crew: John Mayer of LMU Beach Volleyball and Billy Allen of Stanford Beach Volleyball. Chapters with the Coach Your Brains Out Crew 00:00 Coaching Reflections and Achievements 03:06 Building Team Culture and Relationships 05:57 Practice Dynamics and Coaching Strategies 09:01 Feedback and Player Engagement 12:01 Exploring New Techniques and Learning 15:06 The Importance of Trust and Psychological Safety 18:11 The Role of Technique in Performance 21:02 Cultural Dynamics in Coaching 23:55 The Concept of Mudita in Team Success SHOOTS! *** WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!! Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10 Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/

7 Jan 1h 15min

Welcome to the 2025 Beach Pro Tour Player Awards Show! For the third straight year, SANDCAST has curated and hosted the player-voted awards, with Travis Mewhirter detailing which players won: - Team of the Year - MVP - Best Offensive Player - Best Defensive Player - Best Server - Best Blocker - Rookie of the Year - Most Improved - The Sportsmanship Award - Event of the Year - People of the Year SHOOTS! *** WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!! Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10 Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/

31 Dec 202556min

Merry Christmas!! Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter drop a Christmas Eve special 2025 year in review podcast, talking their biggest life lessons in a year in which they both had kids, Tri Bourne retired from professional beach volleyball, Travis Mewhirter dove into coaching full-time at Florida State while hitting his stride as a commentator for VBTV. They also take on a few fan questions, talking about the future of beach volleyball, whether it's a financially stable sport (or ever can be), the need for superstars, and, of course, a Christmas lightning round. Chapters of SANDCAST with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter 00:00 Winging It: The Podcast Journey Begins 02:57 Christmas Traditions: Celebrating in Different Places 05:56 Parenting and Holiday Memories: The Joys of Family 09:01 Reflecting on the Year: Changes and Transitions 11:51 The Athlete's Transition: Finding New Purpose 14:57 Mindset Shifts: Embracing Parenthood 18:05 Balancing Work and Family: The Provider's Dilemma 21:13 The Future of Beach Volleyball: Challenges and Opportunities 24:06 Building a Legacy: The Importance of Superstars 26:57 Fan Engagement: The Role of Athletes in Growing the Sport 30:06 Funding the Dream: How Athletes Afford the Tour 32:57 The Business of Beach Volleyball: Finding the Right Model 35:59 Starting Sandcast: The Podcast's Origin Story 39:01 The Future of Juniors: Growing the Next Generation 42:12 Partnerships and Transparency: The Athlete's Perspective 44:51 The Importance of Media: Engaging Fans and Building Stars SHOOTS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!! *** WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!! Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10 Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/

24 Dec 20251h 3min

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter features Marco Krattiger, Switzerland's longtime veteran blocker who has been playing professional beach volleyball for more than a decade -- and is only just now beginning to peak, as he and Leo Dillier finished ninth at the 2025 Beach Volleyball World Championships. Their year included a top-10 at the Gstaad Elite, the home event to all Swiss Beach Volleyball players, victories over Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner, Evandro and Arthur, Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot, and more. Chapters with Marco Krattiger 00:00 Introduction and World Championships Tournament Context 03:46 Experiences at World Championships 06:12 Expectations vs. Reality in Major Events 10:55 The Roller Coaster of Performance 12:50 Learning from Low Points 15:41 Evolution of Beach Volleyball Tactics 18:47 The Impact of Rule Changes 24:24 Player Dynamics and Team Chemistry 28:15 Toughest Opponents in Beach Volleyball 33:36 The Rise of Swiss Beach Volleyball 47:49 Future of Swiss Women in Beach Volleyball *** WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!! Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10 Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/

17 Dec 202556min

On this episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, Travis sits down with Australian Olympian Zach Schubert, who after 9 years of playing professional beach volleyball is retiring, doing so at the 2025 Beach Volleyball World Championships. We cover quite a bit of ground in this chat, including: - Why double-elim is the best format in the world - Zach Schubert's trying journey to the Olympics, and why Thomas Hodges is the man responsible for his success - Why he chose to retire from the game - Why the pursuit of the Olympics shouldn't be the end all, be all for athletes And so, so much more SHOOTS! *** WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!! Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10 Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/

10 Dec 20251h 9min

Welcome back to SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter where the boys are far and wide: Bourne is at home in the studio in Hermosa Beach while Travis is out and about in the Outback, on day 9 of the 2025 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Adelaide, Australia. They catch up and chat: - A breakdown of the 2026 AVP Schedule, looking at the AVP Major Heritage events and the glut of AVP Heritage Contender events - Travis Mewhirter reviewing the Beach Volleyball World Championships, looking at how the crowd was, how the vibes were, who played well, who didn't - What Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson need to do to get over the 5th place hump - Is the honeymoon over for Andy Benesh and Miles Partain, who took a 17th at the Beach Volleyball World Championships? - Why folks should be tuning in to beach volleyball right now (hint hint: David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig are on the scene) - The AVP's return to one of its longtime stops: Belmar, New Jersey - What April Ross' new role is with USA Volleyball - Who we'd play with from the 80s and 90s eras of beach volleyball - If we'll have Anders Mol and Christian Sorum on SANDCAST again (yes, please) - What we eat for breakfast - Why Chicago was not disappointing at all for the AVP SHOOTS! *** WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!! Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10 Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/

3 Dec 20251h 10min

Welcome back to SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, where we are back, again, for one final time, from Adelaide, Australia, home of the 2025 Beach Volleyball World Championships. And that. Is. A. Wrap. Travis and Kyle Friend recap a World Champs that was historic in so many ways, including: Latvia’s Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova winning not just the first World Championships GOLD MEDAL in Latvian beach volleyball history, but the first medal at a World Championships at all, regardless of color. We are so, so, so happy for them Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher taking an excellent silver medal, becoming the only team to take a set off Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova at these World Championships Carol Salgado, the Iron Woman, Mother of Dragons, winning her long-awaited World Championships medal, making it a bronze in her NINTH World Champs appearance alongside Rebecca Cavalcanti, beating world no. 1 Thamela and Victoria to do it An All-Sweden final, the first time it has been an all-country battle since 2011 in Rome featured Brazil vs. Brazil. Crazier still? The oldest member on court was Jonatan Hellvig…at 24 years old. David Ahman becomes the youngest World Championships winner in history at 23, and their No. 2 team, Elmer Andersson and Jacob Holting-Nilsson, at 19 and 20, are absurd beyond measure. It’s Sweden vs. the world now The first World Championships medal in France beach volleyball history secured by Arnaud Gauthier-Rat and Teo Rotar, who swept an impressive German team in Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler And, for one final time folks: FLAT WHITEEEEE SHOOTS! *** WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!! Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10 Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/ Our medical timeout was brought to you by SHIELD Athletic Tape. If you’re an athlete, coach, or just train hard, you know that staying healthy is easier said than done— it’s about staying supported. That’s where SHIELD comes in. SHIELD is a U.S.-based athletic tape company built by athletes, for athletes. Whether it’s rigid tape for serious support, kinesiology tape with true 4-way stretch for maximum mobility, or turf tape to fight off burns on the field — SHIELD’s got you covered. They even make recovery wraps for post-session cooldowns and inflammation control. And because it’s all made right here in the U.S., you’re getting elite quality and fast delivery —they are truly not cutting corners. Try SHIELD today — support that actually performs. Check them out at shieldhealthandfitness.com and use code SANDCAST for a discount. Tape smarter. Train harder. SHIELD up.

23 Nov 202522min

Welcome back to SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, where we are back, again, from the Intercontinental Hotel in Adelaide, home of the 2025 Beach Volleyball World Championships. Travis and Kyle Friend called all four semifinals, where… Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher barely survived a white-knuckler against Brazil’s Carol and Rebecca, and will now seek to make it back-to-back World Championships for the United States for the first time since 2007-2009 Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova absolutely destroyed world No. 1 Thamela Coradello and Victoria Lopes in a convincing rout that had Travis Mewhirter wondering who the favorite will be heading into the gold medal match David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig exorcising their pool play demons in an onslaught over Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler in an eerily similar match to the Paris Olympic Games gold medal match Jacob Holting-Nilsson and Elmer Andersson showing why they’re nicknamed The Icemen, displaying remarkable poise in a sweep over Teo Rotar and Arnaud Gauthier-Rat Championship Sunday is just around the corner. Who are y’all taking to win some medals?! FLAT WHITEEEEE SHOOTS! WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!! Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10 Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products!  We are FIRED UP to announce that we've signed on for another year with Athletic Greens! Get a FREE year's supply of Vitamin D by purchasing with that link.  If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/ Our medical timeout was brought to you by SHIELD Athletic Tape. If you’re an athlete, coach, or just train hard, you know that staying healthy is easier said than done— it’s about staying supported. That’s where SHIELD comes in. SHIELD is a U.S.-based athletic tape company built by athletes, for athletes. Whether it’s rigid tape for serious support, kinesiology tape with true 4-way stretch for maximum mobility, or turf tape to fight off burns on the field — SHIELD’s got you covered. They even make recovery wraps for post-session cooldowns and inflammation control. And because it’s all made right here in the U.S., you’re getting elite quality and fast delivery —they are truly not cutting corners. Try SHIELD today — support that actually performs. Check them out at shieldhealthandfitness.com and use code SANDCAST for a discount. Tape smarter. Train harder. SHIELD up.

22 Nov 202531min