Mark Burik's perspective on the Manhattan Beach Open - Articles

Volleyball magazine is excited to have AVP and overall beach veteran Mark Burik writing about the AVP tour this season. This is his take on AVP Manhattan: The Manhattan Beach Open is a tournament unlike any other. It has a mystique to it that no other beach volleyball event can match. In my eyes, this is the tournament that allows every player the opportunity to announce and show off their place in the volleyball world. It’s where you can put your stamp on history and enter your name into beach volleyball lore. The Manhattan Beach Open is half social event, half gladiator ring. It’s where retirees come out of the woodwork for one last tango. It’s where the rookies have the chance to get in the ring with big boys and throw some haymakers. With a historically larger field, the MBO features matches you would otherwise never get to witness. To say this weekend is special every year would be doing it an injustice. The Manhattan Beach Open is beach volleyball magic and anyone who gets to take part feels it course through their veins the whole weekend long. As much as this is an opportunity to stand out, this tournament in particular can also be a dangerous investment for a player. It is widely known that when compared with the others, California tournaments are significantly stronger. Travel is less arduous for teams that are just getting into their pro careers AND for players who have lost interest in playing but are still very capable. For...

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