Waikiki beach hosts new women's volleyball event
The three-day competition features college teams and youth clinics at Queen's Beach.
By Jillian Foster ·
Queen's Beach in Waikiki became the site of a new volleyball competition this week. The event brings together collegiate athletes and local youth for matches and training sessions. The gathering runs from Thursday, November 12, through Saturday, November 14.
The tournament is named the Oakberry Beach Wahine Beach Classic. Hosts include The Twin Fin and Park Shore Waikiki. Spectators do not pay an entry fee to watch the games. Matches are scheduled daily from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Three university teams compete in the main bracket. The University of Hawaii at Manoa Rainbow Wahine plays against Loyola Marymount and Georgia State. These schools represent the collegiate level of the sport.
The event includes a youth component for players interested in advancing their skills. A coaching clinic is scheduled for Friday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The session is open to athletes between the ages of 12 and 18. Coaches from the three competing universities will lead warm-ups, drills, and gameplay. Participants pay a $15 registration fee. The proceeds go to the Hawaii Beach Volleyball Foundation.
Sophie Bushman, a senior on the UH team, spoke about the value of connecting with younger players. She said the team enjoys inspiring the youth and serving as role models. "We just love the opportunity to inspire the youth and also hopefully teach them and be great role models for them to have, and then hopefully they keep playing beach volleyball and the sport keeps growing all around the world," she said.
Bushman noted that meeting high schoolers who aspire to play in college feels like a full-circle experience. "It's just so sweet," she said. "I feel like it's such a full circle moment because we were once those little kids, and we were being inspired by the players in college at that time. So now being able to be those players is so special, and we just love the opportunity to connect with them and inspire them."
The youth tournament begins Saturday at 7:30 a.m. and concludes at noon. Teams compete across three divisions. Participants earn qualifying points that apply to national summer events.
