The foot control of soccer mixed with the passing and rallying of beach volleyball created the unique and thrilling sport of footvolley.
For the first time, the California Footvolley League hosted its annual league tournament on the sunny sands of Santa Barbara’s West Beach. With more than 60 athletes competing on Saturday, the participants were divided into three divisions: beginner, co-ed and open.
Many of the tournament participants adopted their love of footvolley in Brazil and have honed their skills for years. The sport originated in Rio de Janeiro.
“My brother-in-law grew up in the town where the sport was invented and he played all his life,” said Gabriel Duarte, winner of both the co-ed and open divisions.
“He showed me the sport in Rio and then he came to the U.S. and set up a school down in San Diego, and that’s when I started playing like four years ago.”
At various beaches in California, it’s not unlikely to find people playing footvolley. And now with tournaments like the one at West Beach, there are opportunities for participants to really showcase their skills.
Trini Gomez and Hugo Pizzano showed their expertise as winners of the beginner division.
Fellow co-ed champion Juliane Zanfranceschi echoed a sentiment regarding the importance of footvolley and its growth in other places.
“I’m so glad to be part of this because footvolley’s growing here in America,” she said. “Seven years ago, when I was in Brazil, I had some friends in college who played. I asked one of them to teach me how to play and since then I’ve been fascinated with the sport.”
At the tournament, there is a sense of community tied together by footvolley and a shared appreciation for the game.
Akad Kader, Duarte’s teammate in the open division, said his experience in other sports led him to footvolley.
“I always played soccer,” he said. “I love soccer.
“One day I was passing by the beach and I heard some Brazilian guys were playing here so I asked to play. I remember I didn’t know anything at the beginning.”
A native Brazilian, Kader said he actually never played the sport until he came to the United States.
Overall, the successful tournament not only exposed Santa Barbarans to an amazing game they may not have seen before, it celebrated the culture of Brazil.
— Noozhawk contributing writer Richy Zajic can be reached at sports@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
