OUR COACHES
Jen Fopma
Player
College: Pepperdine - School record - Hitting Percentage /Cal State North - All-American
- Was Cal State Northridge's first volleyball All-American in school history
- Was a first-team all-Big West selection and a third-team All-American, becoming the first Division I All-American in CSUN's history.
- Helped both Pepperdine and CSUN to the NCAA Tournament and was named All-Region with both teams
- Career best FIVB World Tour finish was bronze in 2013 with Brooke Sweat
- Has three career international medals, including gold on the NORCECA Continental Tour from 2013
- 2017 -Played exclusively on the AVP Tour, with two third-place finishes, two fifth and two ninth
- 2016 - Finished ninth on three occasions on the FIVB World Tour; on the domestic AVP Tour, earned one silver and one bronze in five events
- On the domestic AVP Tour, has three first-place finishes, earning two in 2015
- Between 2014-15, had top finishes of fourth and fifth on the FIVB World Tour
- In 2013 with partner Brooke Sweat, top finishes on the FIVB World Tour came in Rome (9th), Gstaad (5th), Long Beach (9th) and Berlin (3rd)
- Began her pro beach career in 2005
- AVP Beach Volley Pro - Won Manhattan, Huntington Beach & Seattle Open Best Blocker Award - 2017
Coach
- 2016 - 2019 American Beach Winter Beach Elite Head Coach
- Strong on technical knowledge, teaching & encouraging
Heidi Colapinto
Player
- 4-time NCAA All American
- High School All American and CIF Player of the Year
- 4-year starter Pepperdine Beach Volleyball
- 3-year starter Pepperdine Indoor Volleyball
- Open/AAA Beach Player
- JO’s 18U Gold Medalist
Coach
- 2022 - present - American Beach Winter Elite - Head Coach
- 2020 - present - San Clemente Volleyball Club - Head Coach
- 2021 - present - JSerra Catholic High School - Head Coach
Jen Kessy
Player
· Olympic Silver Medalist in the 2012 London Olympics - beach volleyball
· 1998 All American at USC - indoor volleyball
· 19 First Place finishes on the FIVB & AVP pro tours
· AVP Best of the Beach 2008, 2009
· Professional indoor volleyball with Chicago Thunder and Pinkin de Corozal
Coach
· Currently coaching #1 US Team April Ross & Alix Klineman, who won the first FIVB tourney of 2018
· 2017 & 2018 American Beach Winter Beach Elite Head Coach
· Her high expectations naturally become the athlete's high expectations
Ian Dyer
Player
· President, United States Volleyball Professionals Players Association 1993
· Molson East Coast Pro Beach Volleyball Tour 1991-93
· Nescafe Australian Pro Beach Volleyball Tour 1989-1990
· Former “AAA” rated by California Beach Volleyball Assoc.
· Starting outside hitter at Harvard University
· All-Ventura County high school basketball
· Career Highlights: San Clemente City Basketball Champions with my dad, George Dyer 2002 & 2003; Winning the Hermosa Beach “B” beach volleyball tournament with my 14 year old son Noah 2012
Coach
· Head Coach, Saddleback Valley Christian School Boys & Girls Beach Volleyball Teams, #2 in Southern California 2015,Orange County Champions 2016, (Boys Team & Girls Team)
· Assistant Coach, Saddleback Valley Christian Boys Indoor Volleyball - 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 (2018 currently in the CIF Finals) CIF Champions
· USA Volleyball Beach CAP I & CAP II (Coaching Accreditation Program) & Impact certified
· USA Volleyball indoor CAP I & CAP II training
· 13 club & youth championship teams
Ryan Van Rensselaer
Player
Playing Background:
1986-1990- Started playing volleyball at Laguna Beach Volleyball Club, winning two silver medals & bronze medal at Junior Nationals in 1986,1987 & 1990
1987- Played for Laguna Beach High School 1987 (Freshman Year), winning league as starting setter.
1988-1990- Played Varsity Volleyball 2 years 1989-1990 (Setter) at El Toro High School, qualifying for CIF both years. Played 4 years club for Laguna Beach Volleyball club
1990-1991- Starting setter for Orange Coast College Volleyball team
· 1st Place in Conference
· State Champions (All State 1st Team & All conference 1st Team).
1991-1992- Starting Setter for Orange Coast College –
· 1st Place in Conference
· 3rd place in State (All Conference/ All State 1st Team).
1991- Began training for AVP qualification tournaments. Stopped actively pursuing AVP in 1992 to focus on education and commitments to Youth Ministry. Picked up beach volleyball again in 2001 and still continue to play competitive CBA & AVP tournaments at the AAA level
Coaching Background:
2011-2015- Boys Varsity Head Coach: https://www.facebook.com/SvcsWarriorVolleyball
· 2012- Div 5 Quarterfinalists
· 2013- Div 5 CIF Champions, State Semi-Finalist (First in schools 12 yr history)
· 2014- Div 5 CIF Champions, State Finalist (First Back to Back CIF in schools history)
2011-949 Athletics Boys 14U Head Coach:
· Bronze Medal at Junior Nationals Dallas Texas
2012- Co-founded American Beach Volleyball Club (www.americanbeachvolleyballclub.com) for athletes 8-19.
· Have coached and mentored both boys and girls Beach National Champions. Refer to website under results for athlete accolades. We are currently in our 3rd year of the program.
· My coaching philosophy is encouragement based. I have a strong conviction that shaping and mentoring young athletes is one of the greatest callings in this life. Volleyball (both indoor and beach) is simply the platform to sew into our youth teaching some of the greatest life lessons they will learn, such as; how to put others before yourself, how to lay down your life for a fellow teammate and what that actually looks like in practices, games, on campus and in their homes. We coach in the present and future, not the past. We don’t beat up athletes for mistakes, however, we do hold them accountable for effort and attitude. We believe that if our training is fun and positive, they will fall in love with the game and train passionately to improve. We have a strong conviction that their daily habits developed will translate to their present lives as sons/daughters, friends/peers, students/mentors and their futures as husbands/wives, fathers/mothers, CEO’s/employees and they will excel at every level.
· Our coaching provides structured play targeted at skill development, maximizing contacts, with score and reward.
2009- Began training high school and college athletes on the beach specifically to enhance their indoor game through sand plyometrics and jump training
1994- Assistant head coach/ helped out head coach Dave Crandall at Mission Viejo high school (primarily working with setters).
1993- Coached the Frosh-Soph boys’ team at El Toro high school in 1993 (League Champs) Also assisted head coach Mike Jagde with varsity team who lost in Semi-Finals of CIF that year.
Garry Harvey
· Coach Garry has been with American Beach since 2013. He helped coach the Saddleback Valley Christian boy’s and girl’s varsity and JV teams from 1998 - 2013. Garry is a retired California State Beach Lifeguard, grandfather of two American Beach players and is a favorite among our athletes; he has a wonderful balance of gentle encouragement and clear instruction while holding them accountable for giving him their best effort.
Kevin Beard & Ann Feiner Beard
· Kevin Beard is an avid recreational player who has played his whole life and he continues to compete on the beach whenever he can. He has enjoyed sharing his knowledge and skills with young athletes at American Beach since 2013. A highlight for Kevin is watching the players progress with their talent and confidence.
· Ann Feiner Beard is also a longtime beach player and has coached with American Beach for six years. She enjoys coaching the athletes as they play from middle school all the way up to college. Ann feels a sense of joy in getting to be a part of the athlete’s lives as they grow in skill, maturity and self-esteem: “So proud of all the athletes that work so hard and are so dedicated and driven to improve”!
Lynn Hopper
· Lynn has shared her passion for volleyball with American Beach since 2016. She helped form the San Clemente High School Boys Beach Team in 2015 and continues to assist with coaching. Lynn also spent two years coaching the Saddleback Valley Christian High School Girls Indoor Team. She grew up playing in a family of volleyball players and her son is currently playing Division 1 level at UCSB. Lynn runs tournaments and tries to promote and teach the sport she loves whenever she can. “I love the smiles when a good shot is made and the disappointed look when frustration kicks in, each feeling is one that keeps you coming back for more. You can’t lose, you either win or learn. I think it is more than a sport, it’s an incredible lifestyle."
Matthew Hunt
· Matthew Hunt played his first organized volleyball in 1977-78 for the Seahawks of Shorecliffs Junior High School, back when California still funded after school sports. He continued playing at San Clemente High School, where he was a three-year starter, earning all-CIF honors his senior year. After high school, Matthew played for the UCSD Tritons, but gave up inter-collegiate athletics when he married his high school sweetheart Lynne before the start of his junior year. In graduate school at the University of Southern California, Matthew took up volleyball again, but this time on the sands of Santa Monica Bay, often playing mixed doubles with his wife. Matthew and Lynne have three adult sons, and Matthew had the privilege of coaching all three in volleyball, both on the beach and indoor. Whenever all three boys are in town, the four males of the family still compete in doubles on the sand.
Spencer Alden
Player
· Professional Beach Player since August 2018
· AAA/Open Beach Player
Coach
· Undergraduate Assistant, Grand Canyon University Women's Beach Volleyball Team 2018
· Assistant Coach, Irvine Valley College Women's Beach Volleyball Team 2017
· 2015 – 2019 American Beach Volleyball Club
· Coaching Philosophy - Fail your way to success.
· Highlight -Seeing athletes progress from beginners in beach bombers to serious players in beach club.
Lily Dyer
· Setter for Pepperdine University
· Open/AAA level Beach Player
· All-CIF, San Joaquin League Player of the Year.
Noah Dyer
· 3-Year starter for Pepperdine Indoor volleyball team, with 1 year to go
· US Junior National Team
· JO's 18U Gold Medalist
· Open/AAA Beach Player
· CIF Player of the Year
Kian Feiner
Player
· Three-time San-O Tournament Champion
· Multiple CBVA Wins Two-time Junior Olympics Open Silver Medalist
· Two-time Cal Cup Invitational player
· Two-time UCLA Intramural Beach Volleyball Champion
· Two-year San Clemente High School Varsity Setter
· SCHS League Champion & All-League Player
Coach
· Assistant Coach at American Beach and San Clemente High School
Kayla Darm
· 2nd place at AVCA Nationals
· Vanguard University Beach Volleyball
George Dyer
· Open/AAA level beach player
Zach Perry
· Played at Cal Baptist & Laguna Hills High School.
BELOVED FORMER AMERICAN BEACH COACHES:
Katherine "Kat" Hart
Player
· Played professional volleyball for 1 season in Croatia.
· University of North Carolina, Greensboro
· USF (University of San Francisco) 2004-2007
· OCVBC 5yrs
· Dana Hills High School 2000-2004
Coach
· Head Coach - Saddleback Valley Volleyball Club Girls 18-24
· Beach volleyball coach for 9 years
· Undergrad Assistant Coach at University of North Carolina Greensboro (1 yr)
· Frosh-Soph Coach at Corona Del Mar High School (1 season)
Shaun Ramsey
· Founder, Dana Point Youth Beach Volleyball Club
Trevor Lund
Coach
· 2012: Coach (2 teams), Tstreet Volleyball Club.
· 2011: Assistant Coach, OCVC Boys Volleyball Club
· 2010-2011:
o Head Coach, Laguna Hills High School Boys JV Volleyball
o Assistant Coach, Laguna Hills High School Boys Varsity Volleyball
o Assistant Coach, Laguna Hills High School Girls Varsity Volleyball
· 2009-2010: Assistant Coach, Laguna Hills High School Boys Frosh/Soph Volleyball
Player
· Lourdes University
· Irvine Valley College (IVC) –CCCAA Champions 2011, CCCAA Final 4 2012
· IVC - “Most Improved Player” and “Second Team All Conference”
· Laguna Hills High – Team MVP, 1st Team All League
