Mailbag! How Do Volleyball Players Make it Financially? How To Get Points; Our Perfect USA Partnerships

After a longer than expected wait, the 2026 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour schedule has been released in full. Per usual, I'd expect there to be additions in the fall and maybe a few during the summer, a la Newport Beach in 2025. It's a season that will feature, for now, 29 Futures, eight Elites, and seven Challenge events, along with the debut of the ambiguous new Beach World Series coming in November. This podcast covers the full schedule of the Challenges and Elites, with a breakdown and commentary on how 2026 looks. Here is the YouTube video And here is our write-up on the schedule *** Want SANDCAST merch? We got you covered. 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/ SHOOTS!

Welcome back to SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, where Bourne sits down with his personal life and mindset coach, Carl Massey, a strategist, coach, author, former Army Major and consultant to multiple Olympic Games Chapters with Carl Massey 00:00 Introduction to the Journey 05:57 Transitioning from Military to Coaching 12:36 Personal Growth Through Adversity 19:56 The Reality of the Olympic Experience 26:10 Navigating Identity and Expectations 32:03 The Importance of Consciousness in Performance 39:02 Managing Expectations and Stress 46:12 The Role of Recovery in Athletic Performance 52:56 Mindfulness and Creativity in Sports 01:00:00 Conclusion and Future Directions Bonus for SANDCAST listeners: Carl is offering all listeners a free audio copy of his latest book. To download it, visit: www.18waysbook.com/audio (http://www.18waysbook.com/audio) Carl is also launching an Online Workshop: Overcome Self-Imposed Limitations starting February 6. The workshop follows a choose-your-own-price model (minimum $5), with a strong charitable component: 100% of ticket sales at $10 or under go to Bali Street Mums, and 25% of any amount over $10 is also donated. Learn more about the workshop here: https://www.balicocreation.com/overcome (https://www.balicocreation.com/overcome) 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/

Welcome back to SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, where we have our first solo episode of the year, with Mewhirter taking fan questions from his Tallahassee studios. He's answering: - How do beach volleyball players make it financially? - How do you get points on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour? - If we could make our dream partnerships for USA Volleyball, what would they be? - Will beach volleyball ever become as popular as the NFL? And 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!  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/

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter features Taylor Crabb and Trevor Crabb -- teammates again! And, of course, whiskey. Chapters with Taylor Crabb and Trevor Crabb 00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene 02:59 Jet Lag and Offseason Reflections 06:04 Emerging Teams and Competition Dynamics 08:57 US Men's Volleyball Landscape and Future 12:01 Olympic Aspirations and Team Dynamics 14:59 Coaching and Transitioning Careers 19:52 Upcoming Events and Community Engagement 23:01 Personal Goals and Future Aspirations 26:59 Influencer Culture in Sports 29:59 Reflections on Enjoyment and Competition 32:58 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans Takeaways with Trevor Crabb and Taylor Crabb - The offseason is a time for reflection and relaxation. - Emerging teams in volleyball can disrupt established dynamics. - The US men's volleyball landscape is evolving with potential shakeups. - Olympic aspirations are a significant focus for many players. - Enjoying the game is crucial for long-term success. - Coaching can be a fulfilling transition for retired players. - Community engagement through events is important for the sport's growth. - Influencer culture is impacting how athletes approach their careers. - Personal goals evolve as players navigate their careers. - The balance between competition and enjoyment is essential. 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/    

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/  

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/  

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/  

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/  

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/

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/