A little summer
in the city

The pros mingle with fans, amateur players in Boston

By ADAM RIGLIAN
The Patriot Ledger

BOSTON - The AVP Crocs Tour settles at Marina Bay on Friday, Aug. 17, but the pros brought the sand and nets to Faneuil Hall on Thursday, Aug. 16, mingling with fans and amateur players.

The event featured tour players including Casey Jennings, Mark Williams and “Team Gorgeous,” Suzanne Stonebarger and Michelle More, and AVP MC Chris “Geeter” McGee.

Plenty of time was devoted to allowing fans to play against the pros, some displaying considerable talent while others just out having fun.

Former Boston Bruins Gary Doak and Bob Sweeney, along with former Boston University star and two-time Stanley Cup champion Scott Young, left the ice for more hospitable surfaces in a pro-am charity event.

The voice

If a guy wants to announce a sport such as volleyball live and on-site, one thing he needs is personality.

McGee oozed charisma at Thursday’s event, eliciting laughs from the pros and fans alike.

Geeter, a former volleyballer at Cal. State-Northridge, was brought into the AVP by his friends when a need for a live MC became apparent.

“Getting paid to watch your friends play volleyball is a pretty good job,” McGee said.

McGee has branched out from just announcing the live events. He’s moved into the Fox Sports Network studio to host a volleyball show called “Dig.”

Geeter’s one-liners and affability added to the festive atmosphere of the event, which he believes is one of the more alluring aspects of the sport.

“It’s not like you can play a pickup game with Kobe (Bryant) or (Kevin) Garnett,” McGee said. “Volleyball athletes are pretty accessible.”

And the players are just as excited about it as the fans.

“You get to interact with the fans and teach them a little bit about what we do,” Jennings said.

From far and wide

Steve Smith of Concord, N.H., needed no introduction to the sport, already a fan of the AVP and ticket holder for the weekend’s events.

Smith made the 60-plus mile trek with his wife and kids to get a chance and see the pros up close before the event, even venturing onto the court.

Smith displayed some volleyball skills and was pointed out to the crowd by Geeter for having the “kill of the day.”

“I play in a league (back home),” Smith said. “I played basketball for my whole life and I prefer this.”

Smith had two kills in his match which included pros Jennings and Williams and other amateurs.

Shirt and tie

One of the most interesting parts of the event were the shirt and tie clad Boston businessmen venturing into the sand on their lunch breaks.

Most did not bring too much onto the court other than enthusiasm. The exception would be David Chang.

Chang, an employee of a Boston-based investment management firm and a former Tufts University volleyballer, immediately made his presence known on the court, despite the fact that he had to roll up his neatly-pressed pinstripe slacks.

“You can see (the court) from my office,” Chang said. “At first I was just watching and I figured someone had to come down in a shirt and tie and have some fun.”

Jennings, who played on the same side as Chang, remarked that he was the best player that had ever participated in one of these events.

“You could tell he was high level,” Jennings said. “He was at like a triple-A level.”

Chang has been a fan of volleyball and a keen AVP observer since his playing days ended.

“If I can’t watch it, I tape it,” Chang said. “I already have tickets to this weekend.”

Walking on new grounds

The Faneuil Hall volleyball festivities would not have been complete without a pit-stop from some Boston sports figures.

A pro-am match pitted Sweeney, Doak and More against Young and Stonebarger.

The latter team triumphed, 15-13, thanks in part to a lot of hustle from Young, who is revisiting the sport of volleyball after an extended leave.

“My family would travel around to all the different beaches and play when I was a kid,” Young said, adding that he recently put up a court in his backyard in Clinton, Mass.

Young dove all over the court, making several digs to go along with his spiking and setting prowess.

“Scott was great, he had some good skills,” Stonebarger said. She added that this is not the first time she has shared the court with other pro athletes, having played with former NBA star Rony Seikaly in the past.

Young’s hard work and Stonebarger’s ample skill pushed them past their considerably taller opponents.

At the event, the AVP donated money to local charities sponsored by the players including the Boston Bruins Foundation, American Cancer Society and the Clinton Hospital Foundation.

“It was a lot of fun,” Young said. “It makes you want to play more volleyball.”

Adam Riglian may be reached at ariglian@ledger.com.