Subject: Hawai`i Volleyball -- August 1997 Date: 7 Aug 1997 09:58:25 GMT From: "Woozie" Newsgroups: rec.sport.volleyball This month brings the return of Na Wahine to the arena, several beach volleyball tournaments and the return of Yuval Katz for a brief vacation. The major events are as follows: Aug 9-10 10th Annual Riggers Beach Volleyball Classic @ Kuhio Beach, Waikiki. Men's field includes Alika Williams (UCSB) & Stevie Li, Pono Ma'a (UH) & Keoki Shupe, Erik Pichel (UH) & Troy Hotz (UH), Adam Lockwood (UH) & Yuval Katz (UH) Aug 16-17 Emporio Armani Hawaii Beach Volleyball State Tournament @ Queen's Surf Beach, Waikiki $6,000 in prizes with $1,500 each for the first-place men's and women's teams Aug 23 University of Hawai`i Women's Volleyball Alumnae Game @ UH Special Events Arena Aug 23-24 4-Person Pro Beach at Ft. DeRussey Beach, Waikiki. Aug 29, 31 UH Women's Volleyball -- Aston Imua Challenge featuring Illinois State, Univ. of San Francisco & Kansas State And now, from the August 6, 1997 edition of the Honolulu Advertiser, the following article by Ann Miller Katz is back for fun in sun: Ex-'Bow great in Riggers Classic Break out the sunglasses. UV's back. Yuval Katz is home for his holidays, in Hawaii to visit friends and play in the 10th annual Riggers Beach Volleyball Classic this weekend. Last year, when Katz left his second home -- he grew up on a farm in Israel -- he took the most lethal left arm in men's collegiate volleyball with him. Katz chose to go pro after two final-four seasons with the University of Hawaii. Last fall he played for MGS Ethnikos in northern Greece. His impact was immediate in what is considered the second-best league in the world. He was No. 1 in kills, sideouts and service efficiency, playing against some of the premier players on the planet. "I think I got better," Katz said. "It was a really good experience." But nothing like Hawaii, where Katz helped create a craze men's volleyball had never seen. In his two seasons, the Rainbows went 46-11 and averaged nearly 8,000 fans [per match at home] -- more than most teams draw in a season. "I really miss Hawaii," Katz said. "The fans, all the support -- there's nothing like that anywhere. The people are just so nice here." "It's different in Greece, professional. It's kinda like having a job. There is support there -- where I was they really like volleyball -- but it's not even close to what there was here. I miss collegiate volleyball." Katz, 24, was Volleyball Magazine's 1996 Player of the Year. He said aloha with a reputation U.S. national coach Doug Beal believes brought him a $100,000-plus contract overseas. Katz won't say what he made, citing a clause in his contract. But there's little doubt he'll make more this season in Athens, playing for KTISIFON Peania. His next logical leap is to the Italian League, where one-year contracts once were worth as much as $300,000. "I want to go up a step every year," Katz said. "The first division in Italy is the best for club teams. I had an offer from there, but it didn't quite work out. I'm not upset because it did work out with a Greek team and Italy will work out in the future." -- \\/oozie <> University of Hawai`i at Manoa Home of the Rainbows & Rainbow Wahine