A pair of Savannah teens spending a lot of time with their toes in the sand this summer.
Landon Jones and Emilee Wissmach are standout volleyball players at Savannah Christian and Club Savannah, but the two also finding success in the sport of beach volleyball.
“We played in the Tybee tournament and really liked it,” says Landon Jones.
Jones and Wissmach recently won first place at the 2014 Beach Rox Volleyball tournament in Kennesaw. The victory earned the two girls a trip to Hermosa Beach, California for the AAU West Coast Junior Olympic Games.
“It’s really exciting because we’re going to take on a bunch of teams we’ve never seen before,” says Wissmach.
The differences between playing volleyball on the hard court and hit sand are easy to see. Less players, smaller courts and the biggest difference, no specialized positions. Beach volleyball players must be well rounded and able to hit, dig and block.
“I like it better just having two people out there,” adds Jones. “Me and Emilee trust each other out there and we can count on each other.”
The sport of beach volleyball continues to grow. You can say that these two Lady Raiders are trailblazers of sorts here in the coastal empire. But Wissmach and Jones have been fortunate enough to find a coach who knows a thing or two about the sport. Bob Massee of Statesboro is a professional beach volleyball player whose seen plenty of success in the sand.
“They have a great amount of trust and outstanding teamwork,” says Massee. “Landon and Emilee have an amazing work ethic and I think that will carry them far in the sport.”
“I hope more people in our area start playing beach volleyball,” adds Wissmach.
Jones and Wissmach will head to California in late July.
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