New Mexico is looking to build exposure in addition to finding hidden talent for its newest sport.
The Lobo beach volleyball program is hosting tryouts Sept. 29 through Oct. 1 for anyone who thinks they can make the cut. Head coach Jeff Nelson said he’s been approached by several individuals on campus interested in trying out.
“I just think it’s time we give kids on campus a shot,” Nelson said. “There will be a three-day tryout, and we’ll just see how it goes.”
With the indoor volleyball season well under way, Nelson has not been able to be as involved with the sand program. He has left the fall practice duties to volunteer assistant coach Daniel Foo.
Foo said he has been working closely with the sand-only players to develop their game. Although the squad’s raw talent and understanding of the basics of volleyball is there, Foo said the women need to learn the outdoor gameplay past the hitting, setting and passing skills. He said the purpose of the tryouts is mutually beneficial for the people trying out and for the recruitment process in his eyes.
“We want the person who is trying out to see what our practices are like, what we do and what we expect from them,” Foo said. “In three days I should be able to see what their skill level is, how they match up to what we already have and see if they have the skills to make the team.”
Three days will be an ample amount of time, Foo said, to sort through the potential talent.
Nelson said the department generally likes him to hold open tryouts every year. He said not many people generally come out for the hardwood tryouts in the winter because the high level of play is well known.
However, Nelson said he expects a higher number of kids to attend the sand tryouts this year because of how new the sport is. Both Nelson and Foo said they are not sure exactly how many potential players will attend, but Nelson said interest in the sport has been growing tremendously.
“There’s beginning to be a lot more club programs, and a lot of kids play it,” Nelson said. “There’s a number of good players out there and a number of players playing in the adult leagues.”
Foo said he is not worried about the amount of talent that shows up in hopes of making the squad. He said the squad has shown tremendous improvement from last year, when UNM was just getting its sand legs squared away in the first year of the program.
However, Foo said he is going to give all participants a goo
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d look in hopes of finding a quality player at the local level.
“It’s just an opportunity for kids to come out who didn’t really know we had a beach volleyball program because it’s so new,” Foo said. ”... It could be an opportunity to find a diamond in the rough.”
Liam Cary-Eaves is the sports editor for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at assistantsports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @Liam_CE.
