ew people in the world know the sport of beach volleyball as well as Palisadian Dane Selznick. And his personal accomplishments both playing and coaching the sport reflect that. His career dates back to 1973, when he won a national championship as a member of the Palisades High boys volleyball team, earning prep All-American honors along the way. From there, he won the 1975 USVBA National Rookie of the Year and earned two-time junior college All-American honors at San Bernardino Valley College in 1975 and 1976, before making the transition to the beach, earning his AAA beach rating (the highest level of competition) in 1976. From there, Selznick, 55, reached greater heights in his sport than most players ever do. Playing on the pro beach circuit, he racked up 14 tour wins (making 42 finals appearances and 78 top four finishes with 12 different partners), won the 1980 World Championship and was elected to the California Beach Volleyball Association’s Hall of Fame in 2003. Not to mention: he was named as one of the top ten defensive players of all time by Volleyball Magazine and was selected as a ‘Legend of Beach Volleyball’ in the FIVB 1997 World Championships. As a coach, Selznick has accomplished just as much, if not more. Starting in 1992, he began training players both domestically and internationally and has traveled the globe coaching the best in the world of volleyball. In sum, he has trained 40 Olympians worldwide and more than 500 players from at least 24 countries. In 1996, he coached Linda Hanley and Barbara Fontana to a fourth-place finish at the Atlanta Olympics (the first games to hold a beach volleyball event) and in 2004, he helped Kerri Walsh and Misty May win a gold medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics. Most recently, he worked as the coach of the Chinese mens national team (2011) and the Russian national team (2009-10). But today, Selznick is back home in Pacific Palisades full-time, as he readies to coach the Westside Warriors youth club volleyball team (formerly ‘Gene’s Team’), where he coached at the beginning of his career in the early ’90s, alongside his father Gene (who was elected to the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1988). It is a welcome break for Dane, as was the summer in the Palisades following two years of living primarily in Russia’though it did take a bit of getting used to. ’It felt a little strange being at home the whole summer and being in a more relaxed situation,’ Selznick said. ‘When you’re overseas, you’re always on an itinerary. Every week, you’re traveling, with scheduled practice times or on a routine with federations. I’m really looking forward to continuing with the [Westside Warriors] club and being more family-oriented. I missed that.’ Undoubtedly. Coaching the Russian national side since 2009, Selznick encountered an experience’and culture-shock’that few encounter. He was constantly on the go, racking up over 350,000 frequent-flyer miles in just two years and working with a 20-person coaching staff. Of those 20, only five spoke English. ’The language barrier was a major problem,’ Selznick said. ‘They wouldn’t give me a translator. I’d just have to communicate with a few coaches and a few players who understood best; of the players I coached, the ones who understood English pretty well are now having the most success.’ For the Westside Warriors team he’ll take over now, communication likely won’t be the same kind of problem. ’There’s been a major response in the Palisades for those looking to alternatives to the existing clubs,’ said Selznick, who noted that he will only coach a girls team this season, but will likely field a boys team next year. ‘One of the key issues is location; most of these parents are tired of driving cross town to get kids to different places and its taking a toll on them. ’I really want the club to start on a successful note and hopefully we’ll do really well this year. There’s already a solid base of talent in the area ‘ though the club circuit is very time consuming, with practices two or three nights a week and tournaments just about every weekend. It’s a commitment for both players and staff.’ Though much of his experience does come in beach volleyball, Selznick pointed out the focus on becoming a complete player translates well into the indoor game. ’Beach volleyball requires you to be the best all-around player you can be,’ Selznick said. ‘I train every player to be good at every position and don’t like to limit people. A volleyball player has to do everything, you’re always called on to pass, spike, set, defend and do it all ‘ the overall nature of the beach game and things I coach translates well indoors.’ The Westside Warriors first tryouts are on Sunday for 12’s and 14’s girls at Palisades High from 12 to 3 p.m. The cost is $20. 15’s and 16’s girls tryouts are on November 6 and 17’s take place November 13, all at the same time and place. For more information, call (310) 666-7247 or e-mail teamselz@aol.com
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