Big & Tall join forces in Cayman Islands

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, March 18, 2013 – The biggest name ever to register for a NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tournament  will be joined by arguably the tallest player to compete on the sand as the legendary Todd Rogers teams up with seven-footer Ryan Doherty for their first event together at Cayman Islands Tournament next weekend.

The USA pair will be the main attraction at the beautiful Seven Miles Beach in Grand Cayman once the event gets underway for the first stage of the 2013 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit. Rogers of course is the renowned former Olympic and world champion while the giant presence of Doherty, at 7-foot- 1 inch (2.16 meters) won’t be missed.

Doherty, 28, was pursuing a career as a professional baseball pitcher until 2007, when he was released from the Arizona Diamondbacks farm system. He moved in with a friend in North Carolina and started playing beach volleyball. At a little over 7-feet tall, he found success and moved to Southern California to pursue the sport full time.

When Rogers, 39, learned that his former partner Phil Dalhausser would be playing with two-time Olympian Sean Rosenthal in 2013, he contacted Doherty, who played with Casey Patterson in 2012. Rogers and Dalhausser had played Doherty and Patterson twice in 2012.

“I met him in Baltimore at the NVL Preakness event,” Rogers said. “They beat us in the final.

“I didn’t see him again until Cincinnati (AVP). We beat them there. By then, Phil and I had spoken and I knew he was headed toward a different partner.”

Rogers called Doherty somewhat out of the blue in September with an offer to be his partner and coach. Doherty quickly jumped at the opportunity to play with Rogers. He spoke with Patterson, who has since formed a partnership with Jake Gibb, Rosenthal’s former partner, for 2013.

“It’s worked out unbelievably well for all of us,” Doherty said. “My main goal has always been to see how good I can get. I want to see how good at this game I can be.”

Now Rogers, who has traveled all over the world in pursuit of volleyball victories, will be partner and coach to Doherty, who has never been out of the United States. The pair plans to compete on the FIVB World Tour as well as domestic events that fit their schedule.

“One of the things I recognize in myself is that I love to coach,” Rogers said. “I saw Ryan as a very raw partner, but one that I could coach.”

Both Rogers and Doherty know that Doherty has a long way to go. Doherty was doing strength training and conditioning at the American Sports Centers in Anaheim, California, but then moved to Santa Barbara to train on the beach full time with Rogers.

“Being a baseball player, I didn’t get the reps a lot of these other players got,” Doherty said. “I need to work on the mechanics of passing the ball and the mechanics of setting. I want to make sure my passing is better. I want to open up the court offensively and work on the softer game as opposed to swinging away.”

Rogers agreed that Doherty needs to work on “everything” and added that the new team will also need time to develop their communication styles so they can play in synch with each other.

 “I think that’s really a lost factor on a lot of people; even people who have a good idea of the game,” he said. “Creating a bond with a partner on the beach is not something you have overnight. I always say it takes six months to a year. Phil and I were at the point where we knew what each of us was going to do about serve or attack.

“I’m sure it will be the same with Ryan. That’s just practice and playing but we’ll get there.”

Story by B.J. Evans, Manager of Communications, USA Volleyball