World Best Sports

Charles Anderson lives a Top Gun dream. Kind of. I had visions of Maverick. Tom Cruise, glistening in the hot afternoon sun. High fives. Low fives. Spikes, digs, and sand spraying in dramatic slow motion – all with the backing of a synthesised loop melody. It was to be a perfect 80s montage. But it wasn't.

Since that particular film scene, beach volleyball had always held for me a place on the podium. Between Top Gun and Russell Crowe's Gladiator, a young man learns all he needs to know about building character through vigorous blood sport.

Well, perhaps this wasn't so vigorous. But I did get sand in my eye at least twice. The social volleyball league at Tahunanui Beach is a place where things like that happen. As much as the word "social" is emphasised, put people on either side of a net and add a light inflatable ball, and the result is obvious. People like beating other people. If you make your opponent dive feebly into gritty sand or you belt a volleyball into someone's face, then all the better. It is survival of the fittest out there. But my team for the first training round was anything but fit.

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