Hero Volley Brings Pro-Am Beach Volleyball to the Long Island Coast

If you’ve ever dreamed of learning a little something from an elite athlete, now is your chance. Retired beach volleyball player and four-time Olympic medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings is bringing the second annual Hero Volley event series to Montauk, N.Y., next week.

While youth and adult clinics will begin on Tuesday, July 28, an invitation-only wellness session will be hosted on Wednesday, July 29, before the Pro-Am Tournament takes place at Hero Beach Club on Thursday, July 30. In addition to Walsh Jennings, athletes like Phil Dalhausser, Taryn Kloth, Taylor Crabb and Brooke Nuneviller will also participate in the Pro-Am, giving local talent and rising beach volleyball stars the unique opportunity to play against professional athletes.

Kerri Walsh Jennings at inaugural Hero Volley event | Courtesy of Daniel Rahal

“Last year was a beautiful introduction of the concept, and for our second year, we’ve expanded our programming to further blend sport, culture and coastal lifestyle,” Walsh Jennings tells SI Swimsuit of the event. “ ... I’m so excited about the newness and growth, but I’m also so excited to revisit what we did last year with our clinics, my visit to [Hampton Lifeguard Association] and the Junior Guards program and certainly to call Hero Beach Club our home for the week—such a treat!”

Thursday’s Pro-Am tournament will take place on Kirk Beach just behind the Hero Beach Club, while a vendor village will feature exclusive pop-ups throughout the day. Attendees can expect a mix of sport, culture and lifestyle activations, with the opportunity to create your own custom trading card with Upper Deck as well as onsite hairstyling by The Beachwaver Co.

Brands like Spiritual Gangster, Montauk Brewing Co., East End Surf School, Vesey and others will also be on deck throughout the event. Merch will be available for purchase, with a percentage of proceeds benefiting the Hampton Lifeguard Association.

“Lifeguards are the true heroes of our beaches,” Walsh Jennings says. “A portion of the proceeds will go directly to the Hampton Lifeguard Association to support their essential teams and their mission to waterproof the community and keep the beaches we love safe.”

Walsh Jennings, who was inducted into the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame last year, says transitioning from being a full-time athlete to an entrepreneur has been a humbling, challenging and rewarding experience. In addition to Hero Volley, Jennings is the cofounder of beach volleyball organization p1440, which she launched with husband Casey Jennings in 2018. Her latest endeavor encourages human connection while encouraging athletes of all ages to get out and enjoy a sport.

“With Hero Volley, we aren’t building a passive spectator event where people sit and watch form the stands; we are building a community experience,” she adds. “Our pros are coaching and playing alongside the locals, hanging out at the beach and simply enjoying the good life. It is a celebration of connection and the joy of movement.”

Learn more about Hero Volley here and sign up for Tuesday’s clinics here.

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