Of babies and blockers

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Josh Binstock screams with relief in his final match on Center Court at the #TorontoFinals. Photocredit: Bernhard Horst

It’s the off-season! Yes, we could do it like Karla Borger and relax in a hammock — to be honest, we would love to. But we are also too curious about all the things happening in beach volleyball right now. And that’s a lot. That’s why we created the ‘More than sports — off-season-special’, which will update you every week with the latest and hottest stuff.

wie schön es Zuhause in Stuttgart ist 😆 #jungle #monkeys #surfing #dancing #quebonita

See this Instagram photo by @karlaborger * 79 likes

A new partner for Kerri Walsh 

First of all: Get in shape, get the US citizenship: a legend of the game is scouting for a new partner. The never-tired Kerri Walsh Jennings, 38 and mother of three, is planning her next beach volleyball season. Her partner April Ross, 34, married to Brad Keenan, a former beach volleyball player, is planning to get pregnant. Kerri and April would prefer to stay together, but having a baby doesn’t normally fit perfectly into the off-season, so the two athletes have to leave the door open. Once Kerri identifies a couple of potential partners, she would like to host them for training sessions to see how their relationship works on the court. Kerri does not have a definitive timeline, but she would like to have a partner in place for the start of the international beach volleyball season, which is expected to begin in early February. She has not committed to trying to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but she plans on evaluating how she feels at the end of each year. “For the first time in my career, there are so many unknowns,” she said.

New house, no furniture 😳 no problem. Off season has officially begun & I'm right where I want to be ❤️😍😍😍❤️🙌

See this Instagram photo by @kerrileewalsh * 10k likes

Salgado sisters are back on track

Maria Salgado is experiencing how hard it is to come back after giving birth.

Primeira semana de treinos tá estampada nos braços.. 😝🤘🏼 First week of practice stamped in my arms.. 9 months far and i'm feeling like a beginner! #equipefurnas #betterforit #justdoit #nike #volei #beachvolleyball #volleyball #voleidepraia

See this Instagram photo by @mariaclarasalgado * 285 likes

She and her partner – her sister Carol – managed the miracle: getting pregnant almost at the same time. Now Salvador and Joaquim are in the world, they could be the next Brazilian team with medal ambitions at the Olympics, but for the moment, Maria and Carol are focusing on getting themselves back to the beach.

❤️Salvador e Dinda @pisalgado @mariaclarasalgado e Joca!❤️❤️👶👶✨

See this Instagram photo by @carol_solberg * 308 likes

Two blockers go for success

Meanwhile Anouk Vergé-Dépré and Joana Heidrich’s search for new partners is over. After the retirement of their former teammates Isabelle Forrer and Nadine Zumkehr, the two Swiss blockers only had a quick look around and found each other. “I am really looking forward to this partnership and to the challenge of playing defense,” Anouk says. “I am curious to know where the limits of this constellation are.” So are we.

“Anouk has always been a very smart blocker, says Swiss women’s head coach Sebastian Beck. “Now we will see if she can transfer this intelligence to the new profession called defense. It will be a challenge and a risk for all of us, but no guts, no glory.”

Joana Heidrich on Twitter

So the mysteries is revealed😉 My new partner is @anoukvergedepre I'm looking forward to the new challage💪🏻💪🏻

Thank you, Dr. Josh 

At the end of this week’s blog, it is time to honor another great athlete who announced his retirement at the Swatch World Tour Finals in Toronto. Chiropractor Dr. Josh Binstock, 35, from Canada, who has already competed in two Olympics, will be missing on the court, when the next season starts. The big-hearted Canadian participated twice in the Olympics, most recently with Sam Schachter – who might announce his new partner by the time of our next blog. Sam and some of his colleagues pay tribute to this great athlete in the following video:

Volleyball Source - Timeline | Facebook

This past weekend at the #TorontoFinals - a Canadian great announced his retirement. Thank You, Dr. Josh.