As girls’ beach volleyball season makes headway, a new location has emerged. The relocation from Warm Waters to Frazee Beach offers better access to court space, but also comes with new adjustments for the players to adapt to.
Junior Katie Drury, a second-year varsity player, has experience playing at both locations, Frazee Beach and Warm Waters. Each location brings new opportunities, new struggles and different playing experiences.
“The new location is a lot more accessible to get to,” Drury said. “Unlike Warm Waters, Frazee has a small parking lot and parking spots instead of having to parallel park, which is great for the upperclassmen who drive.”
Drury shares that Warm Waters Beach brought difficulties with conflicting school schedules, having to share the court space evenly. Game days were often a struggle to have enough courts for each pair to play.
“Last year was especially difficult for us to have to share with Sage Creek and share limited parking space as well,” Drury said. “At Warm Waters, we are more closed off from other schools or outside clubs.
The most important thing for Drury is playing at a beach that will be easy for supporters to come and watch. Both courts offer places to sit, but Frazee is closer to the school and heart of downtown Carlsbad.
“Playing at Frazee Beach is nice because we are close to a lot of food places that players or supporters can stop by before watching a game,” Drury said. “Warm Waters was very secluded from nearby shops, so players usually had to bring their own food before.”
Assistant coach and athletic director Mr. Bloomquist plays a key role in ensuring the girls have a secure place to practice. He shares that the most important thing is having a place to play where they can practice safely and that is easily accessible from the school.
“We moved to Frazee Beach so we could have a full four days of practice, which wouldn’t be possible with shared court space at Warm Waters,” said Bloomquist. “We could have asked Sage Creek to swap, but four days wouldn’t be guaranteed.”
Although the choice wasn’t entirely theirs, the coaches agree that the new location offers many positive aspects, mostly regarding parking. With practice starting at 4 pm after school, it can be a struggle to find parking for every player.
“Even from a drop-off standpoint, I believe Frazee Beach is much safer,” said Bloomquist. “There is a small parking lot and side streets instead of having to pull into the bike lane like at Warm Waters.
Bloomquist expresses that the one thing they can not control is the changing climate of Carlsbad. Further into spring brings better weather and more tourists.
“Both locations struggle when it comes to parking space with extra people in town, and more people walking around,” Bloomquist said. “My worry for Frazee Beach is one big storm wiping the courts out from a high tide and eroding the sand.”
Sophomore Ella Hayes is a returning JV player who has participated at Warm Waters and Frazee Beach. Although the qualities of the sand or court are mostly the same, the location makes a big difference.
“Now that I can drive this year, I am a lot more aware of how difficult parking can be in Carlsbad, especially near the beach,” said Hayes. “Parking is a lot easier for me and the newer drivers at Warm Waters with the parking lot available.”
Hayes also pointed out the easier access for opponents to get to the beach safely. Being in a populated city with lots of young players brings safety concerns for coaches and players.
“With the back streets by Frazee Beach, players can get out of the buses safely without having to worry about oncoming traffic,” said Hayes. “We also don’t have to worry about our balls going into the street.”
The Girls Carlsbad Beach Volleyball Program all agree on what’s most important- being in a safe environment that allows the players to grow their skills and confidence. They want to be in a space where they can grow the sport and program efficiently.
“Tides will change, players will graduate, the locations will change,” said Bloomquist. “We just want these players to find love in this sport and create many more friendships on the beach.”
