O.C. California feeling in Hamburg

Sun, beach and the ocean – that’s the life of Clint Coe in distant California. It’s the same in Hamburg during the World University Championship Beachvolleyball. ‘Sitting here in the beach club reminds me of home’, describes Coe the ambiance. By now the 26 year old and his partner Duncan Budinger are eliminated from the tourney and enjoy their free time. Like his partner he already knows Germany. While Budinger played for the Hamburg Cowboys last year in the German Volleyball Bundesliga, Coe spent a season in the south of Germany playing for TV Rottenburg. Since then, he is a fan of Germany. ‘The Germans are really friendly and the food is delicious. My favourite dishes are the traditional Swabian Käsespätzle and the Bavarian veal sausage and with it a cold wheat beer”, says the smart US boy with a wink.  
Since his return to the States he is a student in the ‘Fire Academy’. This choice enables him to continue playing beachvolleyball the way he wanted. He played beachvolleyball for the first time six years ago at a beach in California and was fascinated. ‘The sand is not as hard as the floor in the gym, and therefore falling into the sand is fun’, explains Coe the difference.
The US team has not seen much of the Hanseatic City jet. But they want to do that on Sunday or Monday. ‘I love old churches and would like to do a harbour tour’. That’s what Alison Wood, the head of delegation of the US-team, wants to do.
She has been to Hamburg before. Eighteen years ago she played in the German Volleyball Bundesliga for Vechta and they had to play against the city at the river Elbe. With the experience of fifteen years on the Pro-Beach-Tour and a fifth place at the FIVB-World Championships she can pass that knowledge to the young US players. ‘Unfortunately, our women’s team could not live up the expectations, but the men were convincing', explains Wood, who lives in L.A., and adds: ‘Maybe Zwieten/Dykstra can win a medal. That would be a nice way to say ‘thanks’ to their coach Danalee Corso for her perfect work’. On the 4th of July they celebrated Independence Day, maybe there will be a reason to celebrate again on Sunday afternoon…

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