Posted by Christine Jinbo

We caught up with the beach team of Will Montgomery (pictured right) and Maddison McKibbin (pictured left) who filled us in on what its like to train with the Junior National Beach Team and what they expect from the FIVB U19 Junior World Championships at The Hague, Netherlands. 

This beach team has the potential to make a splash in the competition.  Both Montgomery and McKibbin are accomplished beach players, but these two are not just beach bums.  Each led their high school teams to finals appearances, Montgomery in the CIF Southern Section Div. I and McKibbin in the Hawaii State Championships and have brains to go with their beach boy looks!

Team USA

high school Santa Barbara

Montgomery: I was surprised at the level of competition overseas.

ESPN:  What is the difference playing internationally than domestically?
Montgomery: The style of volleyball that other countries play as well as the size and talent of the players.

ESPN:  What are you most looking forward to about the FIVB competition in The Hague, Netherlands?
Montgomery: Making a run for the gold medal

(Photo by Leonard Xu)

ESPN:  You're heading off to play volleyball at UCI next year, how will this affect your beach training?
Montgomery: I will have the opportunity to get stronger and learn a lot from the high level of volleyball

ESPN: What is the best thing so far about training with the Junior National Beach Team? 
McKibbin: The best thing is probably being able to play beach volleyball everyday with a very talented group of guys. I'm only in California for one thing, and that's to practice beach, and I love it.

ESPN: What is the most surprising thing so far about training with the Junior National Beach Team?
McKibbin: The most surprising thing I've realized so far is playing beach with a coach. I've never had a coach on the beach, so it's really weird, but I really like it. There are so many technical I've learned about beach that I never knew before we started training.

ESPN:  What are you most looking forward to about the FIVB competition in The Hague, Netherlands?
McKibbin:  I'm so excited to represent USA and be able to play against international U19 beach teams across the world. I'm so looking forward to the competition but also just the whole experience in itself. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I'm going to make the most of it.

Mckibbin stretches out at the AAU Nationals

ESPN: Where would you like to attend college, why?
McKibbin:  I'm looking at Stanford, UCLA, UCSB, UCI, and USC. They're all great schools, so I can't really go wrong.

ESPN: If beach volleyball were an NCAA sport, would you choose beach or indoor?
McKibbin:  I don't know, it would be really tough. I'm just glad I don't have to make that decision.

We started the sentence and each player filled in the blank:
 
Montgomery:  I play best when..... the pressure is on in the heat of the battle.
McKibbin:   I play best when..... My mind isn't wandering off and thinking about something negative or totally irrelevant, but when I totally locked into a game, and my competitiveness kicks in.

Montgomery:  If I were a coach I would.... be just like Chad "what the heck are you doing???" Arneson.
McKibbin:   If I were a coach I would....I would love what I do. I really want to be a coach one day, and I would want to be a coach who takes after some of the coaches I've had in my career.

Montgomery:  Something most people don't know about me is&  I'm a gourmet chef and I'm single.
McKibbin:   Something most people don't know about me is&I love to play the piano, it gives me a break from whatever I'm thinking about or going through.

Montgomery:  I never leave home without &. a surfboard or volleyball.
McKibbin:  I never leave home without &.my slippers. I don't take many things with me when I leave home.

Montgomery:  The topical issue that most interests me in the world is... anything but politics.
McKibbin:   The topical issue that most interests me in the world is... global warming, and the different new methods of sustainability. 

Montgomery:  If I could have one superhuman power it would be... like Phil Dalhausser.
McKibbin:   If I could have one superhuman power it would be... TO FLY!

Montgomery:  My favorite Olympic sport to watch is... beach volleyball.
McKibbin:  My favorite Olympic sport to watch is...men's indoor volleyball.

Montgomery:  One day I will... play beach volleyball as my job.
McKibbin:   One day I will... have a successful career, and be totally happy wherever I've ended up.

We gave two choices and each player had to choose one of the following ...

Beach volleyball or Indoor volleyball,
Montgomery: Beach             McKibbin:  Both

American Idol or Survivor
Montgomery: Sportscenter   McKibbin: Survivor

Skateboarding or Surfing
Montgomery: Surfing           McKibbin: Surfing

Texting or Talking
Montgomery: Talking           McKibbin: Talking

Movies or Video Games
Montgomery: Movies            McKibbin:  Movies

Facebook or MySpace
Montgomery: Facebook         McKibbin:  Neither

RedBull or Monster Energy
Montgomery: Neither           McKibbin: Redbull

Health Food Freak or Junk Food Junkie
Montgomery: Health Food     McKibbin:  Junk Food

Three legged race or Bobbing for apples
Montgomery: Three Legged Race  McKibbin:  Three Legged Race

Basketball or Football
Montgomery: Basketball         McKibbin:  Football