SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, features the hottest new team in the USA Volleyball landscape: Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh. They chat about all things partnership, including:

How the two wound up together

Why Benesh sought a switch in partners, and why he’s so excited about playing with Taylor Crabb

USA Volleyball’s new centralized system on the beach

Why winning an Olympic medal, not just qualifying, is the ultimate goal.

And much, much more.

SHOOTS!

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Want SANDCAST merch? We got you covered. Check it out here!

Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball

Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10

Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products! 

If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/

SHOOTS!

After a longer than expected wait, the 2026 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour schedule has been released in full. Per usual, I'd expect there to be additions in the fall and maybe a few during the summer, a la Newport Beach in 2025.

It's a season that will feature, for now, 29 Futures, eight Elites, and seven Challenge events, along with the debut of the ambiguous new Beach World Series coming in November.

This podcast covers the full schedule of the Challenges and Elites, with a breakdown and commentary on how 2026 looks.

Here is the YouTube video

And here is our write-up on the schedule

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Want SANDCAST merch? We got you covered. Check it out here!

Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball

Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10

Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products! 

If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/

SHOOTS!

Welcome back to SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, where Bourne sits down with his personal life and mindset coach, Carl Massey, a strategist, coach, author, former Army Major and consultant to multiple Olympic Games

Chapters with Carl Massey

00:00 Introduction to the Journey

05:57 Transitioning from Military to Coaching

12:36 Personal Growth Through Adversity

19:56 The Reality of the Olympic Experience

26:10 Navigating Identity and Expectations

32:03 The Importance of Consciousness in Performance

39:02 Managing Expectations and Stress

46:12 The Role of Recovery in Athletic Performance

52:56 Mindfulness and Creativity in Sports

01:00:00 Conclusion and Future Directions

Bonus for SANDCAST listeners: Carl is offering all listeners a free audio copy of his latest book. To download it, visit: www.18waysbook.com/audio (http://www.18waysbook.com/audio)

Carl is also launching an Online Workshop: Overcome Self-Imposed Limitations starting February 6. The workshop follows a choose-your-own-price model (minimum $5), with a strong charitable component: 100% of ticket sales at $10 or under go to Bali Street Mums, and 25% of any amount over $10 is also donated. Learn more about the workshop here: https://www.balicocreation.com/overcome (https://www.balicocreation.com/overcome)

SHOOTS!

***

WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!!

Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball

Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10

Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products! 

If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/

Welcome back to SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter, where we have our first solo episode of the year, with Mewhirter taking fan questions from his Tallahassee studios. He's answering:

- How do beach volleyball players make it financially?

- How do you get points on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour?

- If we could make our dream partnerships for USA Volleyball, what would they be?

- Will beach volleyball ever become as popular as the NFL?

And more!

SHOOTS!

***

WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!!

Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball

Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10

Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products! 

If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/

This episode of SANDCAST: Beach Volleyball with Tri Bourne and Travis Mewhirter features Taylor Crabb and Trevor Crabb -- teammates again! And, of course, whiskey.

Chapters with Taylor Crabb and Trevor Crabb

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene

02:59 Jet Lag and Offseason Reflections

06:04 Emerging Teams and Competition Dynamics

08:57 US Men's Volleyball Landscape and Future

12:01 Olympic Aspirations and Team Dynamics

14:59 Coaching and Transitioning Careers

19:52 Upcoming Events and Community Engagement

23:01 Personal Goals and Future Aspirations

26:59 Influencer Culture in Sports

29:59 Reflections on Enjoyment and Competition

32:58 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans

Takeaways with Trevor Crabb and Taylor Crabb

- The offseason is a time for reflection and relaxation.

- Emerging teams in volleyball can disrupt established dynamics.

- The US men's volleyball landscape is evolving with potential shakeups.

- Olympic aspirations are a significant focus for many players.

- Enjoying the game is crucial for long-term success.

- Coaching can be a fulfilling transition for retired players.

- Community engagement through events is important for the sport's growth.

- Influencer culture is impacting how athletes approach their careers.

- Personal goals evolve as players navigate their careers.

- The balance between competition and enjoyment is essential.

SHOOTS!

***

WE'VE GOT MERCH! Check it out here!!

Get 20 PERCENT off all Wilson products with our code, SANDCAST-20. https://www.wilson.com/en-us/volleyball

Get 10 PERCENT OFF VBTV using our discount code, SANDCAST10

Want to get better at beach volleyball? Use our discount code, SANDCAST, and get 10 percent off all Better at Beach products! 

If you want to receive our SANDCAST weekly newsletter, the Beach Volleyball Digest, which dishes all the biggest news in beach volleyball in one quick newsletter, head over to our website and subscribe! We'd love to have ya! https://www.sandcastvolleyball.com/