Q & A with volleyball legend Kiraly

Karch Kiraly, who has won three Olympic gold medals in volleyball (two indoor, one outdoor), was the guest speaker at the SEC Beach Volleyball banquet Friday night. Sun sports columnist Pat Dooley caught up with the 47-year-old Kiraly watching Florida's practice at the Southwest Rec Center's sand volleyball courts for five questions.

Q: What kind of impact in terms of beach volleyball becoming an NCAA sport do you think the SEC having an outdoor tournament will have?

A: I think there are some great benefits getting the ladies out on the soft sand, one of which could be the NCAA making it an official sport. But it's also great to get them outdoors. The girls get in a vicious cycle of high school volleyball and then club volleyball. They play 49 out of 52 weeks on the hard surfaces which is why you see injuries in volleyball. So it's good to get them out here for their health and their mental health.

Q: What would you rather watch — beach volleyball or indoor volleyball?

A: I love them both. I was able to work the Final Four this year and I think that's the pinnacle of women's sports. There are some men's teams, but the women stand on their own when it comes to volleyball's popularity. But I also love beach volleyball. It's a game I've played for 40 years.

Q: What kinds of different skills do you need to play beach volleyball?

A: You have to be more of an all-around player. You have to be able to execute all six skills. Indoor volleyball, you have a libero, a defensive specialist if not more than one. Playing beach volleyball makes you a better player because you have to do so many different things. It was such a great teacher for me.

Q: You'll be broadcasting at the Olympics in Beijing and I'm wondering what you think of all the controversy?

A: It's interesting because China tried to and did win the bid to put some of the questions behind it. It seems like it backfired a little bit. I also think some Tibetans are frustrated at how little the world community has done for them until the last two weeks. I think once it gets to the Olympics, you won't hear much about it because China has more control of things within the country than outside of it.

Q: As a UCLA man, how disappointed are you in the basketball team making three straight Final Fours but not winning a championship?

A: (Laughing) Florida was tough. It's interesting because it's so fleeting. What a great program it is but after that one loss the papers in Southern California were asking if the Ben Howland paradigm was working. Is he too defensive minded to get the great athletes? I give him a lot of credit for the getting the program back to the elite level. It's tough. I feel for the coaches.