Summer slam in the sand

More than a thousand Long Islanders of all ages flocked to Cedar Beach in Suffolk County, off the Ocean Parkway in Babylon, to play volleyball with friends and neighbors.

As the sun began to drop below the horizon, dozens of empty volleyball courts filled up as players made their way to their assigned courts. A live band was performing at the Beach Hut, a restaurant and bar on Cedar Beach.

Spectrum Classic, a team comprising Merrick and Bellmore residents, and captained by Dennis Georgiades, was in the crowd that day. “I’ve been organizing the team for about four or five years now, and I’ve been playing for about 10 years, “ said Georgiades, of Merrick. “It’s a lot of fun. You meet plenty of great people.”

The 11-player squad, which includes men and women, plays in the over-40 league of East End Volleyball, which has organized competitive and recreational volleyball tournaments for 35 years. It is one of the largest volleyball leagues around, with competitions held at Cedar Beach, Long Beach and East Quogue Beach.

Spectrum Classic team members say Cedar Beach is the best place to play volleyball. “The first thing I noticed was that there was a playground right on the beach,” said Lisa Teemsma, of North Merrick. “It’s a really family-friendly place, not to mention there’s a lot better parking than Long Beach.”

Every Tuesday night, the squad plays up to six games at Cedar Beach. This week, the wind was a major factor in Spectrum Classic’s matches. The team put up a good fight but lacked ball control because of strong wind gusts. Serves by Georgiades and Barbara Spampinato, of Merrick, were strong, and plays made by Lisa Teemsma and Wayne “Spike” Georgiades, of West Babylon, kept the team up for a few sets, but it fell behind thereafter. In the end, the squad won two of the six matches played. “The wind was bad. Every ball we were hitting was going behind us,” said John Fish, of Bellmore. “Don’t worry, we’ll get it back next week.”

It’s not always about winning and losing for this recreational team, it’s about having fun. “I love the beach and I love volleyball,” said Spampinato. “So when you make a commitment to join the team, it makes you come out here and enjoy the beach while meeting new people. It’s a lot of fun.”

For many players, beach volleyball is something to look forward to after a long day at work. “It’s a great place to relax and blow off some steam after being at work all day,” said Robert Rivas, of North Merrick. “It’s good exercise, and I enjoy having fun with my neighbors.”

But the most important part about beach volleyball is enjoying the sunshine, beach and your teammates’ company. “It’s great to be outdoors,” said Bob Begin, of North Merrick. “You can’t beat watching the beautiful sunset with neighbors and friends every week.”