By Matt Phelps’ email=’Matt.Phelps@cmg-northwest2.go-vip.net/mi-reporter
Island residents David Miller and Elliott Shanks, friends for five years, share the same passion: volleyball. The tandem, who will both be seniors at Mercer Island High School this year, traveled to Hermosa Beach, Calif,. to compete in the beach volleyball division of the Junior Olympics July 22-23. The pair made it to the quarterfinals during the two-day tournament despite not having a place to practice or play on Mercer Island.
During the Junior Olympics Tournament, the team won one match out of three during pool play. The majority of the teams in the tournament were from California, but teams came from around the country to compete. A total of 204 boys’ and girls’ teams competed in age brackets from 12- to 21-years-old in the two-person format. The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) and USA Volleyball (USAV) hosted the event. The event was split into pool play and tournament play with Olympic two-man volleyball rules in effect. During the first day of competition Shanks and Miller won a match out of a possible three and advanced to the second day of competition.
“All of our opponents were really good,” said Shanks. “I hope we get to play teams like that more in the future.” The Mercer Island duo played through the tournament to the quarterfinals, where they lost to the eventual 18-and-under boys division tournament champions Riley McKibbin and Jacob Jenkins of Hawaii. “It is great because we can lose and still have fun,” said Shanks. Jeff Miller, David’s father, said: “It was very exciting and rewarding for the boys to play against the top national talent in the country of boys in their age group.” The tournament was set up to coincide with a professional beach volleyball tournament being played in the same area. Both Shanks and Miller got the chance to watch and meet some of the professional players.
“I had seen them a couple of times, but it was definitely a cool experience,” said David Miller.
The tandem’s quarterfinal finish is made more impressive as there is no organized high school volleyball for boys in Washington state as there is in other states.
“It was motivation to see what other kids are doing and it just makes us work harder,” said Shanks.
Miller and Shanks recently started a club volleyball team. “We want to teach more guys to play and grow the sport more,” said Miller. “We want to bring back volleyball. It is huge for girls, but there is nothing for boys in this area.” David Miller’s interest in volleyball came from his father, Jeff; the two played in father-son tournaments and played at the old Mercer Island sand volleyball courts.
David Miller met Shanks during their seventh-grade school year when Shanks moved to Mercer Island from Southern California. Despite being from San Diego, Shanks had never played volleyball but took to the sport. “It was more surfing down there,” said Shanks, who said that he also snowboards with Miller quite often. “None of my friends really played volleyball.” The two boys have been best friends ever since, playing in tournaments up and down the West Coast. They will enter their senior year at Mercer Island High School with the ambition of playing in college next year. The pair would eventually like to play professionally. “We still do it for fun but it has become more serious,” said Shanks. Miller and Shanks have received all their experience by playing adults at local courts in Renton and Alki Beach in West Seattle. “It is always fun to walk on the court and they think they are going to crush us because we are kids,” said Shanks. “I like the looks on their faces when they know they are going to lose.” The tandem has played in adult tournaments in Seaside, Ore., and in Canada. The two Islanders plan to compete again later this summer at the Seaside Tournament in the 18-and-under bracket that attracts teams from both Canada, California, Washington and Oregon.
