“It seems like we're getting fewer stops in California every year. It's good because we're exposing the sport to other parts of the country. But it's not like it used to be, when we played for a hearty handshake, slept in vans and traveled up and down the coast from Santa Cruz to San Diego.”

American volleyball player, coach, and broadcast announcer

Charles Frederick “Karch” Kiraly is an American volleyball player, coach, and broadcast announcer. Born in 1960, he became a central figure on the U.S. national team and won Olympic gold in 1984, 1988, and again in 1996, when beach volleyball made its Olympic debut. He played college volleyball for the UCLA Bruins, helping the team win three national championships under Al Scates. Kiraly is notable for spanning both indoor and beach volleyball at the highest level, and for being the only player to win Olympic medals in both categories.