Following The Bouncing Ball On What Is And Is Not Allowed With This Popular Southern California Sport
You can play, you can’t play but don’t worry for it’s not being enforced but wait, police are taking down nets and poles and threatening $1,000 fines, but that’s not supposed to be happening according to local officials…
So let’s try and follow the bouncing ball as to what is allowed and what is not allowed in regards to beach volleyball in LA County and Hermosa Beach, in particular, which is a hotbed of confusion and also a lot of anger.
Starting in Hermosa there is going to be some volleyball allowed, under certain restrictions, according to what Chief of Police Paul LaBaron has told at least one group. Those restrictions are to include social distancing, no more than 10 people gathered at one time around a court, wearing of masks when not playing and wiping down the ball. Play may be limited to 2s and 3s; 4s or more may get cited.
This is a grace period to see if people can comply and act in a responsible manner. So any groups not adhering to these rules will end play for everyone.
In LA County, beach volleyball is one of the beach sports banned as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Officials feel because the ball is touched so often, it can spread the coronavirus.
Smackfest 2020 Update
The original July date has passed, and when Bill Sigler came on PubClub’s Virtual Happy Hour show on July 21, he stated there are other dates being considered, if volleyball is allowed at that time. One would be during the still-scheduled Oktoberfest event and another might be in November.
“Can you imagine a Smackfest in November!?,” he beamed. “It would be great!”
To hear the the entire interview, click here; it’s at about the one-hour mark but be sure and watch the entire show because it also features local craft brewery Project Barley and the “Sounds of the South Bay” with local musicians.
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