Champions of Tomorrow: Fresno Heat Beach Volleyball Club

CLOVIS, Calif. (KSEE) – When you think of the Central Valley, you don’t necessarily think of beach volleyball.

But if you head out to Bicentennial Park in Clovis, to a beach volleyball practice for the Fresno Heat Volleyball Club, you’ll quickly discover the sport is on the rise.

“Yeah, it’s been growing a lot,” says Esther St. Clair, a coach with the club. “It’s in a lot of high schools now. They’ve been growing beach programs all over the city.”

About 60 kids currently participate in the club’s beach volleyball program, and with the sport about to get plenty of airtime during the Olympics in Paris, don’t be surprised if that number continues to go up.

“Definitely,” says St. Clair. “People love to watch the professionals, and they are able to inspire the next generation. “

Like 11-year-old B’Renee Wilkinson, who has been playing for three years now, after picking up the sport during COVID pandemic.

“I just like playing, because the first time I watched, we were in a hotel room in L.A., and I just saw it on TV, and I fell in love with just watching it,” says Wilkinson.

The club’s coaches say B’Renee, who used to dance and is also a very good basketball player, is showing signs of being a future star on the sand.

“She is always happy to be out here,” says St. Clair. “She is always uplifting others.”

And B’Renee is also thinking of others, when it comes to possibly living out her biggest volleyball dream.

“When I go to the Olympics,” says a smiling Wilkinson. “My whole family is gonna be there.”

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