Todd Rogers, Lindsey Berg, Jon Lee take center stage at Fall Classic

Local volleyball players surround Todd Rogers and Lindsey Berg at the Fall Classic. (Presidio Sports Photo)
Local volleyball players surround Todd Rogers and Lindsey Berg at the Fall Classic. (Presidio Sports Photo)

Olympic volleyball players Todd Rogers and Lindsey Berg were the featured guests at the 2013 Fall Classic, hosted by the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table at the Cabrillo Arts Pavilion.

Todd Rogers, a local beach volleyball star and two-time Olympian, and Lindsey Berg, three-time member of the U.S. Olympic team and daughter of locals Tina and Dennis Berg, will speak at the event, drawing on their experiences to provide valuable insight into the game and a unique perspective into their lives.

Jon Lee, Rogers’ volleyball coach at San Marcos High School, guided a conversation with the two athletes about their careers in front of a packed house.

Mr. Rogers helped represent the U.S. in the 2008 and 2012 Olympic games, helping bring home the gold in 2008. He has 78 individual career wins, the most of any active player and the sixth highest of all time. He was also named rookie of the year in 1997 and best defensive player five years in a row, from 2004 to 2008.

Ms. Berg, another star athlete, helped the U.S. earn the silver metal two of her three times at the Olympics, in 2008 and again 2012 (the team did not metal when she competed in the 2004 Olympics). She has also been named the USA Volleyball Indoor Female Athlete of the Year in 2008 and 2011. In addition, she earned the FIVB World Grand Prix gold medal in 2011.

This year’s Fall Classic is sponsored by the infamous East Beach Nooners. The “Nooners” have a colorful history going back to the 60s and are known for their dedication to the sport of volleyball. On any given day of the week, you can find an array of young and old, doctors and attorneys, brokers and real estate agents, recent college graduates and working parents and everyone in between, all of whom share a love of bumping, setting and spiking volleyballs on the beach.