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“Dream big; at least you will have the joy of reaching for the stars instead of living in a box filled with unopened gifts.”
— David Robinson, Former NBA great
In a perfect world, childhood dreams become adult reality.
But how many of us can say that our 12-year-old self knew what our 32-year-old self would be doing two decades out?
Tri Bourne can, living the “believing is achieving” mantra as he continues to check off items on his very large bucket list.
First, turn his love of volleyball into passion.
Then, turn that passion into prowess, and become good enough to play:
in high school;
in college;
as a professional
as an Olympian.
Winning the Uber-prestigious Manhattan Open was on the list until it, too, was checked off last August. Bourne paired with Trevor Crabb to claim the title of the “granddaddy of beach volleyball tournaments,” teaming with his former fellow grom at Outrigger Canoe Club to become the first all-Hawaii duo to have their plaque added to the iconic California pier since Stein Metzger and Kevin Wong in 2001.
One item, however, that wasn’t on the bucket list was “children’s book author.” That was checked off in 2020 when “Volleyball for Milkshakes” was published. ($14 on Amazon).
Bourne teamed with award-winning journalist and fellow pro beach volleyball player Travis Mewhirter on the 113-page “coming of age” soft-cover novel that is as full of life lessons as it is with names familiar to followers of volleyball in Hawaii. Most are one-name characters — Trevor, Madison, Riley, Brad, Spencer — but it’s not difficult to assign a last name to each — Crabb, McKibbin, McKibbin, Stewart, McLachlin.
The book made me smile as I was introduced to the fictional characters, knowing that “Volleyball for Milkshakes” captured a time period when I had watched those players in real life start their journeys in the sport. It also was bittersweet when seeing the name of the one character honored with both names: the late Charlie Jenkins, a great player, coach and friend who Bourne said introduced him to organized volleyball.
“Uncle Charlie was such an influence on me,” Bourne said of Jenkins, who died in 2019. “He never wanted credit.
“He always got his message across. He liked focusing on the really young players and eventually we weren’t in his group. He set us up really well to become the players we are.”
“Volleyball for Milkshakes” is written from a middle-schooler’s perspective. It originally was intended for a younger audience, Mewhirter said, the idea thrown out by Bourne as something to read to his newborn daughter Naya.
“Tri, Gabby (Bourne’s wife, actress Gabrielle Bourne) and I worked on the outlines,” said Mewhirter, who co-hosts the popular beach volleyball podcast “SANDCAST” with Bourne. “It was one thing when it was going to be more like, ‘One Fish, Two Fish.’ Then it became a little more advanced.”
Mewhirter said he wanted to get a feel for the pace and diction of youth books, reading “The Chronicles of Narnia” series among others. The trio, who live about 15 blocks from each other in Hermosa Beach, Calif., continued to tweak the drafts, Mewhirter writing about a third of the book during a 24-hour layover in the Moscow airport, and eventually bringing in Nicolette Martin, another pro beach player, as illustrator.
“Each chapter has a learning moment,” Mewhirter said. “We wanted to include ‘golden nuggets’ from our podcast. It was fun to write and fun to work with Tri. A lot of adults have told me, and from what I’ve seen in the (online) reviews, have said they’ve gotten so much out of it.”
Among the fans is former University of Hawaii beach All-American Katie Spieler, a longtime friend of Mewhirter. Spieler, co-founder of East Beach Volleyball Academy in Santa Barbara, Calif., recently joined the ESPN+ volleyball broadcast staff and, on Friday, will be the color commentator of the UC Santa Barbara-Penn State men’s match.
“It’s one of my favorite books,” said Spieler who, at 5 feet 5, knows all about overcoming obstacles to be a successful beach player. “The message is so great, showing the drive and determination it takes to overcome everything.
“I’m so proud of Travis and Tri for being so creative and innovated.”
Bourne said there’s talk of a sequel, or at least an updated version, since his bio in the book leaves off before he competes in the Tokyo Olympics. (He finished tied for ninth with Jake Gibb after Bourne was a last-minute replacement for Gibb’s original partner, Taylor Crabb, the latter who tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Japan). It also doesn’t include the Manhattan Open win with Taylor Crabb’s brother, Trevor, a month later. (Spoiler alert: the book begins with the breakup of Tri and Trevor as beach partners).
“Or maybe a girls’ version,” Bourne said. “The book is about how it was when I was growing up, with not many girls playing. That has changed a lot with all the girls playing in college.”
The 6-foot-6 Bourne has made a remarkable comeback from an auto-immune disease that sidelined him for nearly two years. The graduate of Academy of the Pacific and USC returned to the sport in 2018 and “I feel I am in the best shape of my life,” he said, adding that he been able to ween himself off drugs and medication but still has a monthly blood infusion of antibodies.
Bourne also has been on USA Volleyball’s Board of Directors as its male beach athlete representative since mid-2020. He said he is not sure how long he’ll be playing professionally but would like to make the Olympic beach team for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles. Beach volleyball is set to be played on Santa Monica Beach, about 15 miles from his current home.
“I have nothing in mind for the next career path,” he said. “I’m just happy that I’m one of the lucky ones making a full-time living in something I love.”
Nowadays, the payments aren’t in milkshakes. But, in the book, Tri’s mint chip, extra thick, shake and Travis’ chocolate, peanut butter and banana one does sound like an ono reward after a long day of playing on the beach.
Reach Cindy Luis at cindy3luis@gmail.com
Source: Star
