Kent Steffes

Kent Steffes ( born June 23, 1968 in Ann Arbor, Michigan ) is a former American professional beach volleyball player.

Career

In his time on the Palisades High School ( California ) Kent was elected in 1986 to the " National High School Player of the Year." In 1988, he decided to study in economics at the University of California, Los Angeles ( UCLA). In parallel, he played a few tournaments American professional series AVP ( Association of Volleyball Professionals ). In the first year (1988 ) he managed a fifth place ( Venice Beach - with Rudy Dvorak ). One year later succeeded in Seal Beach, the first tournament victory ( with Jon Stevenson ).

1990 Steffes played for the first time along with his later partner Karch Kiraly, together they won two tournaments. In the coming years, Kent moved several times its partners ( inter alia, Tim Hovland, Adam Johnson). But the success came only in conjunction with Karch Kiraly. From 1991-1996 Kent and Karch were the dominant team (76 tournament wins). Coronation was the victory at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, where beach volleyball was added to the program for the first time.

From 1997, the paths of Kent and Karch parted. This was due to disagreements about possible prize money payments of AVP. The AVP stuck despite these successes in the crisis and could partially no longer pay the prize money. Karch Kiraly waived partially on prize money, Kent Steffes, however, tried to force complaints with the prize money is not granted.

Kent Steffes, however, remained in AVP and won in one Olympics after the Brazilian Jose Loiola twelve of 22 tournaments. In the same year he won with Dain Blanton at the World Championships in Los Angeles the bronze medal. 1998 and 1999 Kent Steffes played sporadically for a few FIVB tournaments with Dain Blanton and Mike Whitmarsh. Best finish was a second place in Espinho (Portugal ) with Whitmarsh here.

Kent Steffes took it in his career on 110 tournament victories and an estimated prize pool of 2.5 million U.S. dollars. Since 1999, he has not played tournament.

1994 Kent Steffes played in an episode of Baywatch with ( inter alia with Tim Hovland ). It was the episode 10 (99 ) Season 5 " I Spike " ("The Midlife Crisis ").

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