There, tucked between the lifeguard headquarters and the concrete restrooms, you’d see them: players passing, setting and hitting (locals will tell you ‘spiking’” is a novice term) through long sunny afternoons. Sometimes there were two players per side, sometimes four, occasionally more. On a sunny weekend day, as so many are in San Clemente with its “World’s Best Climate,” if you wanted to play, you added your name to the list. 

 

While San Clemente is known around the world for its legendary surfers and surf breaks and nearby Trestles (host to the surfing competition during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics), another Olympic sport, beach volleyball, also has deep roots in this coastal town. And one of the city’s most recognizable sand courts has its own history filled with colorful characters.

The roots of Second Spot stretch back to the late 1960s, when several local families began gathering at the beach north of the pier, below what today is Linda Lane Park. Back then it was simply the second large patch of sand north of the pier.

“A group of us just started hanging out there, and we called ourselves the Second Spot locals,” recalled Tim Murphy, a longtime San Clementean and one of the seven children of Pat “Old Man” Murphy and his wife, Eileen. 

 The Murphys built their home just up from the beach, and in 1971 the elder Murphy decided the beach needed a proper volleyball court and installed the first poles and net on higher sand about 100 yards south, near where the lifeguard headquarters now stands. Eventually the locals migrated there, taking the name with them. Now 69, Tim Murphy has played volleyball at Second Spot for more than half a century - with a few breaks due to injuries and the big storm that wiped out the court during the winter of 1982-83. 

For the Murphys and many others, the spot became something more than a volleyball court. It became a social hub where friendships formed, sweethearts were courted and children grew up around the games. In many ways, Second Spot functioned as an outdoor community center and a kind of theater without walls, schedules or tickets.

Second Spot never developed the reputation of some Southern California beaches as a cutthroat volleyball proving ground. But that didn’t mean the games were soft. Depending on the day and the decade the level of play could be surprisingly strong, with talented players rotating through the sand.

Yet the court retained what longtime regulars still call a “family court” atmosphere: spouses played, kids rotated in and newcomers were welcomed. Still, there was an order to things. The games revolved around the list. If the court was busy - as it often was - someone would produce a scrap of paper and wedge it at the base of the pole. Sometimes it was torn from a lunch bag. Sometimes it was the back of an old receipt. A pencil stub might appear, or failing that someone would use charcoal from one of the beach fire pits. You wrote your name down and waited your turn.

During the spot’s heyday - roughly 1980 to 2015, according to Murphy - the list could grow to 30 names or more on a busy Saturday, and crowds sometimes gathered along the sand to watch the games unfold. Depending on tides and shifting sand, there might be one court, two courts and for a brief stretch even three running end to end.

Before beach volleyball became an Olympic sport in 1996, the courts themselves were slightly larger and the scoring system was side-out, meaning rallies could stretch on and on. A single point might last a minute or more; a test of legs, lungs and stubborn pride. The rules were tight, too; any hint of spin on a two-handed set brought protests, or at least theatrical coughs from the gallery, sometimes two or three rows of beach chairs deep.

Second Spot may have been welcoming, but the games were rarely casual. Over time the court became something of a hidden gem. Word spread quietly among what Murphy calls the “volleyball nomads” - players traveling from beach to beach looking for good runs. There were frequent visitors from San Onofre, Doheny and Laguna, but many came from farther away.

“There were always volleyball drifters,” Murphy said. “People would wander through, just like we’d occasionally wander to other spots.”

Well-known San Clemente volleyball families  - Metzger, Bishop, Yoder, Mear and others - rotated through over the decades, along with plenty of memorable characters. “Tall Jack” Sellers seemed to cover half the net with his wingspan. Ian Kennedy was boisterous and cantankerous. Rich “The Mayor” Breault rarely missed a day. Scott “Frenchy” French was famous for his maddening “over on two” shot that drew the ire of many.

Former U.S. national indoor team member Ed Becker spent time on the sand, along with numerous AVP professionals over the decades. Surfers, lifeguards, firefighters, construction workers, businesspeople - even a soap opera actor from Days of Our Lives - all took their turns in the rotation. Some had money, some didn’t. It didn’t matter once you stepped onto the sand, it was the great equalizer. Over the years players got to know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. It wasn’t uncommon to hear partners bickering: “I can’t buy a set.” “You want me to get you a ladder? Just hit it!”

The full list of regulars would take pages to record, each with a style, swagger and story of their own. Each left an indelible mark on the spot.

In the early years much of the court’s infrastructure was built by the players themselves. After Pat Murphy installed the original poles using simple 4×4 posts, he and other locals added their own touches - a palm-thatched shade hut, landscaping, and even parallel and dip bars that briefly earned the area the nickname “Muscle Beach.” At one point the main court had a pop-up sprinkler to cool the scorching summer sand. Eventually city beach crews and lifeguards helped maintain the setup, though the spirit of the place remained largely unchanged.

Competition at Second Spot could be intense, but the atmosphere remained unmistakably Southern California beach culture - equal parts sweat, salt air, camaraderie and occasional hijinks. After long days in the sun, players often gathered at Fisherman’s Restaurant or Sonny’s Pizza, replaying points and debating line calls as if Olympic medals were at stake. Velcro wallets were standard equipment in those days. More than once a player left his wallet on the table while using the restroom, only to return and discover someone had ordered drinks on his card. One time the card was rejected, and the roars of laughter could be heard throughout the Pier Bowl.

Among those with brief ties to Second Spot is Karch Kiraly, widely regarded as the greatest volleyball player in history and the only athlete to win Olympic gold medals in both indoor and beach volleyball. While he didn’t play in the regular rotation, Kiraly spent time there courting his future wife, Janna Miller, whose brother, Eric “Fletch” Miller, was a familiar presence on the sand. Kiraly, who for years made San Clemente home, now serves as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team. 

When indoor volleyball competition comes to the Honda Center in Anaheim during the 2028 Olympics, the sport will once again be in the spotlight along a coastline where it has deep roots.

Today the sharp thump of volleyballs isn’t heard quite as often at Second Spot. Relentless beach erosion has reshaped the shoreline over the years, reducing the area to a single court. Meanwhile much of the city’s volleyball activity has shifted a half mile south to Lausens Beach, where wider sand now accommodates multiple courts. But the game at Second Spot never fully disappeared. There’s still a net and a few regulars, though the list rarely materializes.

For decades this was the hub - the place where locals gathered, volleyball nomads wandered through and generations of San Clemente players learned the rhythm of the game. Even in a town famous for its waves, the sand has its own legends - and for many players, Second Spot will always feel like home court.