When I was younger, I used to travel to the coast every summer with my dad to play volleyball and sell No Dinx Volleyball Merch at the sand tournaments. I remember being enamored with not only the skill on the top court but also the culture that surrounded it. Unlike many other sports I had been introduced to, having fun was just as important, if not more, than winning. Friendly banter and uplifting competitiveness sparked a fire on every court, leading to some of the biggest smiles and best volleyball I had ever seen.
Pre dating my first experiences at competitive sand volleyball tournaments was my experience with the heart of it all. Although I was too young to remember myself, photos and stories tell of a time when my parents would bring me to friend’s personal courts on warm summer nights. As I made sand castles on the sidelines, my parents and their friends would play sand ball until there was no sunlight left to illuminate the court.
What I didn’t know then was that my dad’s roots in the sand volleyball community were even deeper than those weekly gatherings at the court. Now my dad tells me stories of when he was younger and started playing sand volleyball at the courts in my hometown. My favorite story of his was how he got the chance to play with an Olympic volleyball player before they found fame in the sport. As his community grew in the realm of outdoor volleyball, he created No Dinx Volleyball Club. With this he and his friends hosted grass and sand volleyball tournaments and without knowing it created the foundation for our now national volleyball apparel brand, No Dinx Volleyball.
I created Malibu as an homage to my dad and the community he connected with back in the 80’s and 90’s. The wave border and custom font are head nods to old school California surf graphic design. Two players playing sand ball on the beach with waves crashing around them are a direct tie to a summer tradition that was anticipated all throughout my childhood. I chose garments like the Comfort Colors long sleeve, classic Gildan crew, and Bella Canvas flowy crop top with the new school player in mind. These garments leave room to move, be active, and layer up when needed. I wanted every person who wears Malibu to feel connected to a culture that embraces all volleyball players, on and off the court.
