Miles Evans, who is about to compete in Paris, isn’t the only Santa Barbara native to make it to the Olympics in beach volleyball. In 2008, Olympian Todd Rogers won gold in Beijing. It’s a moment that lives in Rogers' mind forever.
“You know, Phil stuffs the ball and I remember jumping up in the air, landing and then he tackled me and rolled around [in] the sand, screaming and yelling kind of thing. [I] run over and give my wife a hug and a kiss and, you know, that kind of stuff. Those are all, yeah, they're indelibly etched. I don't think I'm going to be forgetting any of those real soon.“
The Santa Barbara native and former UCSB alum played professional volleyball from 1995 to 2016, competing in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Now, when the Olympics roll around, he’s watching the new crop of beach volleyball athletes don Team USA gear.
“So I've been there. I know the beauty. It should be an amazing experience for all of them,” Rogers said.
It's an experience that Cal Poly assistant coach Angela Rock, who competed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, remembers well.
“I remember being on that field and walking. It was really hot. I remember that. I remember walking in and looking for my mom and the opening ceremonies,” she said.
But now another Santa Barbara local is next in line to defend the net and with both Miles Evans and Rogers having competed against each other and grown up in the same area, Rogers is excited to see Evans get his shot.
“Pretty sure he'll be comfortable in an underdog role and hopefully they'll embrace that. And, you know, screw it. Let's just frickin' shock the world kind of thing and let's have some fun doing it,” Rogers said.
WATCH: "I’m excited to represent Santa Barbara." Interview with Olympian Miles Evans
Evans' playing partner is former NBA veteran Chase Budinger who at one point in high school was the best volleyball player in the country. Now the two will get to play for Team USA for the first time.
“You do put the USA jersey on. It's different. It's just, it's hard to explain but it's different,” Rogers added.
