Loomis happy back on beach

Ty Loomis had a birthday this week. That is less good news than it used to be.

The former UC Irvine indoor standout and Laguna Beach resident turned 38 on Monday and is teamed with 36-year-old Newport Harbor High alumnus Ty Tramblie as the No. 8 men’s seed in the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Huntington Beach Open.

Loomis and Tramblie lost their main-draw opener, then bounced back to advance in the contender’s bracket in the beach volleyball tournament that continues through Sunday just south of the Huntington Beach Pier.

It’s the second stint on the AVP Tour for Loomis, who “retired” In 2012 after the previous incantation of the AVP Tour ceased operation.

“A lot of these guys playing out here now don’t even go back that far in history,” said Loomis, who noted he and Tramblie, both typically defensive players, are playing together by default, due to a lack of blockers with enough points to qualify for the main draw. “They don’t know the tour failed back in the day. I’ve been able to give the younger players a little historical perspective on the sport and the business model and the challenge of it.”

Loomis, who at 6-foot-3 is filling the blocker role with “Ty squared,” delivered strategic lessons at the net on Friday. With more than two-dozen years of beach experience, dating back to learning the game as a teenager on a military base in Georgia, Loomis knows all the angles and all the shots.

And with Tramblie, whom Loomis said is the best ball-control player on the tour, Loomis often elevates and attacks the pass from Tramblie, rather than offer the traditional set for the passer to approach and swing against a blocker.

“We like to hit ‘on two,’” Loomis said. “We don’t like big blockers lining up in front of us, so we have to spread them out using different sets.”

Loomis said he and Tramblie fight the tide of being known as the old guys on the beach.

“I never thought I would get that label, because I was always kind of young and spirited,” Loomis said. “I’ve always acted like I’m 21. It’s a little different for me, now, but it’s good.

“[Tramblie] and I like to say we go more by space time than linear time,” Loomis said. “All time is an illusion. It’s all mental. If you feel good and you act young, you’re still young. [Tramblie] has good energy. We both have worked really hard to stay young and balanced. We both have the heart and the mind to be young.

“I haven’t blocked in many years, but I still feel really good at 38. I feel really healthy and balanced.”

Tramblie is coaching the women’s duo of Summer Ross and Brooke Sweat (currently not competing with the AVP), while Loomis just began working with Geena Urango and Angela Bensend, who are the No. 3 seed in Huntington Beach.

But after co-founding an internet start-up following his first retirement, Loomis said he is savoring his return.

“I realized that the business world was not like being on the beach and traveling the world,” Loomis said. “[Playing again] has given me a resurgence of life. I really appreciate every tournament now, every time I’m healthy enough to play. There is a lot more to beach volleyball than just the competitiveness. It’s traveling the world, hanging out with cool people everywhere. I’m just living in the moment as much as I can. I’m healthy and happy and blessed to be here.”

Loomis and Tramblie fell to No. 9-seeded Mark Burick and Avery Drost, 15-21, 21-18, 15-8, in the first round. The locals then defeated qualifying round survivors Brenden Clemens and Ben Vaught, 21-13, 21-15.

No. 1-seeded Jake Gibb, a Huntington Beach resident, and partner Taylor Crabb won two matches Friday to advance in the men’s main draw.

Top-seeded Costa Mesa resident April Ross and Laguna Beach resident Whitney Pavlik did the same in the women’s event.

Ross, a Newport Harbor High alumnus, and Pavlik, who played at Laguna Beach High and UCI, thumped a pair of qualifying-round survivors, 21-17, 21-14, in a 40-minute opener. The locals handled former Costa Mesa resident Jennifer Fopma and Kelly Reeves, 21-14, 21-14, in 39 minutes in the second round.

Ross is playing without Kerri Walsh Jennings, who is sitting out AVP events due to a contract dispute.

Gibb and Crabb had a tussle with Burich and Drost in the afternoon match, before prevailing, 19-21, 21-17, 15-12.

Action resumes Saturday at 9 a.m., with the semifinals and finals set for Sunday.

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Twitter: @BarryFaulkner5