2012 Male Player of the Year Jake Gibb (Bountiful, Utah) has been named the USA Volleyball Male Athlete of the Year for beach volleyball.
FIVB
Gibb, 36, and partner Sean Rosenthal (Redondo Beach, Calif.) finished the 2012 season as the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Champions. They also qualified for their second-straight Olympic Games, where they finished fifth, and won the AVP Pro Beach Tour event in Santa Barbara, Calif. “I am very honored and very excited about the award,” Gibb said. “Absolutely this has been my best year ever. It’s crazy that I’m 36 years old and just had my best year.” Gibb was especially proud of having his best year in 2012 after having one of his worst in 2011 when he and Rosenthal won one silver medal and one bronze in international competition. That season came after Gibb was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2010. The cancer was removed via surgery and no further treatment was necessary, allowing him to continue his training and competing. “The impressive thing was just getting through that year (2011). In 2012, I regrouped and that is a testament to good coaching medal after going in with four straight podium appearances in and support.” FIVB Grand Slams. Gibb credits coach Mike Dodd and trainer Tim Pelot for helping him improve in 2012.
“We went in with that mindset,” he said. “I just felt like all the stars were aligned. We were playing really well. That was a really hard time.”
“Mike changed up some very key things in my game,” Gibb said. “Tim, my strength trainer, helped me put on 10 pounds of At the Olympics, Gibb finished 19th among all Olympic men’s muscle. He helped my energy output.” beach volleyball players (second among Americans behind Rosenthal) with 75 points on 62 kills, 12 blocks and one ace in Gibb called winning the World Tour Championships the high five matches (11 sets). point of his 2012 season. On the domestic side, Gibb and Rosenthal won a hard-fought “Being ranked No. 1 in the world is something I never even put victory at the AVP Championships in September in Santa Baron my radar,” he said. “I didn’t set it as a goal because I like to bara. The pair lost to John Hyden (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) and set realistic goals.” Sean Scott (Kailua, Hawaii) in pool play, but advanced to defeat 2008 Olympic gold medalists Phil Dalhausser (Ormond Beach, Gibb and Rosenthal won two FIVB Grand Slam tournaments Fla.) and Todd Rogers (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and then defeated (Rome and Gstaad, Switzerland) for the first time. They also took Hyden and Scott in the semifinals. They defeated Brad Keenan the silver medal at the Berlin Grand Slam and the bronze at the (Westminster, Calif.) and John Mayer (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) Grand Slam in Klagenfurt, Austria. Gibb and Rosenthal placed in the final. fourth in three other FIVB events in 2012. The next weekend, Gibb won the NVL Best of the Beach tournaWhile Gibb and Rosenthal qualified for their second straight ment in Las Vegas. He paired with Nick Lucena (St. Petersburg, Olympics, Gibb called their fifth-place finish in London the low Fla.) to defeat Matt Fuerbringer (Costa Mesa, Calif.) and Dalpoint of his season. The team had expected to compete for a hausser in the final. 9