• Chris and his partner Daniel Cardenas entered the Chicago 1994 Open as an unseeded team. They beat the #1 seed team of Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes in the first round. Many in the volleyball community call it the greatest upset in beach volleyball history.
  • Chris was the oldest champion at Seaside and the Motherlode beach volleyball tournaments!

ABOUT CHRIS

Chris Hannemann has been an international and domestic Professional Beach Volleyball player since 1989. Chris earned his “AAA” Beach Volleyball rating in CA in 1989, then immediately started traveling the globe winning individual and Tour Championships from countries such as Spain, Australia, South Africa, Canada and Germany to name a few. Chris has travelled, competed, and taught the Sport of Beach Volleyball around the globe for over 25 years!

Domestically Chris has won numerous Tour and Individual Beach Championships throughout the years. Chris has been a Jose Cuervo National Beach Tour Champion, Budweiser National Beach Champion, Molson Golden Pro (EVA) 13 time Champion, 2 time EVP Seattle Champion, 2 time Motherlode Men’s Open Champion, 2 Time Seaside Men’s Open Champion, and most recently 2013 Men’s Kauai Dinosaur Champion. Chris has won numerous Seattle Men’s Open titles while residing here, rarely losing a match in years of competing in the sands of Alki Beach in the last decade. Chris was a founding member of Seattle’s, APA and AVA volleyball associations.

A Professional Event Producer, Chris has been involved in the production of events such as the X-Games, Goodwill Games, ESPN B-3 Events, American Smowboard Tour, and Paul Mitchell Freeski Tour to name a few.

Chris resides in University Place with his wife Ariana, 17 year old son Travis and 7 year old daughter Chloe. After selling the company he and Ariana founded, “Turbo Energy Drink” in 2013, Chris has been investing his time in the creation of Dakine Volleyball Club to bring attention to the NW talent pool.  Chris has lived in the Puget Sound for 18 years now, and is excited to continue to teach both juniors and adults in the Puget Sound the game that has had such a major impact on his life.

Both Chris’ brothers played professionally domestically and internationally.  Albert is an AVP Champion and currently owns and runs the NVL Club Med Volleyball Academy in FL. His youngest brother Nick was also a competitor on the AVP placing as high as 3rd place against the best in the world.  Fun Fact! They are one of the only families to have ever had 3 brothers all compete on the AVP Pro Tour at the same time.

Get to Know Chris!

What is your favorite part about coaching?

My favorite part of coaching is being given the opportunity to create great relationships with kids, parents and adult students. Nothing beats seeing the joy in their faces when everything starts coming together after all the hard work.

It’s that “Ah Ha” moment I knew would come the whole time, and finally seeing the self doubt replaced by confidence. When all the hard work finally clicks, the ball starts doing what they want it to do, and I get that look from them that says, “Now I know what you have been talking about!!!”

Chris’ favorite meal anything BBQ! Little known fact about Chris is that he is a great griller! You can find him all summer sweating over a grill making huge dinners for friends and family.

The movies Sideout and Beach Kings! You can even find Chris’ brother, Albert Hannemann and his cousin, Eric Fonoimoana in the cast of Beach Kings! And really, who doesn’t love a backwards flipper! But seriously, Chris is a fan of action flicks, with real actors and acting…

I admire ANYONE who goes out in life, very unsure of themselves but willing to listen, work hard, learn and become successful at what it is they are going after. You really can do anything and achieve anything in life if you want it bad enough!

Chris’ Career Highlights

Giant Killers!

As an unseeded qualifying team, Chris and his partner Daniel Cardenas beat the number one seeded team of Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes in the first round of the 1993 Chicago AVP Tour. It is the only time ever that a 32 seed beat the number one seed. Many in the beach volleyball community call it the greatest upset in Beach Volleyball history!

This was a the only time these honors have been won by the same person in the same year on any professional beach volleyball tour anywhere!

Chris is the oldest Motherlode and Seaside Men’s Open Champion on record!

1982 High School MVP of the Bay League in the Sothern California CIF.

Honorable mention in the CA Men’s Jr. College association at El Camino as a Collegiate Middle Blocker.

Volleyball Warriors Start Here.