6-Man Volleyball an MB Institution

For one weekend every summer, the world of volleyball, specifically beach volleyball, comes together for its greatest celebration: competition, costumes and craziness, oh my!

Indeed, the two-day Charlie Saikley 6-Man tournament in Manhattan Beach has become the place to be, attracting 50-60,000 fans that crowd sand courts, rendering most of the sand invisible save for the stuff the grandiosely garbed players are competing on.

“You have the best players in the area combined with players flying in from everywhere," Manhattan Beach resident Patrick Mejia, head director of Volleyball Ventures, told Manhattan Beach Patch.

"There are great teams and it’s a great test to see how you size-up with the best of the best,” said Mejia, who has played in 15 of the past 16 tournaments.

Certainly, what began as a local homegrown tournament in 1961 as an augment of the International Surf Festival has grown to be the crown jewel event of not only the weekend, but also the year in Manhattan Beach.

The 6-Man, which has grown exponentially and over the past decade ballooned to a 30,000-60,000 congregation of volleyball enthusiasts and partygoers, had gotten out of hand, and last year the City Council authorized the use of the entire police department and hired security, along with other measures, to rein it in.

“From about 2002 to the present, there has been a boom," said City Councilman Richard Montgomery. "It grew too fast and too wild for a local volleyball tournament.”

He attributes some of the growth to social media, adding to the already strong word-of-mouth publicity.

The explosion of attendees (reaching an estimated 60,000 in 2009) has seen a predominant shift in the demographics of those who descend on Manhattan Beach, with a younger more boisterous crowd becoming the norm.

“Alcohol issues overshadowed the event and crowd [sizes] made it impossible for everyone to enjoy it,” Montgomery said.

The City Council’s main aim is to keep the event fun and safe for all attendees as well as players. 

Tighter restrictions on alcohol are in place (with citations up to $600 for alcohol-related violations) as well as fencing off the area south of the Manhattan Beach Pier for the second year in a row, with set entry/exit points.

“This event has probably quadrupled since my first 6-Man," said Mejia. "In recent years, you would see an increase in drinking, belligerence that goes with it and my team had some personal items stolen from our tent area, which ruins some of the fun from the atmosphere.”

Despite what Mejia joyfully describes as a “Carnivale-like” atmosphere complete with zany outfits, it’s serious business on the courts, with many of the best professional and amateur beach volleyball players from around the country competing for the championship.

Saturday consists of pool play with winners of each pool advancing to Sunday’s competition. There are age-specific divisions as well as the main event, the Open Division, in which the most accomplished players compete for bragging rights.

“This event has younger kids all the way up to seniors playing in it and has become a rite of passage for high school and college players from across the country to attend,” Montgomery said.

In addition to the 6-Man tournament, International Surf Festival events throughout the weekend include surfing contests, a bodysurfing championship, lifeguard competition and paddleboard racing.

Events are held in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, and begin Friday night with the 7 p.m. Los Angeles County Lifeguard Championships with a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and L.A. County Lifeguard rescue demo, the 6-Lifeguard Run Relay, lifeguard events, and the Bud Stevenson Intracrew Medley Relay at the Hermosa Beach Pier.