Coach: Bonnie Bright

General Information

Birth Date: July 16, 1966
Hometown: Malibu, California
Residence: Vista, California
College: UCSB and CSULB
Height: 5’ 7 3/4"

Personal: Bright is married to volleyball player, David Counts and is a successful freelance artist. Daughter of volleyball Olympian, Patti Bright and Olympian and Beach Volleyball Legend, Mike Bright.

High School Achievements (Coach, Patti Bright)

  • 1st place 1982 Division One State Championships
  • Varsity starter freshman through senior years
  • First Team All CIF
  • First Team All Southern California 1983, AAAA Division
  • Honor roll

    • College Achievements

  • Scholarship to UCSB in 1984
  • Started full time as an freshman/outside hitter
  • Broke the digging record
  • Broke the career service ace record in her first year
  • Pac 10 fifth place 1984
  • Most assists
  • Highest GPA
  • Honor roll

    • Post College Indoor Volleyball

    • USAV Volleyball Nationals, 1st Place, Women's 30's

    Beach Achievements

    • Successful CBVA Career
    • WPVA 7th place (partnered with Mary Bailey) 1998
    • AVP 2 17th's
    • USAV #2 ranked overall player in 1999
    • Runner up for 1999 Pan Am Games
    • 1st Place, Manhattan Beach Surf Festival 1984
    • 1st Place, Manhattan Beach Surf Festival 1998
    • 2nd Place, Manhattan Beach Surf Festival 1999
    • 1st Place, Manhattan Beach Surf Festival, Master's Division
    • 2nd Place, Manhattan Beach Surf Festival, Master's Division 2001

    CBVA Beach Volleyball Results:

    Date Tournament Location Finish Rating Earned
    9/3/1994 CALIFORNIA CUP Women's Open Manhattan Beach Pier 2 AA
    4/29/1995 Women's Open Playa del Rey 7 A
    5/5/1995 Women's Open Santa Barbara 5 A
    5/13/1995 Women's Open Playa del Rey 5 A
    7/15/1995 Women's Open Will Rogers State Beach 7 A
    7/12/1997 WOMENS AAA Will Rogers State Beach 5 A
    7/26/1997 WOMENS AAA Manhattan Beach Pier 5 A
    8/9/1997 BLVF-WOMENS AAA Manhattan Beach Pier 3 AA
    8/23/1997 WOMENS AA Manhattan Beach Pier 1 AAA
    7/11/1998 Women's AAA Will Rogers State Beach 2 AAA
    4/10/1999 Women's AAA Playa del Rey 2 AAA
    4/18/1999 Women's AAA Doheny 1 AAA
    4/24/1999 Festival-Women's AAA Playa del Rey 1 AAA
    5/1/1999 Women's AAA Santa Monica/Ocean Park 1 AAA
    6/26/1999 CBVA Festival Women's AAA Santa Barbara 2 AAA
    7/10/1999 Women's AAA Will Rogers State Beach 3 AAA
    7/10/1999 CAL CUP Coed Open Ventura State Beach 3 ---
    9/4/1999 Cal Cup Women's AAA Manhattan Beach Pier 5 AA
    4/21/2001 Women's AAA Doheny 1 AAA
    5/26/2001 Women's AAA Hermosa Beach Pier 9 ---
    6/2/2001 Women's AAA Ocean Beach 5 AA
    6/30/2001 Women's AAA Santa Barbara 5 ---
    8/18/2001 Women's AAA Manhattan Beach Pier 2 AAA
    6/1/2002 Redsand Ocean Beach 2 ---
    7/20/2002 Laguna Open Laguna Beach 2 AAA
    7/27/2002 Bud Light Six Pack Open Manhattan Beach Pier 3 AAA
    4/19/2003 CBVA Adult Doheny 3 AAA
    6/28/2003 BUD LIGHT SIX PACK OPEN Santa Barbara 7 A
    7/19/2003 CBVA Adult Laguna Beach 1 AAA
    7/25/2004 BUD LIGHT SIX PACK OPENS Manhattan Beach Pier 4 ---
    4/17/2005 Third Degree Open Doheny 5 AA
    8/19/2006 Women's AA Ocean Beach 2 A


    Photo by Jim Jennings 1999

    1999 Beach Results

    Women's AAA/CBVA, Playa Del Rey, April 10th, Second Place
    Women's AAA/CBVA, Doheny, April 18th, First Place
    Women's AAA/CBVA, Playa Del Rey, April 24th, First Place
    Women's AAA/AVA, Manhattan Beach, April 25th, Second Place
    Women's AAA/CBVA, Ocean Park, Santa Monica, May 1st, First Place
    FIVB Huntington Beach, May 13th-16th, 17th Place
    AVP Hermosa Beach, June 11th-13th, 17th Place
    Cal King Mixed Doubles, Huntington Beach, June 20th, First Place
    Women's AAA/CBVA, Santa Barbara, June 27th, Second Place
    Women's AAA/CBVA, State Beach, Santa Monica, July 10th, Third Place
    Grass Reverse Coed/CBVA, Ventura, July 11th, Third Place
    Grass Nationals/Women's Doubles, Minden, Nevada, July 24th, Fourth Place
    Manhattan Beach Surf Festival, Manhattan Beach, July 31st & August 1st, Second Place

    2000 Beach Results

     

    Maile Christine Counts, born May 17th, 2000

    Westside Volleyball Co-ed, Las Vegas, Sept 23rd, First Place
    Westside Volleyball Reverse Co-ed, Las Vegas, Sept 24th, First Place
    Aloha Days Draw Tournament, Ocean Beach, Sept 30th, First Place

    2001 Beach Results

    Women's AAA/CBVA, Doheny State Beach, April, First Place
    Women's Open AVA, Santa Barbara, August 11th, First Place
    Women's AAA/CBVA, Manhattan Beach, August 18th, Second Place

    2002 Beach Results

    Women's AAA/CBVA, Ocean Beach, June 1st, Second Place
    Women's AAA/CBVA, Laguna Beach, July 20th, Second Place
    Women's AAA/CBVA Festival, Manhattan Beach, July 27th, Third Place
    Manhattan Beach Surf Festival, August 3rd & 4th, Fourth Place

    2003 Beach Results

    Women's AAA/CBVA, Doheny State Beach, April 19th, Third Place
    Coed Draw, Newport Beach, Third Place
    Women's AAA/CBVA, Laguna Beach, July 19th, First Place
    Women's Queen of the Beach, Corona Del Mar, Oct 18th, Second Place

    Coaching

    2010 Season- Moonlight Crashers 15's

    2010 Pre-season 12u Elite

    2011 Season SoCal 12u Local

     

    Helpful Techniques

    Hitting/Spiking

    Four Step Hittiing Approach by Bonnie Bright

    Step forward with the right foot, then with the left foot. The next step is a very big step with the right foot. The first part of the right foot that hits the ground on this big step is the heel. At this point, you are bent at the waste with your arms straight back and pulled up. Your left foot (the fourth step) closes next to the right. (Feet always face the net in the same direction as the approach. Never turn them sideways.)

    Lift with your back as your legs begin to press upward and your arms swing forward and upward to lift yourself off the ground.
    Allow both arms to continue straight up as the right arm bends backward, palm facing the ceiling and cocked back. Your elbow is high and should never drop down. Lead wtih your elbow as you straighten the hitting arm, keeping it close to your ear for maximum reach and snap your wrist over the ball with wide open fingers. Head and stomach follow through after the ball and the hitting arm stops high.

    To be ready for take-off, it's important to bounce on your toes, loosely while waiting for the set. Wait until you see the set before leaving, then come in fast. Jump behind the ball and keep it infront of your right shoulder.

    Spiking: Notes from a recent talk with Marv Dunphy

    The first two steps are small and the third step is a big one. The reason being that you lower your center of gravity with that big step prior to takeoff and it gives your arms time for the backswing. The arms go down and back, together and up. When the arms come up from the backswing the hitting arm already begins to bend as the arms begin to swing forward near the thigh. Once your arm is up and back, you have three segments: 1. Elbow back, to elbow lead 2. Arm coming forward 3.Wrist snap. You want to have a loose arm when you swing. Don't allow your elbow to drop down. There is no time for that.

    Photo by Stan Liu 2002