LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Volleyball at the Beach is a Real Drag |
by Kelli Steele |
As soon as editor Steve called me with this week's assignment, I started hearing the voices, "Bump...set...spike. Bump... set...spike." The voices were those of my high school and college volleyball coaches who incessantly repeated "bump... set...spike" until you just wanted to take the volleyball and... Well, let's just say I was a good little lesbian and never did what I was tempted to do with that volleyball. At this point you're probably wondering why I'm telling you about my high school and college volleyball days. Well, the answer is simple. Sunday, September 3rd, you'll be able to see some of the finest, if not the prettiest, volleyball players on Delmarva right on the beach in Rehoboth. I'm talking, of course, about the 12th Annual Drag Volleyball Game to be played on Poodle Beach at the extreme south end of Rehoboth's boardwalk. Now mind you, this will not in any way, shape or form, be a regulation game of volleyball. However it will be far more entertaining, I can assure you. Let me set the scene. Imagine 18 gay men, all dressed in drag, sashaying onto the beach with entrance music blaring in the background and thousands of people cheering. The "volleyball queens" as they like to be called, have been practicing and waiting for this moment since last year. The 18 VQs are broken down into two teams, nine players on each team. Rich (Wend-E) Fennell is the captain of one team this year. The second team has co-captains, Brent (Barbara Ann) Minor and Mark (Myrna) Kimble. Each team will also have a theme and players will be dressed appropriately. Now, I realize you're sitting on the edge of your futon just waiting for me to announce this year's theme. Drum roll, pleasethis year's theme is "Great Queens Past and Present." "Usually the theme is kept secret so that each team can try to outdo the other as far as costumes go," said Randy Marshall, co-chairman of the event. "But this year, both teams chose the same theme, so it's not a secret," he continued. Marshall would not go into any detail about specific costumes, but he did tell me that the team he plays on would be doing so barefoot. "High-heels can do so much damage to your legs when worn in the sand," laughed Marshall. "Past themes have included the VQs dressed as Navy Waves, different Dorothys from the Wizard of Oz, French maids, the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, Hawaiian princesses, TV and Hollywood movie stars, cartoon characters, Madonnas and Nuns who halfway through the game changed outfits and became Hookers of all things," explained Marshall. Marshall went on to say that, "Drag volleyball evolved from queens in drag and a boom-box on the beach to the production it is today. "Besides the VQs looking lovely as ever, we have a huge sound system and the players will be performing skits, singing songs, doing cheers and oh yeah, playing volleyball," he said. "We also like to get the crowd involved as much as possible... some spectators that have been coming to the game for years even carry signs to cheer on their favorite team or player(s)," added Marshall. I mentioned earlier that the annual drag volleyball isn't really a regulation game of volleyball. I said that because basically there aren't too many rules as Marshall explained to me. "We play out of bounds and there are only three hits to a side, both as in regulation volleyball," said Marshall. "But basically we just yell, 'get the damn ball over the net,' and there's a lot of slappage going on," he continued. Marshall also added that, "We definitely keep the game friendly...we're all friends...although each team's motto is to beat the crap out of the other." I was just thinking. Can you imagine a game of volleyball being played between two teams of lesbians instead of drag queens? Instead of the game being stopped for a VQ breaking a nail you'd probably hear phrases like, "move aside babe, it's MY ball," "put the Lowe's circular down, take that damn tool belt off and let's play ball." No offense ladiesbut you know how competitive we are. I do want to mention that the official game score will be kept by co-chairman Tommy Gibson. The first team to score 15 points wins. A team however, does have to win by two points. Example: if the score is 15-14, the game goes on. The Marshall-Gibson's agree that drag volleyball is much fancier today than it was 12 years ago. "Each team not only wants to win the game, but they also want to win the best costume and the best songs and skits," said Marshall. It's the simple things in life that make drag queens happy I guess. Just so that you have all the details (I hope to see everyone there), the 12th Annual Drag Volleyball Game is set for Sunday, September 3rd on Poodle Beach beginning at 1 p.m. And the best part is that the game will be played rain or shine. In fact, Marshall told me that the teams have only had the opportunity to play in sunshine twice in the last 13 years. What dedication! So, God, if you're listening, and I know you are, here's my prayer, "How about a little sunshine for the volleyball queens next Sunday? They may not be straight, but they sure are pretty and could use a little sun to make their game fun. AMEN." |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 12, Aug. 25, 2000. |