Who we are

Beach volleyball is our way of life

At our core, we love beach volleyball and are dedicated to growing the sport. We want to instill that same love and passion in the next generation of players.

Beach volleyball is more than just a game to us — it’s a way of life. We are committed to sharing our passion with young players and helping them develop into the best players they can be. Join our program today and experience the joy and excitement of beach volleyball for yourself.

We are all player-coaches, giving us a unique insight into the sport and enabling us to provide players with realistic exercises, drills and scenarios for training. We are always trying to improve and better ourselves, our players and our coaching techniques. We use a collaborative methodology, working with each player as an individual to craft a unique training experience designed to get the most out of our time together.

Our hope is that you, your children and your friends grow to love beach volleyball too — and play it for generations.

Coaching team

Meet the coaches

Every coach on this staff still competes. That is the whole point — you learn the two-person game from people who play it every week.

The full Naples Beach Volleyball coaching staff together on the sand
The Naples Beach Volleyball coaching staff — AVP veterans, national team athletes and collegiate players, all based right here in Naples.
Coach Steven Stacy

Steven Stacy

Steve Stacy is a lifetime beach volleyball player who is dedicated to advancing the sport. With numerous Open tournament wins in New England and international coaching and reffing experience since 2009, Steve is a proven leader in the beach volleyball community. After 35 years of service in the US Navy, he retired and relocated to Naples, Florida, where he founded Naples Beach Volleyball. Steve's passion for the sport and commitment to coaching has helped countless athletes reach their full potential on the sand.

Coach Brice Paxson

Brice Paxson

Brice is a professional beach volleyball player and coach with over 12 years of experience across junior, high school, collegiate and adult levels — including serving on a national championship coaching staff. He has competed professionally since 2018 and is a Better at Beach Head Coach, running camps nationwide. Brice's coaching goes beyond technique: he builds confident, purposeful competitors in an environment that is encouraging, competitive and fun.

Coach Gavin Patterson

Gavin Patterson

Gavin Patterson is the 2025 NAIA National Beach Volleyball Champion as a starter for Webber University and currently on scholarship playing beach volleyball for Barry University in Miami. He learned the game of beach volleyball in Hawaii and has been obsessed with it ever since. He now travels all around Florida playing open tournaments with his brother. He has a passion for coaching and helping others become the best player they can be both on and off the court.

Coach Chris Connely

Chris Connely

Chris Connely is the 2024 NCAA Indoor National Champion as libero for the Long Beach State championship team and currently plays libero for UCLA. He was fortunate enough to be on the U19 national team his senior year of high school, and his freshman year of college he went to Cuba with the U21 National Team where they won the PanAmerican Cup. He started playing volleyball in 7th grade and absolutely fell in love with it — he is excited to help younger athletes grow their game!

Coach Sofie Praesthus

Sofie Praesthus

As a trained nutritionist and beach volleyball player, Sofie is the perfect combination of athletic expertise and dietary knowledge. She is the assistant coach at Seacrest County Day School. Her social media skills help us showcase the sport in all its glory, and her nutrition consulting is essential for anyone looking to perform at their best on the beach.

Coach Jerry Grahm

Jerry Grahm

Jerry, a 12-year AVP veteran, is an expert in fitness and nutrition coaching. He brings a wealth of experience from playing on the tour to all of his training sessions. Recently, Jerry led Michigan's number one club team to a national championship, showcasing his coaching prowess. Jerry is a guest coach for NBV.

Coach Steve, from a peer

Mark Burik on Coach Steve

Mark Burik founded Better at Beach, one of the largest beach volleyball coaching platforms in the world. Here he is on Steve Stacy — NBV's founder, Navy veteran of 35 years, and head beach coach at Seacrest County Day School.

Better at Beach

Contact us

Come train with us

Reach out and we will match you with the coach and program that fits your goals.