Huntley’s Izzy Whitehouse, Crystal Lake South’s Logan Georgy find future in beach volleyball

Karen Naymola was unsure about her daughter, Izzy Whitehouse, pursuing a future in beach volleyball over traditional indoor.

Whitehouse (5-foot-8) played multiple roles on JV and varsity levels for Huntley last season as a sophomore, including serving specialist, defensive specialist and outside hitter.

Naymola, Whitehouse’s mom and high school coach, played indoor at Eastern Illinois and admittedly didn’t know much about beach outside of a few personal experiences during her playing days.

But Whitehouse’s versatility and personality fit in perfectly.

“Izzy’s the type of kid who, for most clubs, is only going to be a [defensive specialist] because she is undersized,” Naymola said. “But the kid obviously jumps really well. In beach, she gets to do everything – and that’s Izzy’s personality.

“She’s a kid who wants to contribute and be a part of everything.”

Whitehouse joined Team One Volleyball in Aurora, which offers training in indoor and beach volleyball, in November with the encouragement of Crystal Lake South’s Logan Georgy – and it didn’t take long for her to fall in love with the sand between her toes.

On June 15, the first day juniors can receive verbal college offers, Whitehouse and Georgy gave their commitments to play beach volleyball at NCAA Division-I schools.

Whitehouse will play for Boise State in Boise, Idaho, and Georgy for Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California. Both schools qualified for the NCAA Championships in May.

Georgy (6-foot-1) played for Crystal Lake South’s varsity team as a freshman at middle blocker but shifted her attention to beach and decided not to play in high school as a sophomore.

Instead, she focused on sharpening her all-around skills.

“Initially I went because, in indoor, I felt really pigeonholed playing middle,” Georgy said. “I went to get passing reps, because in beach you really have to do everything, and I really just fell in love with the sport. I kind of realized, ‘Why play indoor when you can do everything in beach?’

“Ball control is really the game in beach. You can be the tallest girl out there and hit the hardest, but if you can’t control the ball on your side, none of it’s going to matter.”

Georgy’s mom, Abby, played indoor at Bradley and later competed in the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), which is the biggest and longest-running professional beach volleyball tour in the United States.

Logan Georgy, who also was looking at Texas and UCLA, will join a Cal Poly squad that was ranked No. 4 in the final American Volleyball Coaches Association Beach Poll last season.

“It’s a competitive school, but it’s not cutthroat, I’d say,” Georgy said. “And it’s so beautiful there. The ocean is 15 minutes away, and the beach and mountains and everything – it’s definitely a place I saw myself being for all four years of college.”

Whitehouse said her love for beach volleyball happened quickly.

“Ever since I went to that first practice, I fell in love with it,” said Whitehouse, who played for the Red Raiders in the Class 4A state tournament last fall, placing fourth.

“You get to do everything, and that’s what I enjoy. It’s just more calm and laid back than indoor club, and I personally like that more. It made me more mature. At Team One, we have these long conversations with our coach [Taye Im], who really helps us grow as a player and as a person.”

Whitehouse’s well-rounded game fits beach well.

“It’s definitely a lot different,” said Whitehouse, who was also considering Grand Canyon University. “Going from indoor where you have six players on the court, there could be times when you only touch the ball twice. In beach, there are two people on the court, so you’re constantly touching the ball.”

Georgy said the idea of playing beach volleyball in college was never on her radar.

Then she met Coach Im and her future teammates at Team One. Im also coached her mom.

“I always viewed beach as something to do in the summer, but really, it can take you far in life,” Georgy said. “It’s funny. Whenever I tell people I’m a beach volleyball player, they’re like, ‘Oh, so the Olympics right?’ ... It’s one of the most-watched sports, but I never really thought this is what I could be doing.”

Izzy Whitehouse, who will continue playing in high school for her mom and with older sister Abby Whitehouse (Wabash Valley College commit), said the unpredictability of beach makes it exciting.

“There are so many more shots,” Whitehouse said, “and it keeps me on my toes.”