Breaking Up Not Hard for Reno

Partner changes are not unusual in pro beach volleyball. There are no contracts or commitments, only players searching for winning combinations.

If there ever was a winning combination, it would seem to be Nancy Reno and Holly McPeak. They have dominated women’s domestic and international pro tours, qualifying for the Summer Olympics in Atlanta without having to compete in next month’s U.S. trials.

Yet, for the second time in six months, Reno has split from McPeak. Is it any wonder that her abrupt action is the talk of the Women’s Professional Volleyball Assn. circuit, which has a $50,000 tournament this weekend in Hermosa Beach?

It is to Reno.

“Come on now, it’s not like the president was shot,” she said. “It’s just another day in the life of a beach volleyball player. This is a bit magnified because of the Olympics, but it’s no big deal. If I had any inclination that it would hurt us in the Olympics, I would never do it.”

Reno and McPeak, the tour’s best defensive player, won eight of 14 WPVA tournaments in 1995 and six of nine events on the international volleyball federation (FIVB) tour. Their success in the latter earned them the automatic berth into the Olympics because they accumulated more points on the tour than any other U.S. team.

But it was apparent this spring that there were problems. Even though they won two successive WPVA tournaments, they finished fifth and ninth in FIVB events in Brazil. Reno decided after the last tournament there two weeks ago to make a change, switching to Karolyn Kirby.

“I just needed a little space,” Reno said. “Just like in a relationship. I wanted to have fun and take a little bit of the pressure off.”

The 5-foot-11 Reno’s explosive style and dominating presence at the net combined with the 5-7 McPeak’s digging of practically every shot in the backcourt made for an almost perfect combination in the women’s game.

Evidently, it isn’t nearly perfect enough for Reno. Last November, after winning 11 consecutive tournaments with McPeak, Reno left for the first time, also to play with Kirby.

Reno said that breakup was because she was tired of doing all the blocking and wanted a player who could share that duty beside her.

“I was flat-out . . . fatigued,” Reno said. “I didn’t know how much longer my body could take that. It was incredibly draining.”

If McPeak, 26, and Reno, 30, are going to play in Atlanta, they must play together. According to the FIVB, volleyball’s international governing body, the team granted the automatic Olympic berth must stay intact unless there is an injury.

Reno said that she’s not sure when she will reunite with McPeak, only that it will be before the Olympics. McPeak would like to resume training with Reno immediately.

“People think we’re crazy because we’ve been so successful and they say, ‘How could you split up?’ and I agree,” McPeak said. “I didn’t have a choice. I’m disappointed. It’s a tough situation.

“I have an Olympic goal and the player I’ve qualified with does not want to train with me and there’s nothing I can do.”