TAVARES, Fla.— Besides rain, summer time in Central Florida brings a lot of tournaments. 

“Well it’s another exciting weekend of beach volleyball,” said Steve Bishop, the President and Executive Director of the Florida Region of USA Volleyball. 

“We have over 200 athletes here from 25 different states and Puerto Rico,” said Kerri Walsh Jennings, a three-time Olympic Gold Medalist and beach volleyball legend.

Hundreds of athletes headed to Tavares for the P1440 Junior National Championships, a beach volleyball tournament promoted by one of the biggest names in beach volleyball, Kerri Walsh Jennings. 

“This is an opportunity for you guys to have fun. To showcase your craft, and to put your heart and your love for the game on display and that should be number one you guys,” said Walsh Jennings. 

“You talk about being a role model for young girls and giving them something to aspire to be. Watching the success they had early on I think certainly inspired a lot of kids to play,” said Bishop.

“It’s amazing just to get to hear her words from her experience, it makes you feel encouraged,” said Sam Crosby, a beach volleyball player. 

For Kerri, it’s all about growing the game that gave her so much. 

“This sport has given me everything. I mean everything. My husband, three gold medals, five Olympics and hoping for more. So to be able to give back to our company P1440 it’s such an amazing gift and it feels selfish because I feel so good putting these tournaments on,” said Walsh Jennings.

She is giving the future of the sport more opportunity to get to the top. 

“It takes a lot of love. It takes a lot of devotion. It just takes consistent effort, body, mind, spirit. So when I see these athletes and I was one of them so long ago, I just have so much hope for them and optimism because if they want it its there for them,” said Walsh Jennings.