Karch Kiraly | The G.O.A.T. | Volleyball to Remember

Karch Kiraly - the only volleyball player to win both Olympic title in indoor (1984, 1988) and in beach volleyball (1996)! Nowadays Karch is a head coach of the US Women's national team.
In the 1980s he was a central part of the U.S National Team that won gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games. He went on to win the gold medal again at the 1996 Olympic Games, the first Olympic competition to feature beach volleyball. He is the only player (man or woman) to have won Olympic gold medals in both the indoor and beach volleyball categories. He played college volleyball for the UCLA Bruins, where his teams won three national championships under head coach Al Scates.
Kiraly joined the national team in 1981. Playing outside hitter, he proved to be an extremely solid passer. Along with teammate Aldis Berzins, Kiraly was the foundation for the "two-man" serve reception system Doug Beal created in 1983. Along with covering half the court on serve receive and consistently delivering the ball to team setter Dusty Dvorak, Kiraly proved to be an excellent defender and a highly productive outside hitter. Kiraly led U.S National Team to the gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, overcoming a pool play loss to Brazil to defeat Brazil in the finals. Kiraly was the youngest player on the gold medal team.
The 1984 Olympics were marred by the boycott of the Soviet and eastern bloc teams. The US National team showed their place as the world's best team by winning the 1985 FIVB World Cup, followed by the 1986 FIVB World Championship. In the 1988 Summer Olympics the team won its second Olympic gold medal, this time defeating the USSR in the championship match. Kiraly was selected as a captain for the 1988 team at Seoul. FIVB named Kiraly the top player in the world in 1986 and 1988.
Following the 1988 Olympics, Kiraly retired from the national team. He and teammate Steve Timmons played professional volleyball for Il Messaggero Ravenna in Italy from 1990 to 1992. The team included Italians Fabio Vullo and Andrea Gardini, Roberto Masciarelli and Stefano Margutti as team members. In two seasons the team won a series of titles, including the Italian Volleyball League (1991), the Italian Cup (1991), FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship (1991), CEV Champions League (1992), and the European Supercup (1992).
In 1992, Kiraly left his indoor career behind, returning to the U.S. to play beach volleyball full-time on the AVP tour. Kiraly chose Kent Steffes as his doubles partner. Steffes was a talented younger player who had left UCLA early to start playing on the professional beach tour. Kiraly and Steffes soon became the dominant pairing on the tour, supplanting former teammate and doubles partner Smith and his partner Randy Stoklos as the beach's top team. In 1996 Kiraly returned to the Olympics, this time competing in beach volleyball with his partner, Steffes. Kiraly and Steffes won the gold medal, the first ever awarded for men's beach volleyball.
In 2012, Kiraly was named head coach of the US National Women's Volleyball team to try to compete in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In October 2014, Kiraly coached the Women's National Team to the FIVB World Championship, defeating China in the Gold Medal final. In doing so, Kiraly became the fourth person to win a World Championship gold medal as a player and a coach.
During the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Kiraly led the US women to a bronze medal, becoming the fourth player to win medals as player and coach.

[@Iffy50]

"I'm not the best at hitting, blocking, or serving" All true, but I think he is the best passer. His mental game is also second to none.

[@N1120A]

He's also the best defender, beach and court, of all time.

[@talih3610]

Karch Kiraly.. I dare say he was by far the best volleyball player I've ever seen. He was also very talented, but I think he was a good example for all volleyball players with his fighting spirit in every game and a great personality that thoroughly puts the whole team first. Your dazzling performance at the Seoul Olympics will feel as vivid as if it were just yesterday.

[@stevenbeauchamp1320]

Very strong mentally. If he's down he won't stay down. Keeps fighting all the way. I met him once and a very nice guy also. He didn't didn't act like he was better. I talked with him for about 10 minutes and he was so pleasant. Much respect for him!!!

[@elitevolleyball7969]

Now an Olympic Gold Medal winner as a coach!

[@VolleyballExplained]

The Greatest of All Time.

[@cheungderek7464]

Karch and Jenny Lang Ping, both win gold medals as a player and as a coach in Olympics, both born in 1960, wow

[@willsayo8776]

One of my all-time athletic, volleyball, and Olympic heroes and true inspiration!!! You go, Karch!!! Go Bruins!!! Go USA!!!

[@stevetucker9753]

I remember watching him in both the 84 and 88 Olympics. The fiercest of competitors.

[@vinht23]

Miss playing at this old Balboa gym in San Diego. It was dark and the floor had old wood.

[@N1120A]

Karch is the absolute 🐐. He even proved it with coaching

[@VolleyballExplained]

Totally! :)

[@matonatomic]

Along with Steve Timmons and Jeff Stork, my favourite players,

[@zendo6851]

Great Karch!

[@joem1780]

Love you coach!

[@VolleyballExplained]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYnCgKacmdxonKM Have a look in this video from Karch too :)

[@chrisamon80]

I love Karch Kiraly. I like his story.

[@VolleyballExplained]

Karch Kiraly is great, I hope I will be able to make a podcast also with him. :)

[@chrisamon80]

@@VolleyballExplained Terrific. I respect that.

[@jeremywu1477]

@@VolleyballExplainedis there a more in depth interview with Karch on KZbin ?

[@VolleyballExplained]

sportsedtv.com/blog/the-one-karch-kiraly-volleyball-teaches-us-about-the-important-things-in-life try this one :)@@jeremywu1477

[@Latina8301]

Where's the pink hat? I love karch kiraly. Followed him since the early 90s. I'm a 37 year old and he was my idol of volleyball. I was the shortest player on the team and the captain ... nothing but love 🏐

[@VolleyballExplained]

Everybody loves Karch hahah.

[@rsstnnr76]

0:06 my uncle Troy in the background!

[@danielisabella9241]

Il più grande nella storia del volley.

[@VolleyballExplained]

Really one of the greatest...

[@giovannarosso2079]

Grande jogador.❤

[@VolleyballExplained]

Amazing one, I would like to do a podcast with him some day.

[@giovannarosso2079]

@@VolleyballExplained I want to see him in person.

[@moodring444]

God he was hot!! 🥵

[@fightrrrrr]

MY MAN!!!

[@VolleyballExplained]

He is!

[@sunnyram7332]

The 🐐

[@VolleyballExplained]

He is.

[@МурадСагитаев-е3й]

Ему равных я не видел!

[@neotrnty4717]

He is hungarian ?

[@VolleyballExplained]

Yes, he is of Hungarian descent.

[@N1120A]

His father was Hungarian

[@ts3858]

Looks like his dad could have put a lot of pressure on him to succeed ...the Hungarian culture.. The drive to win sometimes to please the father ..

[@VolleyballExplained]

Still this drive led to incredible results...

[@ts3858]

@@VolleyballExplained True....he just doesn't smile a lot . ..🙏

[@amrithathapar4576]

Oh he's Hungarian

[@VolleyballExplained]

He is.

[@sylvialupehernandez9154]

@@VolleyballExplained American.

[@rperov318]

top 1 overhyped volleyball player ever. absolutely regular.

[@VolleyballExplained]

I don't think so. :)

[@lemondrop8203]

your opinion has no value to it

[@jeremygonchakhailov]

He is a great player & a coach. But not the goat of vball.

[@VolleyballExplained]

I don't believe in goats. But he is the best overall, not only for his era.

[@jeremygonchakhailov]

@@VolleyballExplained oks, i respect your opinion🤝🏼

[@N1120A]

He's absolutely the 🐐

[@gustavoamaralramos883]

Giba is the GOAT, sorry!

[@sandipjagtap779]

Is the boss