From John Thomas,
Your Guide to Volleyball.
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David Williams was the interim executive director of the Women's Professional Volleyball Association. Mr. Williams is now acting as a consultant to the Trident Media Group as they put together a new professional women's volleyball league. Mr. Williams has taken the time to answer some questions about the state of women's beach volleyball, the problems around the WPVA and the future of the sport.

TMCVball:

Dave, you are the executive director of WPVA. Much of what we have heard about the WPVA / Reece's Agent / Charlie Jackson has been from third parties. From the WPVA's point of view what really happened?

David Williams:

First, these are two very separate issues. From August of 97 until April of 98, I probably talked with 25 or 30 people who wanted to do what Charlie Jackson was proposing to do. Some of the discussions progressed farther than Charlie's efforts. Charlie Jackson's effort was just the most public. Having worked with other Olympic sports before, Charlie contacted USAV, the national governing body, very early on to let them know of his interest. Because he didn't want to buy the WPVA, he contacted me just about last. Between those two points his friend and Volleyball Magazine writer, Byron Shewman, began contacting our players. The "buzz" around Charlie was quite intense by the time I met him. He proved to be a great guy. We, (the WPVA management) quickly did all that we could to accommodate him and "get him into the sport." As for Jane Kachmer, Gabby Reece's agent, she had her own agenda. Almost all of the 4's were under contract with Spivak Sports that was working with the WPVA to produce a combined 2's and 4's tour. She had been talking with Charlie for two weeks before I met him. Jane is a very persistent and persuasive agent. Her efforts went a long way to shape Charlie's perception of the state of the sport. I feel that when Charlie got a clearer picture of the sport he knew that it would be much more work than he imagined.

TMCVball:

So you are saying that once Mr. Jackson took a closer look at the sport of volleyball, it proved to be a more difficult task than he was ready to commit to? Or is it more accurate to say that once he got a closer look at the WPVA, it proved to be more work than he was used to? Do you think that Kachmer had a serious influence on his decision to back out or was it just the task being to difficult.

David Williams:

Not really. Charlie Jackson loves volleyball and he is continuing to support the sport in San Diego by working with the Starlings. He really wasn't ever looking at the WPVA. The discord that he observed between the WPVA 2's and the 4's is what troubled him the most. Charlie wanted the players more united before he went forward. Charlie likes Jane Kachmer and respects her opinions. This is where I feel things got off track. When the WPVA and Spivak Sports agreed to work together as 2's and 4's, there was no problem. Gabby was invited to participate but she declined in a letter to the WPVA. Yet 30 days later when Jane is "speaking for the fours", Charlie saw nothing but problems between the 2's and 4's. Charlie just wanted to be a philanthropist to the sport. The discord bothered him.