by: Chris Warshaw

Brent Frohoff (aka “Fro) was born in Hermosa Beach, CA and began playing beach volleyball as soon as he could walk. Brent, nicknamed “Fro,” attended volleyball powerhouse Mira Costa High School where he played for CBVA Hall of Famer Mike Cook. At the age of 20, he and fellow Hermosa Beach local Scott “Ack” Ayakatubby, burst onto the beach scene finishing in the top five in seven events. In 1985, “Fro and Ack” won their first tournament at the Playa del Rey Open and continued to be one of the top teams on the AVP tour for much of the 1980s. Fro and Ack were also one of the most popular teams on tour. Laid back off the court, ferocious on the court, and often the life of the party once the tournaments were over, Fro and Ack epitomized the beach volleyball lifestyle more than any team of their era. Fro was one of the few players to win multiple tournaments from both the right and left side. He and Ack are the only team to ever win from their traditional side together and then later switch and win from their off side.

Frohoff was one of the best side-out players of his time – his flawless serve receive and rangy hitting made it difficult for opponents to score points off him. He was also one of the best setters on tour and during a time when many of the top teams relied on bump setting, Frohoff would take even marginal passes with his hands and deliver his partner perfect set after perfect set. Frohoff complimented these side-out skills with a lethal jump serve. Perhaps more than any other team, Fro and Ack popularized the use of the jump serve as point-scoring weapon.

In 1989, Frohoff teamed up with the legendary Karch Kiraly and together they won nine Opens including the 1990 Manhattan Beach Open. Frohoff also had successful partnerships with Ricci Luyties, Rob Heidger, and Larry Witt. By the time he retired in 2001, Frohoff had won 19 titles and earned just under a million dollars in prize money.

 

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