The Deadman's Beach Story

What exactly is Deadman's Beach? I think anyone who has been in my backyard probably gets it. But for those who haven't, it truly is hard to explain. Really it started as just a pile of sand in some guys backyard (it's me, I'm that guy!).  So you probably wonder then, how does some backyard court turn into a youth beach club,  branded gear, and other initiatives all with the aim of growing the game and supporting athletes in their journey? 

It started for selfish reasons, I wanted to play more beach volleyball. Harder for the wife to say no when I don't have to leave the yard right? I'd always dreamed of having my own court, we had the space and in 2020 decided to make it happen. I had no idea at the time how often it would get used, but I knew I needed to build it right. Proper drainage, quality sand and plenty of it. The court was finished just as things were shutting down for COVID, so with leagues cancelled and most other public courts closed down - having a private court made me a pretty popular guy. 

While I had hoped the court would get lots of use, what it turned into was beyond my wildest expectations - it became a community - it became Deadman's Beach. Yes, it was now a place where some of the best beach athletes in the city and beyond came to train and play. But it became a place to hang out after the games, chill in the pool, and throw some burgers on the BBQ. It was now a place where spouses would come watch and hang out. Where kids would come to shag balls and pepper between sets. And a place where everyone felt comfortable to bring their dogs to run around while we played (RIP Hunter, we all miss you). 

It is absolutely crazy to me the hundreds of hours of volleyball that have been trained and played here. How many different athletes have set foot on this court always blows my mind. Players from all over: Calgary, Victoria, Maryland, Colorado, and Cameroon to name a few. We have former pros, national team athletes, and many just awesome ballers here regularly to train and play. We have even had a former beach Olympian share the sand with us for a few sessions. As amazing as this is, what I am the most appreciative of and the most in awe of are the relationships and friendships that have been created on and off the court at Deadman's Beach. This is the one aspect I could never have imagined. I am biased, but its a pretty special place. 

Initially I may have only dreamed of having my own court, my own place to play. But quickly it began to feel selfish to not try and grow this into something even more - to expand the reach. The opportunity to share my passion and to bring the sport to the next generation.  As an athlete, I felt fortunate to get to train and play with athletes that were much better than me. That I have the opportunity, even at my age, to continue to learn and grow and be challenged. This sport has given me so much and I realized that there is an opportunity to share that passion with others, to have opportunities to train and play beach volleyball. To help others find their passion for this sport so they can experience all the joy that it has brought into my life. 

In 2024 another court was built in my backyard, at Deadman's beach. The goal was to start a small beach volleyball club for youth and the second court would help with that. Well start a club we did, but in that first summer there was so much interest that two courts wasn't big enough so we had to source another facility. But Team Deadman's Beach was born. The summer of 2025 we doubled the amount of teams, added two new coaches, and moved into our new home at the Maxvolley courts in the Bells Corners area of Ottawa. As I sit and write this, we are already planning for summer 2026 and it looks like we may double again. We are revamping our programming and adding more coaches to try our best to meet the demand. What a blessing this is, so many young athletes falling in love with this sport and we get to help them do it! As we continue to grow, we continue to expand our reach. All of the proceeds from the club, gear sales, and other programming go back to our programming (hiring coaches, renting court space, adding equipment. etc.) and to help support professional beach athletes on their journey to compete at the highest level. But what about my backyard, the 2 OG Deadman's Beach courts? Don't worry, they get plenty of use. Follow us on Instagram and you will see plenty of training and competing still happens all summer. No shortage of BBQs or after game dips in the pool either. Life is good. 

I want to thank everyone who has supported the community this far. Whether you have played here, trained here, worn an OG tank top, or just have been following along on Instagram.  I am blown away daily by the support and all the great people I have met and built amazing relationships with all because of 300 tonnes of sand in my backyard. Thanks for sharing your love of the game with me. Please reach out if you want to connect, if you want to come play, or just want to say hi. Thanks for following our journey. 

Sincerely

Derek Dedman