Easter Seals Bay Area recently honored beach volleyball pro Rob Heidger at the 2006 Tri-Valley Sports Hall Of Fame awards banquet at the San Ramon Marriott, where 400 attendees witnessed his induction into the class of 2006. The Tri-Valley Sports Hall of Fame began in 1991, and the proceeds of the annual awards banquet benefit the Easter Seals Bay Area Kaleidoscope after-school program for children living with disabilities.
“It was a very special evening for me and it felt very good having many of my family and friends in attendance to receive this prestigious award,” Heidger said.
He was born and raised in Danville and graduated from San Ramon Valley High School in 1987. He was a two-time all-league basketball player under coach Hans DeLannoy. He then went to Santa Barbara City College where he once again earned all-league basketball honors.
Heidger switched to beach volleyball during his sophomore year and ended up at UC Santa Barbara where he was an all-league performer and co-captain his senior year.
He turned pro the summer after he graduated from UC, in 1992. After playing one season on the Molson Golden Semi-Pro Beach Tour, he qualified for the Association of Volleyball Professionals, where over the next eight years he partnered with many well known players such as Karch Kiraly, Sinjin Smith, Randy Stoklos and Mike Dodd.
Heidger was named Rookie of Year in 1994, Most Improved in 1995, and Sportsman of the Year in 1996. He competed in more than 30 countries across the world, earning King of the Beach honors in Italy, Spain and Saudi Arabia. His professional career culminated in 2000 when he represented the United States in the Sydney Olympics, placing fifth with partner Kevin Wong.
Heidger and his wife Dina have 3-year-old twin boys Marcus and Wilson, and the family currently resides in Redondo Beach.
Past inductees of the Tri-Valley Sports Hall of Fame include:
1991 – John Madden, Super Bowl football coach and TV announcer
1993 – Earl Anthony, professional bowler; Rob Stockberger, Monte Vista football coach, school administrator
1995 – Randy Johnson, New York Yankees professional baseball player
1996 – Rick Steen, San Ramon High School baseball coach
1997 – John Raynor, San Ramon High School basketball coach
2000 – Dana Dorman, LPGA Tour golfer
2002 – Guy Houston, San Ramon High School football and state Assemblyman; Bob Ladouceur, De La Salle High School football coach
2003 – Randy Winn, San Francisco Giants professional baseball player
2004 – MJ Mc Colgan, five-time State, three-time National Champion Golfer
2005 – Todd Fischer, PGA Tour golfer
Girls basketball honors
Hans DeLannoy was named Division I coach of the year for girls basketball. DeLannoy guided the San Ramon Lady Wolves to their first North Coast Championship upsetting Berkeley in the finals 50-49. They also won the East Bay Athletic League and finished the season with an overall record of 23-8. •
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