Doug Beal’s volleyball career as a player, coach, and administrator spans three decades. With Beal as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team, the United States captured its first-ever Olympic volleyball gold medal in 1984.

Beal was named head coach of the U.S. National Team in 1977 and became the driving force for establishing a fulltime, year-around volleyball training center. The facility was realized four years later in San Diego, California. Although he stepped down as head coach
following his team’s 1984 Los Angeles Olympics victory, Beal’s pioneering offensive and defensive systems continued to impact the U.S. volleyball program, yielding gold medals at the 1985 World Cup, the 1986 World Championships, and the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.

Appointed head coach of volleyball at Bowling Green State University in 1971 and Ohio State University from 1972 to 1974, Beal also competed as a member of the U.S. men’s National Team from 1970 to 1976. A five-time All-America player at Ohio State University, he was selected to three U.S. Olympic teams, two World Championships teams, and four NORCECA Zone championship teams. He was the 1969 Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association and was voted MVP of the
1975 USVBA Open Championships.

Beal served a two-year stint from 1990 to 1992 as head coach of the Italian Professional League’s Mediolanum Gonzaga team in Milan. MG won the World Club Championship in 1991 and finished third in 1992.

Returning to the United States, Beal was named executive director of the National Volleyball League, the first professional league organized and operated under the auspices of U.S. Volleyball.

Beal has written and lectured profusely on the subject of volleyball. His books include Spike, Sports Illustrated/Volleyball: The Keys to Excellence, Volleyball Coaching Tips for the 90’s, and Volleyball
Notes. Holder of a master’s degree in education from Bowling Green, a Ph.D. in exercise physiology from Ohio State, and a doctorate in Humanics from Springfield, Doug Beal was elected into the Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1989. His many other honors include induction to the Ohio State University and Cleveland halls of fame.