About the BVA Tour Beach Volleyball America operated in 2000 and 2001. The BVA Tour was initially founded to provide a Women's Pro Beach Volleyball tour for the United States after the WPVA ceased operations. In its second year, the Tour included Men's competition. When the AVP Tour came under new management and had significant investor money behind it, there was no longer a need for the BVA Tour. Beach Volleyball America was founded by Charlie Jackson. Charlie was a successful software entrepreneur who was on the board of USA Volleyball at the time that the BVA Tour started. He saw a need for a pro beach tour in order to develop the players in the U.S. for international competition. The BVA Tour adopted international rules, which had not been done previously in the U.S. Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, gold medalists at the Athens 2004 Olympics, got their start together on the BVA Tour in 2001. Former player and WPVA board member Chris Podraza was the VP of Operations the first season, while Lori Okimura ran the Tour in the second season.