Red Bull USA

Inspired by his sport's debut at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, beach volleyball star Todd Rogers turned pro and was named Association of Volleyball Professionals Rookie of the Year in 1997. At the end of that winning season, he mapped out a 10-year plan to get himself a piece of Olympic glory. And as anyone who watched the 2008 games in Beijing can attest, Todd has a way of spinning his dreams into gold.

In the past decade Todd also won the AVP Best Defensive Player of the Year four consecutive times since 2004. He took home both the AVP Crocs Cup Championship and AVP Team of the Year (with Phil Dalhausser) in 2007 and 2008 and racked up over 48 career wins, more than any other active U.S. player. Like most beach volleyball players, Todd had more humble beginnings than his recent dominance in the sport might suggest. "My first year of high school a bunch of friends decided to go out for the indoor team," he says. "The varsity coach was an old beach guy and got us interested in the beach game to help build our skills and keep it fun. We saw all the chicks in bikinis out there and it was kind of a done deal. I was pretty much hooked for life."

Todd has since come to respect the women of beach volleyball and the sport at large on an entirely different level. "My next real goal is that I'd like to see beach volleyball continue to grow in the U.S. and around the world," he says, "and I'd like to be a part of that in any way I can." One place Todd does that is on the beach volleyball court in his backyard, where his son Nate and daughter Hannah are picking up the sport and family games are a regular event. He's also involved in the Dig for Kids Education Foundation, which provides youth in low-income communities increased opportunities for academic and athletic achievement. For Todd, beach volleyball is a lifelong passion. "Once you start playing beach volleyball, it's a lifetime thing," he says. "All you need is some sand, a ball and a net. And it doesn't hurt your body as much as any sport played on a hard surface. It manages to be one of the simplest and most challenging sports in the world at the same time."