If you walked through Rockefeller Center early yesterday afternoon, you stood a good chance of getting hit in the head with a stray volleyball.

The AVP was holding an event for 25 kids from the local YMCA which included volleyball superstars, AVP player of the year Mike Lambert and three-time gold medalist Karch Kiraly. As the pros attempted to coach the kids on the fundamentals of the game, many a volleyball found its way off the court (which consisted of 40 tons of imported sand) – and into the path of busy citygoers.

“That’s kind of why we enjoy promoting our sport,” said Lambert. “We bring a piece of the California beach lifestyle wherever we go.”

Lambert, last season’s MVP, offensive player of the year and (with Kiraly) member of the AVP team of the year, said he believes clinics, such as yesterday’s, will help bring more people to the game. “You just have to expose it to as many people as possible and hopefully they will get interested and play or watch it on TV.”

Besides bringing city kids into a sand-filled Rockefeller Center, yesterday’s event also brought the biggest name in the sport’s history.

Kiraly has racked up 147 tournament titles, three Olympic gold medals (the only volleyball player ever to do so) and has been inducted into the UCLA Hall of Fame. At 44, Kiraly has been contemplating retirement from the pro circuit for the last eight or nine years, but says he’s not ready to hang it up just yet.

“When my partner and I are contending to win tournaments – or winning tournaments – it’s a pretty easy decision to make,” he said.