BEACH volleyball courts on the Coolangatta beachfront, where the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games (GC2018) will be held, are officially open for business and everybody is welcome.

While the four semi-permanent courts located directly in front of The Strand at Coolangatta will benefit Australia’s GC2018 beach volleyball preparation, up and coming star and Gold Coast Academy of Sport Athlete of the Year Kristen Tate said the courts would also help provide much- needed exposure for the sport leading up to the Games.

“The courts are going to be really good for beach volleyball while bringing awareness to the sport,” Tate said.

“It will get people into it and everyone will realise what a good game it is.

“It’s the perfect sport for the Gold Coast, so why not make the most of it?”

The location of the courts is seen as a major coup for the region, with Coolangatta set to benefit from top line competition and the recreational value the courts will bring.

Tate, 18, has only been playing beach volleyball for around three years, but comes from a sporting family, with father, David, one of Australia’s best in the early 1990’s.

Her sister, Sara, is an Australian paratriathlete world champion who has her sights set on GC2018 and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Tate also wants to represent Australia in beach volleyball and said while juggling commitments was hard, the new Coolangatta courts would help maximise her chances of making it to the top.

“Trying to manage my sport with university is hard, but now that we’re getting courts everywhere, we have more places to train and play which will make it heaps easier to make it to the higher level,” she said.

“I’ll be down here every weekend. It’s such a great place to come and now that we have the courts here, there’s no reason not to.”

Connecting Southern Gold Coast (CSGC) and The Strand Coolangatta partnered to bring the free beach volleyball courts to life ahead of GC2018.

CSGC CEO Peter Doggett said the choice to place the courts on the Coolangatta beachfront would not only benefit athletes like Tate ahead of GC2018, but would also bring opportunity to the local community.

“These new volleyball courts will be a great free outdoor activity for local residents and visitors while promoting active and healthy lifestyles,” he said.

“Beach volleyball courts have proven successful in other areas of the Gold Coast and will benefit tourism and economy for local businesses in the Southern Gold Coast region.”

The courts will be open to the public every day with the semi-permanent structure able to be removed for other beach events if required.