Team Paul Mitchell has competed in various events in the United States over the years. It has competed primarily at the USA Volleyball Open Championships, where it has won seven titles since 2000.

This year's team includes players who have achieved sucess both indoors and in beach volleyball.

Dr. Gary Sato had been involved with the U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team for more than 20 years when he rejoined USA as assistant coach under Alan Knipe in the summer of 2009.

In his first year back as an assistant coach, he helped the team to a victory at the FIVB World Championship Qualifier, a second-place finish at the NORCECA Continental Championship and a sixth-place in the FIVB World League.

Sato first served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s Team from 1984-88, including the team that won the 1988 Olympic gold medal in Seoul. His brother, Eric, was a player on that team. He was also an assistant for the teams that won the 1986 World Championship and the 1987 Pan American Games.

Sato served as head coach for the U.S. Men’s gold-medal win at the 1985 FIVB World Cup in Japan and was voted the Most Valuable Coach of the tournament. In 1992 he returned as assistant coach for the Olympic Team that won the bronze medal.

Sato’s coaching career has included pro beach championships and he was the head coach for the U.S. beach team at the 2007 Pan American Games.

Sato played volleyball at Santa Monica High School and Santa Monica College before moving on to UC Santa Barbara, where he was an All-American outside hitter.