For most pro athletes, the toughest challenge is their next opponent. For TJ Jurko, it was his own body.
A South Florida native and AVP beach volleyball player, Jurko is not just spiking serves and diving for digs—he’s also managing a rare kidney condition. Redefining his athletic career with grit, discipline, and cutting-edge hydration data from the Nix Hydration Biosensor, he’s making his volleyball comeback one tournament at a time.
Indoor volleyball is played on a hard court by two teams of six players with the objective being to send the ball over the net and have it land within the opponent’s court while preventing the opposing team from doing the same. Each side is allowed to touch the ball only three times before it is returned over the net. A typical play includes a pass (or a bump), a set, and a hit (or spike). Each team rotates players in a specific order and takes turns serving and like most other sports, players specialize in different roles from setters, hitters, and defensive specialists.
Jurko’s volleyball journey started in middle school, inspired by a coach who lit his competitive fire early. He went on to play indoor volleyball at NJIT (New Jersey Institute of Technology), a division I men’s program, as an outside hitter. During college Jurko increased his knowledge of the game and loved competing with his teammates. Standing tall at 6’3”, he finished his college career in 2016 with 1,099 kills, 499 digs, and 113 service aces.
Post college, Jurko returned home to Florida thinking his high-level volleyball playing days were something of the past. But the beach had other plans. “Once I started playing on the sand, I realized I wasn’t done. I wanted to compete again—and at the highest level,” Jurko said. He started playing on the sand in 2017 and was immediately humbled by how much he had to learn in order to be competitive amongst his peers. Jurko notes, “while I had a few friends that played socially, once I started playing in some of the local Fort Lauderdale events, I knew that I wanted to elevate my game and take the game more seriously”.
While both indoor volleyball and beach volleyball share the same core objective — keep the ball off the ground and score by landing it on your opponent’s side — they are two very different versions of the game. Both are fast-paced, competitive, and exciting to watch or play, but their unique environments and rules create distinct experiences for athletes and fans alike.
Beach volleyball is played in pairs with just two players per side. This means each team member needs to be more versatile with strong skills in serving, passing, setting, blocking and attacking. It is also played outdoors on sand (versus an indoor court), which slows movement and increases the physical demand on each player. Additionally, unlike indoor players which typically play in a climate-controlled gymnasium, beach volleyball players are exposed to weather conditions like the sun, wind, and in some cases, extreme heat which can significantly affect gameplay.
After a few years, Jurko decided to transform his casual beach volleyball career into something more significant. He found a partner and together they began entering tournaments on the weekends. Currently, Jurko teaches Algebra II at a South Florida high school by day, then heads to Pompano Beach to train at night. On the weekends, he travels nationwide on the AVP Tour - the premier U.S. pro beach volleyball league.
In late 2024, it wasn’t a game injury that sidelined Jurko, but a series of strange symptoms. His high school students commented that his face looked different. He began noticing swelling, first in his ankles, then his entire body. He gained 30 pounds and he noticed his urine looked foamy. Jurko knew that something was seriously wrong. “I didn’t know what was happening, and that uncertainty was scary,” Jurko said.
Eventually, doctors diagnosed him with Minimal Change Disease (MCD), a hard-to-detect form of kidney disease. MCD is a disorder where there is damage to the glomeruli, the tiny filtering units inside your kidney where blood is cleaned. After a hospital biopsy and months of medication with heavy side effects, Jurko began to recover—but his entire athletic training and recovery approach had to change.
With his kidneys in a vulnerable state, hydration became mission critical to ensure that he could regain and maintain athletic performance. “I used to think hydration was just about drinking enough water to avoid cramping. I didn’t realize how much electrolytes mattered—especially with my condition.”
That’s when his strength and conditioning coach, Flavia, introduced him to Nix. At first, Jurko started using the Nix Hydration Biosensor during practice sessions to gain perspective into his personal sweat profile. Once he had a baseline of his needs he applied that to his training, and also used Nix during tournaments to help maintain and balance his fluid and electrolyte needs.
“I found out I was sweating way more than I thought—like, 98th percentile,” he said. “I was drinking half of what I needed. That was a wake-up call.”
Now, Jurko uses his Hydration Biosensor to monitor both his sweat rate and electrolyte concentration (sweat composition), ensuring that he’s properly hydrated during long, hot practices and grueling matches.
The impact has been real: “There’ve been a few times I was on the verge of cramping at tournaments. Yet, thanks to the Nix sensor, I was able to get ahead of it.”
Managing kidney disease has resulted in a major lifestyle overhaul for Jurko. “I can’t just go out to eat. I have to control every bit of sodium and potassium I put into my body. I have to plan every meal, monitor every symptom, and be on top of my hydration 24/7.” It’s not easy, but Jurko says it’s worth it.
“There were moments I doubted if I could return to competing. But the feeling of getting back out there—and winning—while managing this condition? It makes every bit of effort worth it.”
While reflecting on his journey, Jurko said “My father has always been an inspiration to me. He has always been a tough competitor and never allowed us to make excuses when we were growing up. He is now in his 60s and continues to compete in triathlons, including several Ironmans. He has always pushed me to believe that I can overcome any obstacle. Along with my mom and three brothers, my family has been incredibly supportive of this process and I owe a tremendous amount of my resilience to them.”
Jurko recently competed in AVP events in Florida and California, including his highest ever finish in a tournament. In the coming months, he has stops lined up in Virginia, Colorado, Wisconsin, and back to California for summer 2025. Jurko’s bloodwork is strong, his hydration is dialed in, and his outlook is clear.
Beach volleyball requires more endurance and adaptability. With only two players, teamwork, communication, and all-around skill are critical. The game is often more tactical, with greater emphasis on placement, ball control, and reading the wind. This adaptability extended to Jurko’s ability to manage a chronic illness while continuing to chase his personal athletic goals. His advice to others: “Take your health seriously. Listen to your body. Be patient. Be relentless. The comeback is possible—with the right tools, the right mindset, and a little data on your side.”
TJ’s journey shows us that real performance gains—and real health protection—start with paying attention to the basics. Sweat is one of the most personal data points your body produces. When you learn how to listen to it, the results follow. Whether you’re an elite athlete, a high school competitor, or someone hitting the gym a few times a week, understanding your personal hydration profile can be the difference between peak performance and burnout—or worse, injury. It’s time we stop guessing and start measuring. The data is out there—and it’s never been more accessible.