April Ross

April Ross has won more than one Olympic medal. She is among only a handful of female players of beach volleyball to have achieved this feat. In Tokyo in the coming days, she'll try to win her third gold medal along with the first-time Olympian Alix Klineman. More than that though Ross is aiming to capture her very first Olympic gold. At 39, it may be her last shot. She remains optimistic that she'll be successful in achieving top honours. Ross was quoted on NBC Boston as saying that If you put in your best, even if you play well we will get the gold. Therefore, I'm hoping to have the chance as well. Ross was born in California in Costa Mesa, California in 1982. She grew up in Costa Mesa with her mother, father and sibling. In Newport Harbor High School, she was a participant in many different sports. In addition to playing indoor volleyball, she also ran track and basketball in her pre-college days. She was clearly the best player in indoor volleyball. Based on her bio, she played an outside blocker as well as a middle volleyball player during her senior year at high school. The results of her efforts were acknowledged in 1999 when she was named Gatorade's National Circle of Champions players of the year. In addition, she was awarded the 2000 Orange County Athlete of the year award for volleyball. Ross and Klineman might have started working together in the year 2017, however Ross was already an established athlete at the beach prior to when they came together. It's true that she's won multiple big tournaments as well as one of her partners was a volleyball superstar. The pair teamed along with Jennifer Kessy from 2007-2013, and also was Klineman's coach. Ross, the teammate of Kessy's, who took home the title of world champion with Kessy in 2009 was also significant on the an international level. They eventually won an Olympic silver medal during the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Misty Maytreanor (Jennings) and Misty Maytreanor won gold, ahead of them. As fate would have it Ross became Walsh Jennings' new partner after May-Treanor's retirement. They both won bronze medals in beach volleyball for the Rio Olympics in the year 2016. Ross began her college career with the USC Trojans after graduation from high school. This was years before Ross hit the beach and became a professional. Ross's Trojans experience was amazing. Her freshman year in 2000 earned her the Pac-10 and NCAA Freshman's of the Year awards and be an All-American. Her performance also assisted in helping the Trojans reach into the Final Four. In her sophomore season she suffered a devastating personal tragedy, but managed to earn the honor of being named an All-American. In her last two years of participation in the Trojans program, she guided the Trojans to winning a national title every year. In 2003-2004, Ross was named the top collegiate female volleyball player in the United States according to the Honda Sports Award. Ross, a USC international relations major, was a star in volleyball. Margie Ross never saw her daughter reach the top in beach volleyball. Ross's mother died of breast carcinoma in the year 2001. Ross had just become a second-year student at USC. She has kept her parent close to the heart. Margie at the beach and in daily life, continues to inspire her.