April Ross

April Ross is only one of the beach volleyball players to have won medals more than once at an Olympics. Alix-Klineman will compete with Ross at Tokyo in order to claim her third gold in the coming days. Ross's dream is to earn her first Olympic Gold. It could be the last chance she'll ever have as she is 39 years old. Still confident but she is not sure. Ross was quoted on NBC Boston as saying that if you play your top, even if you perform well, you will win the gold. This is also the result of luck. Ross was born in California, Costa Mesa in the year 1982. Her parents as well as her sister resided there. Ross's athletic endeavors continued at Newport Harbor High School where she played in a variety of different sports. In addition to playing indoor volleyball, she also was a basketball player and also ran track in her pre-college days. In the last sport she was clearly the standout. Her college biography states that she was an outside hitter, middle blocker, as well as a setter throughout her volleyball time in high school. Her achievements were rewarded by her being named 1999 Gatorade's Circle of Champions National Player of the Year. The 2000 Orange County Athlete of the Month was also received by her due to her volleyball skills. Ross is currently working with Klineman from 2017, but Ross's beach game was established well before the year. In reality, she was a winner of numerous major events with two different partners, one of whom is an icon of volleyball. From 2007 to 2013 she played by Jennifer Kessy, who is now her coach. Kessy was Ross's partner on the 2009 World Championships. The pair eventually picked up a silver medal in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Misty May, Kerri Walsh and Kerri Jennings were the trio that could take home the gold. Ross Jennings replaced May-Treanor as she left the team. Together, they won beach volleyball bronze for the Rio Olympics in the year the year 2016. Ross started her college professional career playing for the Trojans of USC in high school. The Trojans were a few years away from when Ross hit the sand and turned pro. The time she spent at USC was impressive. In her first year at the school, 2000 saw her earn the Pac-10 and NCAA Freshman of the award and become an All-American. In addition, she helped her Trojans to make it to the Final Four. The second season of her career, she experienced a terrible personal loss, yet was able to be named an All-American. In her two final years with the Trojans they helped achieve consecutive championships. Ross was an excellent volleyball player and won the Honda Sports Award in 2003-04 as the top female volleyball player at the college level. Ross majored at USC in International Relations. Unfortunately Ross mother Margie was not able to witness her daughter ascend to the highest levels of beach volleyball stardom. When Ross was in her sophomore year in USC her mother passed away from breast cancer. But she still keeps her mother in her heart. Margie remains an inspiration on and off at the beach.