April Ross

April Ross has won more than one Olympic gold medal. She is among the few female beach volleyball players to be able to do so. In Tokyo over the next several days, she'll try to net her third medal along with the first-time Olympian Alix Klineman. Ross hopes to win an Olympic debut gold, however, she also hopes for greater. In fact, at 39 this may be her final chance to achieve it. The athlete is optimistic she'll be successful in achieving top honours. Ross declared on NBC Boston: "If we do our best and even playing well I believe we can get the gold medal." "I'm also going to try a little luck." Ross was born in the city of Costa Mesa, California in 1982. Her parents as well as her sister lived in the area. At Newport Harbor High School, she competed in numerous different sports. Being a pre-athlete she played indoor volleyball and track. She was definitely superior to the rest in the latter sport. As per her biography her high school days, she played volleyball as an outside setter (middle blocker) as well as a the setter (outside blocker). In recognition of her accomplishments, she received the Gatorade Award for National Player 1999. The 2000 Orange County Athlete of the Month award was also won by her in volleyball. Even though Ross and Klineman are in the spotlight since the year 2017, Klineman was already a big-time participant on the beaches long before their pairing. As a matter of fact Ross has been a winner of several major tournaments in her career together with two other partners. One of them is a volleyball legend. Jennifer Kessy coached her from 2007 to 2013. Kessy was Ross's partner on the World Championships of 2009. In the 2012 Olympic Games, they received the gold medal. Misty May, Kerri Walsh and Kerri Jennings were the team that could take home the gold. Ross Jennings took over for May-Treanor after she retired. In 2016, the duo took bronze at the Rio Olympics for beach volleyball. Ross participated in the Trojans at USC during her the college years following her graduation from the high school she attended. Her time at USC was quite impressive. In 2000, as a freshman, her play earned her the Pac-10 and NCAA Freshman-of-the-Year honors. In 2000, her Trojans also reached the Final Four. She suffered a devastating personal loss during her sophomore year however she was able to return in the ranks of an All-American. During her final two seasons in the Trojans in the program the team was led to victory by winning successive national titles. As an individual, she established herself as an all-time great by winning the 2003-2004 Honda Sports Award as the most outstanding female college volleyball player. Ross, who was a USC international relations student, was a star in volleyball. Margie Ross was never able to see her daughter achieve the heights in beach volleyball. Ross's mom died from cancer of the breast in 2001. Ross had just become sophomore at USC. But she still keeps her mother in her his heart. Margie remains an inspiration both on and off of the beach.