Hangin' out with April Ross!

“Whenever you have the chance to play with someone better than you, no matter how intimidating it is, you have to do it.” – April Ross

Professional beach volleyball came to Portland, Oregon this February as some of the best talent in the world brought the sport indoors for the ultimate winter beach party. On the tour is up-and-coming beach volleyball superstar and Beijing hopeful, April Ross.

The day before her match, I headed to the Nike campus to hang out with April and learn more about the 25-year-old powerhouse. While sipping berry smoothies in the Boston Deli, April and I discussed her current winter tour, the transition from indoors to beach, training for Beijing and why “you can’t wait until tomorrow.”

April is everything you’d hope a big-time athlete would be. On the court, she’s a high-fivin’, fist-clenchin’, loud-screamin’ force to be reckoned with. Off the court, she seems like most of my friends – laid-back, fun and completely down-to-earth, despite standing an intimidating 6’1” above it.

April may be easy-going, but don’t let that fool you. She’s an incredibly driven and disciplined athlete, who has a laser-beam focus on being the best at everything she does.

In high school, April was a three-sport athlete who lettered in volleyball and track for four seasons and basketball for three. According to April, cross-training in other sports helped her improve her game and stay in great shape. “Track helped my jump, basketball is a lot of cardio and changing directions – it all transfers.”

In college, April (a self-proclaimed school addict) won back-to-back NCAA indoor volleyball championships along with numerous academic honors. Since turning pro, she has made history by winning a Grand Slam event in Norway and received Rookie of the Year awards from two pro associations.

Now, April has her sights set on Beijing. And you know what happens when this girl works toward a goal.

Excited by the opportunity to represent the US this summer, April is now working harder than ever. Training 5-6 hours a day, April’s intense workout regiment is a combination of beach training (scrimmage and drills), plyometrics and interval cardio.

Not one to give a leg-up to her opponents, April doesn’t believe in an ‘off-season’. “Do I really want to waste another day if it’s just another day I’ll be ahead of my competition?” remarks April. “It’s such a precious goal (Beijing) that you have to put everything that you can into it.”

With the world competition still several months away, April’s hard work seems to be paying off sooner than later. When asked about the highlight of her latest tour, April simply said, “winning.” In just her third year playing the professional circuits, April is already beating some of the biggest names in the sport.

From trying out for her first volleyball team at the age of 14 to vying for a spot in Beijing this summer, April has developed an obvious formula for success. Here’s April’s advice to young athletes who desire to be in her shoes in the future: “Whenever you have the chance to play with someone better than you, no matter how intimidating it is, you have to do it.”

I’d listen to this woman—she seems to have a lot figured out.

-Cassie Pruett