Heritage Association Spotlight: April Ross, USC Women's Volleyball
October 31, 2019 | Women's Volleyball, Trojan Athletic Fund, Women's Beach Volleyball, Features
April Ross of Costa Mesa, California was destined to be an ambitious competitor from a young age. Her athletic abilities were undeniable, beginning with her preliminary sporting days as a child. She graciously developed into a dynamic young athlete as she participated in both the track and indoor volleyball teams at Newport Harbor High School. She also competed for five years for the Orange County Volleyball Club. Backed by the support of her family, she excelled to eventually become the nation's top recruit for college volleyball - an outstanding feat. Standing at a strong six foot one, Ross accumulated 624 kills and 526 digs in her senior season at NHHS. It was soon time for her to make her college decision, and she was adamant about continuing the sport she knew and loved.
Ross was feverishly recruited by handfuls of colleges that begged for her attention. However, very few were able to spark her interest. Growing up, UCLA had been of interest to her, as both her aunt and uncle had attended. Upon her official visit there, Ross recalls the UCLA campus feeling "not right". She listened to her intuition and continued her search. Several visits later, she toured USC and fell in love with it. "Recruiting felt natural all of a sudden, and there were a lot of similarities between my high school and USC. It just felt like home," said Ross. She particularly enjoyed the intimacy of the smaller campus, smaller classes, and the open arms the current members of the women's team had for her. Ross felt a unique sense of belonging, so she took the leap to become part of the Trojan family.
As an international relations major and marketing minor, Ross approached her work enthusiastically. She recalls that as a student athlete, it was often challenging to balance academics, volleyball, and her social life. Ross found herself in an academic rut during her freshman year as she struggled to accommodate the new challenges that college life brought. She remembers sitting down with herself for a moment of realization, and she decided then to shift more focus into her schoolwork. One of her most fulfilling accomplishments as a student-athlete was when she received a 4.0 GPA during her second semester as a junior. "The professors were a huge help. It made such a difference that they were willing to work with us when we occasionally had to miss class for volleyball," said Ross. She feels grateful that USC administration made it a priority to help facilitate her success both on the court and in the classroom.
Upon her graduation from USC, Ross decided to take her volleyball talent overseas and compete in Puerto Rico. "The lack of the training and support that I had in Puerto Rico compared to USC came as a shock," said Ross. She began to feel her body wearing down from the rigorous amount of play in the whole new environment. She battled through injuries in both her knees and her shoulders, with very little medical support. After three years in Puerto Rico, Ross decided it was time to make a change. During the summer of 2006, she travelled back home to California to reevaluate her options going forward. It wasn't long until her friend and teammate from USC gave her a phone call, asking her to compete as her partner in a few beach tournaments coming up. Ross hesitantly agreed – a decision that would prove itself gratifying in the near future. Although Ross practically grew up down the street from the beach, she recalls feeling reluctant at first to engage in beach volleyball. Jumping was more difficult, the sand was sticky, and she wasn't used to the game in comparison to indoor volleyball. Back in her high school days, Ross's volleyball coach would take her and her teammates down to Newport for cross-training during the off season. Little did she know, beach volleyball would soon grow on her.
"I just absolutely fell in love with the sport and the culture," said Ross. Time and time again, she dismissed beach volleyball as being of little interest to her, but finally she saw the sport's potential and committed to it. She learned new things while playing that surprised her. A major difference between indoor and beach volleyball is the lack of substitute teammates you have on the beach. "You don't have any subs. You have to stick through it whether you're playing well or not. You're either going to win or you're going to lose, and it's all up to you and your partner," explained Ross. The demand for accountability was enticing and it made her grow into a better player every day.
Ross and her beach partner Jennifer Kessy dominated the court in 2007, 2009, and 2011 during the World Championship games, winning a gold medal along the way. Soon, the 2012 Olympics in London rolled around and the two partners, Ross and Kessy, were ecstatic to take part in it. "I truly had no idea what the Olympics were going to be like," said Ross. They went in loosely and played like they knew how, securing a silver medal for the USA women's team, a tremendous accomplishment. "It was unreal to be able to play in London. My friends and family all had a great time too," Ross recalls.
Her second time around in the Olympic arena proved different. She went in this time with much higher expectations and a more business-like approach. After grueling training and relentless preparation, the 2016 Olympic Games came around in full swing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ross and partner, Kerri Walsh Jennings, competed their hearts out in the sand, but ultimately fell short in the semi-final game. "I was disappointed with the loss, but it was still amazing to win the bronze," said Ross. Upon reflecting on her second Olympic experience, Ross regrets taking it too seriously. She remembers not having as much fun in Rio and not visiting with her friends and family nearly as much as she did in London in 2012. "If I'm lucky enough to go again, I will try to blend my two experiences a little bit. I will bring high expectations but also make sure I'm enjoying every minute of it," said Ross.
Due to her continuation of traveling and training, Ross has found it difficult to be around as much as she would like to for the USC volleyball teams in recent years. However, she loves to contribute and make a difference when she can. She plans on continuing her involvement in tournaments and events in the future to show her support. "I hope to give back and contribute in every way that I can!" said Ross.
