Exclusive - April Ross on retiring from beach volleyball: ‘I’m still at total peace, I don’t have a ton of sadness’

Retirement can be daunting, but April Ross is unfazed by the prospect.

After all, when you are one of the most decorated beach volleyball players in Olympic history and have won everything there is to achieve on the sand, there is a sense of tranquillity in being able to step away from the sport.

Ross is an Olympic champion, world champion and multiple World Tour champion, and now she is ready to call an end to her glistening career at the AVP Beach League Championship on 9-10 November.

She looks back to the moment she realised the time had come: the Huntington Beach Open in May, seven miles from the American’s hometown of Costa Mesa, California.

“I knew I could get back to a place physically, but it was all about mentally, emotionally, how was I going to feel?” Ross tells Olympics.com ahead of her final professional match.

• Three-time Olympic medallist April Ross to retire at end of 2024

“And I just didn't have it emotionally. I don't want to put that pressure on myself at this point in my life anymore. Once I got to Huntington and figured out, ‘I don't want to put the pressure on myself to play at the level I would want to play at’. I’m still at total peace with retiring, I don’t have a ton of sadness.”

Ross’ life and priorities have changed. Her son has just turned one year old, and although she made a comeback after giving birth to her first child, she did miss out on a fourth consecutive Olympics appearance at Paris 2024.

The time has come to say goodbye to one of the game’s greats, on her own terms.

April Ross: From indoor volleyball to success on the sand

Ross grew up playing football (soccer) and basketball before her professional career began in volleyball – albeit on the indoor courts.

She spent three years playing indoor volleyball professionally, struggling with being at the disposal of a coach and even quitting at one point.

That is where beach volleyball came in with its appeal of autonomy, and at the age of 24, Ross left the hard indoors for the sunny beaches.

“I loved the fact that I could control my own destiny on the beach,” Ross explains of her switch 18 years ago. “Honestly, I could pay a little bit more for a better seat on an aeroplane. When you travel sometimes as a big team, you get the seat you get and you're travelling to these far places in the middle seat with no leg room, and it's so uncomfortable. I really loved all aspects of the game. The lifestyle was just amazing.”

One of her favourite parts of playing beach volleyball has been travelling, certainly not a bad sport to play to discover some of the world’s most beautiful beach-blessed locations.

It is upon reflection that Ross fondly reminisces of the times she spent off court while at competitions and the opportunities she had.

From riding camels in Dubai to exploring Phuket Island, beach volleyball has broadened her horizons.

“You want to win and you're so focussed on that,” Ross explains. “But then the times I really remember are the times off the court and hanging out with different players that I don't get to see very often.”

Ross on Tokyo glory: ‘We had to create our own energy’

Ross has a full Olympic medal collection at home, safely tucked away in special crocheted pockets made by a friend.

The first is a silver medal from her debut Games at London 2012, her favourite Olympics experience. From having friends and family present to playing at Horse Guards Parade right next to the Prime Minister’s residence, Ross loved every moment.

“It had a fun energy because I feel like the people of London weren't super familiar with beach volleyball,” she recalls, “so they'd show up more excited to be there because it was so different, they got so into it. I can still remember the chants and the cup towers being passed around!”

Rio 2016 provided another surreal venue on Copacabana Beach, and although Ross came away with the bronze medal, the experience was dampened by the weight of her own expectations to chase further glory.

“[At] Rio, I put a lot of pressure on myself to do better than I did in London, and that took a little bit of joy away from that experience,” Ross admits. “At the same time, I was so grateful to walk away with a medal.”

The final piece of the collection fell into place three years ago, when Ross and partner Alix Klineman won Olympic gold for the US at Tokyo 2020.

It was a unique Games experience for all due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and particularly for Ross, who stayed in the Olympic Village for the first time.

Ross admits, “If I could go back, I would probably opt to stay at the village in London and in Rio. You just get that sense of community and team spirit feel. We had a little balcony in our apartment and had a great view of Tokyo. It was obviously really peaceful because there weren't a lot of people around.”

The absence of fans was sure to pose a challenge, especially in a sport like beach volleyball which creates raucous atmospheres and captivates Olympic fans.

It was that mental preparation for the eerie silence that really benefitted Ross and Klineman, who won the gold medal match in straight sets.

“Thankfully Alix and I had had some experience bringing our own energy because the AVP held three tournaments during Covid [with] no fans,” Ross explains. “During those tournaments Alix and I realised there's no energy coming from the outside, so we had to create our own energy. We brought that to Tokyo and knew that that was going to be a big factor.”

The last dance for April Ross and the A-Team

Ross is not the only Olympic beach volleyball champion retiring this weekend.

She will bid farewell alongside teammate and Tokyo 2020 gold medal partner Klineman, who announced her retirement on Monday (4 November).

They have been through this journey together, from winning gold to having children and returning to the sand, all on the same timeline.

It is therefore only appropriate that the renowned ‘A-Team’ bow out on a high by each other’s sides.

“To retire after this season playing with her, I feel a lot of closure to do it with her,” Ross says of her long-time teammate. “Going into this last weekend, we're going to be playing some really good teams. We're very happy to be included as part of the championship and we'll just do the best that we can, and we hope to do well.

“If this was going to be my last season and then Alix and I, with all the history that we have, it just made so much sense for us to try and do it together.”

There will be a ceremony celebrating Ross and Klineman on 9 November in Los Angeles, as the pair prepare for one last dance.

“I just want to stay super present for these last matches and give it everything we have,” Ross says of her professional farewell. “You know, go out with some success. That would be nice. At the same time, I do want to enjoy every point and celebrate every point. We're going to celebrate and go out with a bang.”