“I’m glad I can say I lived it to the fullest and that it was an absolute BLAST,” said Ross while reflecting on her career
April Ross is saying goodbye to beach volleyball after nearly two decades.
The 42-year-old athlete, who recently married firefighter Josh Riley on Saturday, Sept. 14, announced her retirement in an emotional Instagram post on Monday, Oct. 14.
“It is with a very fulfilled and grateful heart, and also some tears, that I am announcing my retirement (after the end of this @avpbeach League season),” she wrote. “18 years, 16 seasons, four quads 😳 I’m glad I can say I lived it to the fullest and that it was an absolute BLAST. At the same time, I’m in disbelief it’s (almost) over, it feels like it went by in a heartbeat.”
Since making her professional debut in 2006, Ross has earned three Olympic medals to her name, including her 2012 silver medal win with Jennifer Kessy, her bronze medal from the 2016 Rio Olympics, which she competed in with Kerri Walsh Jennings, and a gold medal from the 2020 Olympic Games (which were held in 2021 due to the COVID pandemic) with Alix Klineman.
Related: Olympic Beach Volleyball Player April Ross Marries Josh Riley in ‘Coastal’ California Wedding! (Exclusive)
Ross and Klineman currently compete in the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) League. According to the organization’s website, the duo has won two Manhattan Beach Open titles and 11 other AVP victories.
Ross noted in her post that while there “were lots of ups 🙌🏼 and a few downs” in her career, she would have never imagined “picking up beach volleyball at 26 would lead to all this.”
“It feels both easy and hard for me to step away from playing,” she continued. “After all the hard work I put into gearing up for this season after giving birth and making a big push to be ready for The League, I know I could keep playing.
Related: April Ross Says Dealing with Pressure That Comes with Being an Elite Athlete Is an ‘Everyday Practice’
“But I have the overwhelming feeling that I’ve done all I need to do as an athlete. My motivation has been satisfied, and it’s time to chase other passions,” the beach volleyball player wrote, noting that she “cannot imagine traveling to tournaments and spending that much time away” from her family anymore.”
Ross and Riley welcomed son Ross Riley last October.
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The Olympian ended her post by thanking her peers and her fans.
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“THANK YOU to all of you who have supported and cheered me on along the way, it has been so fun sharing my journey with you 💛 I hope you will keep following along for what’s next! 🤗,” she wrote.
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