KERRI WALSH JENNINGS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

we’re professionals at this point. And there’s no coach on the court for us in the Olympics, so we have to figure stuff out on our own.”

Road to Rio

At the time of publication, Walsh Jennings and her current partner, April Ross, were ranked first among U.S. women’s teams and sixth in the provisional Olympic ranking. Their partnership began in 2013, after the 2012 London Olympics, where Ross and her partner, Jennifer Kessy, won silver after losing a highly competitive match against Walsh Jennings and May-Treanor. During the customary celebratory hug, Walsh Jennings asked Ross to consider partnering with her for the Rio Olympics.

“I knew her as a competitor, and I’ve
always respected April so much,” Walsh
Jennings says. “She’s absolutely relentless in
the pursuit of her best self, her best game, and
she gives everything, aside from the fact that
she’s one of the best in the world at every
single skill. So she just had all the intangibles.
She has the desire and the skill set, so it was a
really easy choice for me.”
Walsh Jennings says that although the
pair share the same commitment to the sport
and have the tools to be dominant, for their
first couple of years together they lacked the
trust and closeness needed on a team, some-
thing they couldn’t force. But last July, Walsh
Jennings dislocated her right shoulder for the
second time and had to learn to play left-
handed, often relying on Ross to fill in.

“Ultimately, it just added another tool to
my tool kit, which is my left hand, and confi-
dence in my left hand, which is a beautiful
thing,” Walsh Jennings says. “And then April
had to just step up and assert herself in so
many other ways physically, because physi-
cally I was less. My injury brought us so close
together, and we finished the year really
strong. We’re a different team. We’re not per-
fect, we’re so far from where we will be, but we
were united in every single way. And that’s
really, really important when you’re chasing
a huge dream.”

Team Walsh Jennings

Despite the injuries, Walsh Jennings says the only sacrifice she makes when it comes to her job is leaving her family: her husband, professional beach volleyball player Casey Jennings, whom she married in 2005; their 3-year-old daughter, Scout; and their boys, 7-year-old Joey and 6-year-old Sundance.

“We do it together,” she says about bal-
ancing family and work. “My husband sup-
ports me so much. He does a lot to make all
of this work. I was just gone for 17 days, and
he had all three kids. Our boys are in two
sports right now. Together, we make it work.
He makes me able to have peace of mind and
without any guilt.”
While she’s rushing to leave she shares
that she’s on her way to her sons’ jiu-jitsu prac-
tice. She says her family’s days are often busy
with school, piano, T-ball, soccer and jiu-jitsu.

“We’re never going to push sports on our kids, for sure,” Walsh Jennings says. “We want to plant seeds. We want them to be in the team atmosphere, because it’s an important kind of skill to know in life, how to work with people and communicate. That could be in a band, that could be in a club, that can be in plenty of things. But in my heart, I would love for them to be athletes too.” C

Fitness tips from
an Olympian

1. Feed your muscles. Nutrition is as important as fitness. Try to eat very clean and fuel your body, and don’t take life or your health for granted. (Kerri Walsh Jennings is a spokesperson for Almond Breeze almond milk.)

2. Have a game plan. If you’re going to work out, do it with intention. Don’t just go through the motions. If you go to the gym, have a plan and do it with purpose.

3. Be patient. Don’t expect to be amazing from the get-go. Build up your stamina and your strength. Do it the right way, and over time you will see more benefits than if you tried to rush to greatness and strength.

4. Recovery is hugely important. Don’t go seven days a week, 365 days a year. Take at least 24 hours off from total physical activity, which gives your body a chance to rebuild and recover. (Then you can go harder the next day, after your day off.)

5. Vary things up. Adding diversity to your routine helps maintain interest. A jump-rope, a pair of shoes or even just your body weight is all you need to work out. If you’re stuck for something to do, go to Pinterest and check out the fitness section.

There are many fun things you can do.—CG

Name: Kerri Walsh Jennings

Member at: Hawthorne, California

Member since: 2010

Website: kerrileewalsh.com

Quote about Costco:

“Love Costco. It’s a one-stop shop. As a mommy, I’m able to feed my family; I’m able to clothe my family. As an athlete, I got my Vitamix from Costco.

The produce there is great. The meat is great. I’m a fan. It serves our family and our mission well.” MEMBER PROFILE

Kerri Walsh Jennings, three-time Olympic gold medalist and mother of three, shares her mom moments at the 2013 Strong-Moms Empowerment Summit in New York.