A legend from the volleyball world visited athletes from Evergreen High School and a couple of middle schools Friday, hoping to inspire girls to chase after their dreams and get an education.
Misty May-Treanor, a three-time gold medalists in beach volleyball, is in the region this week, putting on a volleyball clinic in Portland. She took time Friday morning to visit an old family friend. May-Treanor and her family have been friends with Evergreeen volleyball coach Joe Boken and family since they were children, living in Southern California.
Volleyball players from Evergreen welcomed athletes from Cascade and Covington middle schools, listening to May-Treanor tell her story about how she went from a three-sport athlete in high school to indoor volleyball national champion in college, and then her transition to beach volleyball and Olympic success.
“I think it’s important because the players who took the time for me when I was their age helped feed the fire in me,” May-Treanor said. “You want to inspire them.”
She said her fans — the ones who cheer from their television screens — are just as important to the gold medals as everyone who surrounded her and teammate Kerri Walsh Jennings. This is May-Treanor’s way of saying thank you to them.
During her presentation, she emphasized education. May-Treanor has a degree in kinesiology/fitness and a masters in coaching and athletic administration.
She asked, by show of hands, how many of the girls had goals written down, something they could see every day. A few hands shot up.
“That’s not enough hands,” she said, noting every athlete should record their goals.
She warned of the dangers of social media, imploring the athletes to be smart online.
She encouraged the athletes to learn every position on the volleyball court. An athlete never knows when she will be needed to fill in at a different spot.
May-Treanor, in fact, was recruited to Long Beach State as an outside hitter. But at 5-feet, 9-inches, she quickly converted to setter.
She also told the athletes to never allow anyone to say they are too small for this or not big enough to do that.
“There are going to be people who overlook you because of your height. As long as you have it up here and here, you’re fine,” she said, pointing to her head and heart.
She and her college teammates won a national championship. Soon after college, she left the indoor game for beach volleyball, a new Olympic sport at the time. She and Holly McPeak qualified for the Sydney Games in 2000. Then, May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings won gold medals in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
After her talk, she gave Camila Suarez, a student from Cascade Middle School, some volleyball tips. She also took pictures with each school, showing off one of her gold medals.
“It’s really important, especially in this day, to have positive role models,” May-Treanor said.
