April reigns supreme

Tony Altobelli

Clearly, the toughest task over the past four years for any portion of

the media would be trying to find some dirt on Newport Harbor High

volleyball player April Ross.

“The only dirt I know of April is in her messy room,” her mother, Margie,

said with a laugh.

Now April Ross can add the Gatorade National High School Girls Volleyball

Player of the Year Award to the clutter.

“She’s an absolutely wonderful daughter,” Margie Ross said. “Very

even-tempered and is always willing to lend a hand. It really hasn’t hit

home how big this really is.”

Ross was honored with the award in front of more than 2,000 of her fellow

students, teachers and assembled media Friday morning at Davidson Field

on the Sailors’ campus.

“Needless to say, I didn’t expect this at all,” Ross said afterward. “My

coach pulled me into his office and told me to call Gatorade and they

told me I won.”

Ross helped lead the Sailors to back-to-back CIF State Championships last

year with her solid, all-around play.

A four-year starter for Coach Dan Glenn, Ross is a two-time CIF Player of

the Year, a two-time Orange County Player of the Year and a two-time

all-state selection.

This past fall, in her senior year, Ross pounded out 624 kills, had 526

digs and had 117 blocks.

“She’s so coachable and so eager to learn,” Glenn said. “Winning an award

might give some kids a big head, but April is so humble. She knows that

the biggest reason she received this award was because of her teammates

and how well they all performed.”

Ross was selected from more than 375,000 high school volleyball players

nationwide by a National Advisory Board comprising 10 national and

regional sports journalists.

“It’s just amazing,” Newport Harbor boys basketball coach Larry Hirst

said of Ross’ achievement. “To be named all-league, or all-CIF or

all-state is a great honor. But to be named the National Player of the

Year is truly remarkable.”

Has it sunk in yet?

“I hope it doesn’t sink in,” said Ross, who will attend USC this fall.

“Being on a team is my biggest thing. It’s a great honor to win this

award, but I don’t want to get a big head about this.”

One of Ross’ teammates, senior Krista Dill, believes a big head is far

from April’s future.

“It’s been an honor playing with her all these years,” said Dill, who

will attend Duke University. “She’s been a class act on and off the court

and she’s been so humble this whole time. April really deserves this.”

Newport Harbor Principal Bob Boies saw this honor as not just an award

for Ross, but for the entire community.

“This recognition further establishes that Newport Harbor has the best

volleyball program in the country,” Boies said. “This award couldn’t have

gone to a better kid. To have 2,000 students sit through an entire

presentation and applaud over and over again, shows how much she is liked

around here. Our community is on a major high right now.”

Other winners of the National Player of the Year include current NBA

players Kobe Bryant, Alonzo Mourning and Chris Webber, track star Marion

Jones, NFL stars Peyton Manning and Emmitt Smith and Major League

Baseball players Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield.

Among other volleyball players to win the award are Notre Dame’s Denise

Boylan and Stanford’s Tom Logan, Sara Sandrik and Kerri Walsh.

Each year, the Gatorade High School Player of the Year program honors one

player in football, volleyball, baseball, softball, boys and girls

basketball, soccer and track and field.

“It just goes to show you what hard work can do,” Glenn said. “The great

thing is that she can get better and better at USC. She’s just

beginning.”