Virgen: Several storylines at AVP Media Day

Kerri Walsh Jennings attacked my question like she does any serve or block opportunity. She didn’t hesitate at the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Media Day at Manhattan Beach Tuesday morning.

Who is the better partner, Misty May-Treanor or April Ross (both Newport Harbor High alums, by the way)?

“I will never answer that question,” Walsh Jennings said to me while making the rounds of interviews. “April is my partner. So she is my partner. When I’m playing with Misty she was the better partner and when I play with April, April is the better partner.”

The question didn’t seem to anger Walsh Jennings. It was one of many highlights during the Media Day to tout the new AVP schedule and partnership with NBC. The athletes at Manhattan Beach for interviews – Ross, Walsh Jennings, Jennifer Kessy, Emily Day, Lauren Fendrick, Brooke Sweat, Phil Dalhausser, John Hyden and Tri Bourne – were extremely friendly and accommodating. Ross was so nice that she even showed off her breakdancing skills with “the worm” for a media outlet.

I made sure to interview Ross, Walsh Jennings, Kessy and Dalhausser.

When I saw Kessy I couldn’t help but think what might’ve been. Before and during the London Olympics when Kessy was Jennifer Boss, she and Ross formed a strong team that continued to improve and won the silver.

Did Ross and Kessy stop playing together on good terms?

“It ended with April and I the way we planned it,” said Kessy, who is married with one daughter and living in San Juan Capistrano. “We talked about it. She knew that I wanted to have kids. We said after the Olympics we’re going to play together one more year and I was going to have a baby. And luckily I was able to have a baby. April and I knew it was our last tournament together in Florida. It was a sad time for both of us. We grew so much together. And we were close.”

What does Kessy think when she sees Ross with Walsh Jennings now as the duo dominated on the AVP last year and are the favorite heading to the Rio Olympics?

“I was never upset,” said Kessy, who now plays with Day. “I knew she was going to play with Kerri. We talked about it. We talked about who should she play with. It was really a team thing. It was never sneaky or anything like that. To see them together now and they’re doing really, really well and of course wouldn’t you want your very good friend to do well? I do. But now that it’s competition I want to beat them every time but if we’re not playing them I do want them to win.”

I thought there would be a chance Kessy and Ross could reunite before the Rio Olympics and finish what they started.

“I think maybe if Kerri wasn’t in the picture maybe we would get back together. I don’t know,” Kessy said. “But it’s so fun to try something different. You’re married for the rest of your life. You have kids. You’ve got this and that. And if you have a beach partner forever, maybe you’re missing someone.”

As for children and having a family, Ross says she plans to work on that after the Rio Olympics.

“Before Tokyo [Olympics] I would definitely like to have a kid,” said Ross, 32, who is married to beach volleyball pro Brad Keenan and lives in Costa Mesa. “I hope to have one in the first two years after Rio and come back for Tokyo.”

Walsh Jennings says she hopes to have her fourth child after the Rio Olympics.

Ross, last year’s AVP MVP, also says she wouldn’t rule out coaching. She has been known to pop in at girls’ volleyball practices with Coach Dan Glenn. She said she would love to coach at Newport Harbor or USC, where she also starred.

Recently, Ross said she met Aaron Peirsol, the five-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming, who returned to coach boys’ swim at his alma mater this season. She said that was great and she would also want to (hopefully) be an Olympic gold medalist who coaches the Sailors.

Ross and the other beach volleyball pros said NBC and the Federation de Internationale Volleyball event in St. Petersburg, Fla June 15-21 can only help increase beach volleyball’s popularity. Also, for the first time, an AVP event will take place in New York, at Hudson River Park’s Pier in New York City July 16-19.

Walsh Jennings said NCAA adding sand volleyball can also help the cause.

Dalhausser said beach volleyball’s popularity in the U.S. is fair right now, “but it’s getting closer to good.”

I asked Dalhausser what it will take for beach volleyball to gain more popularity.

“I wish I had that answer then I could say it’s great, but I don’t have an answer,” he said.

I responded, “Wearing a Mohawk or anything like that won’t help? Something outrageous?

Dalhausser said: “First of all I can’t grow a Mohawk so thanks for bringing that up. Jerk (playful tone). We have guys out there with Mohawks. Casey Patterson. Guys yelling after play.”

I said: “Maybe you can put a tattoo on your head.”

Dalhausser liked that idea.

“If there are any sponsors out there looking to put a tattoo on my head, I’m down,” he said.

The AVP season ends with the AVP Championships at Huntington Beach Sept. 10-13.

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AVP Schedule

New Orleans Open (Laketown, Kenner, La.) – May 21-24

FIVB St. Pete Grand Slam* (Spa Beach Park, St. Petersburg, Fla.) – June 15-21

New York City Open (Hudson River Park’s Pier, New York, N.Y.) – July 16-19

Seattle Open (TBA) – Aug. 6-9

Manhattan Beach Open (Manhattan Beach, Calif) – Aug. 13-16

Chicago Open (Oak Street Beach, Chicago) – Aug. 27-30

Cincinnati Open (Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason, Ohio)- Sept. 3-6

AVP Championships (Huntington Beach, Calif.) – Sept. 10-13