Catching Up With: Misty May

Steve Virgen

The road back to the Olympics has been a bit bumpy for Misty May,

but her desire to return to the Games remains strong. May, a former

Newport Harbor High volleyball standout, is making the most of her days

as she prepares for sand volleyball at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Her current busy schedule includes rehabilitation of two hours a day,

three days a week to return strength to her posterior cruciate ligament.

She had reconstructive surgery three months ago on the PCL she partially

tore in 1996, while at Long Beach State. As a 49er, May was a three-time

NCAA All-American setter and led Long Beach State to two NCAA

championships.

May, who also coaches club volleyball and is fulfilling her internship

working at a fitness center for a movie studio company, maintains her

focus for the Olympics, as the physical rehab is just a matter of brief

inconvenience.

“I should be fine,” said May, who lives in Long Beach. “I should be

ready to go by the end of Feb. or middle of March. I don’t really set

that goal of overcoming the injury because I know I’m coming back. I want

to go to the Olympics again. That’s a goal and the selection process

begins next year.”

In the meantime, May is refining her game by taking hold of the

clipboard and whistle. She coaches the Amazon club team, which practices

at least one day a week and competes in tournaments every weekend. She’s

mainly instructing the 15-year-olds, but also helps the 17s and 18s. In

addition, May worked as an assistant at Irvine Valley College in the

fall.

“I really like to coach,” May said. “I like to teach people.”

When she was not coaching, rehabilitating or earning her bachelor of

arts degree in kinesiology (concentration on fitness), May, 24, took in

some Long Beach State volleyball games. The 49ers produced an undefeated

season before losing to Stanford in the national final match in San

Diego, where May watched her former teammates, Tayyiba Haneef, Cheryl

Weaver, Keri Nishimoto and Tracy Bulquerin.

“When I was a senior, they were freshmen (Bulquerin was a redshirt),”

May said.

May enjoyed watching Long Beach State win the Big West Conference

title this year.

The excitement just added motivation to her desire to become a coach

in the future. Her season at Irvine Valley provided an extra incentive.

“That was fun,” May said. “They were a good group of girls.”

May is also having fun with the Amazon, practicing with her girls at

Artesia High.

The girls’ enthusiasm has been beneficial for May’s focus on returning

to the Olympics. When she returns next month to the playing field, her

eyes will be focused toward Athens.