Q & A with Misty May-Treanor
This is part two of the interview with Misty. Click here to read part one, in which Misty talks about her thoughts heading into the London Olympics.
What do you think of what is going on domestically in beach volleyball right now?
I love seeing people play. It is important to have events where people play at all different levels. I have been able to stay sane and focus because I have stayed out of the politics of what is going on.
It is sad that we don’t have a single strong domestic tour here especially because they added sand volleyball for women to NCAA. Because they have to prepare for something. What are we preparing them for? So hopefully I’ve got my fingers crossed that a strong domestic tour will come back. I heard that the AVP was bought and the NVL is trying Cuervo is trying and we still have the CBVA. But if you look at the history of our sport, it has always gone in waves. There has been an up and a down. I have no doubt it will be back on an upswing again but I think it has got to have a strong business platform and a real strong plan in place.
How difficult is it for you and the other players to get sponsorship with such uncertainty domestically?
I've been very fortunate that the sponsors that I've been able to pick up have been very supportive. But it is tough when you don't have a domestic tour because a lot of the companies that you want to hit are in the U.S. market. One of the questions they ask when they're talking to you about sponsorships is where they are going to be seen.
So it is tough for a lot of the athletes. We're very fortunate that because of our background, because of what we've accomplished, it has helped bring in new sponsors, hold onto our old sponsors. A lot of sponsors that we've had realize the shortage of domestics but we're able to make up for it in other ways by doing appearances, clinics and really putting ourselves out there for the public.
What are some of the sponsors you have been able to attain?
I am a spokesman for the Ditch the Drip campaign which deals with seasonal allergies. I know for volleyball players we travel to so many different climates not only in the U.S. but all over the world. For me when allergies strike it turns into a cold. You know as an athlete you hate playing sick and you don't want it to hamper your training. So I joined up with Teva to be a spokesperson about getting allergy symptoms checked out.
You know in years back I didn't put two and two together but I would always get sinus infections and then they would turn into chest colds. And it would always start especially with the Santa Ana winds you know in California. They'd roll in and those are the dry winds and then it seemed to spar. So you don't put two and two together, you're like Oh, I'll take care of it but in Beijing my allergies started again because of the smog that was there. I was put on medicine and it turned into a chest cold when I was in Beijing. So you deal with it but that's why the campaign is because you think oh I'm just sneezing or oh I'm just itchy or oh my sinuses are a little stuffy and you just kind of take it upon yourself and say oh I will get better no problem. No but those are symptoms that you should get checked out before they turn into something else. At least you know how to handle them.
I also have a few other sponsors, I work with Purina and Nike and Gatorade, Orowheat, AT&T, Visa. So I've got a bunch. Campaigning is really fun for me because it is really getting out there and being a spokesperson for these companies.
What are your plans after London?
So after London I'm done. A long vacation, finishing baseball season, watching my husband, starting a family. Time for the next step. I have clinics going that I put on hold. So running more clinics in 2013. Well, yeah, I am finishing up my Master's degree at Concordia so sooner or later I want to coach. I really enjoy coaching and teaching people who want to learn our sport whether it is indoor, beach, whatever. Give me anybody that wants to learn and I'll help them out.
Read Part I of this interview with Misty May-Treanor