Kerri Walsh Jennings

Carrie Walsh Jennings is the most decorated beach volleyball Olympian of all time, having won three gold and two bronze medals. You were the child of two athletes, which is quite rare, and so did you feel like it was your destiny to be an athlete? Sam, I definitely think it's in my DNA, you know. I think by nature, by nurture, by what God bless me with. It's like in my veins is a competitive, you know element. And I fell

in love with sports right away. And I think I fell in love with sports, um from the get go, because I saw my parents so in love with sports. So you know, the people I love the most of my life, who would trust the most in life, were like showing me that there's so much joy and purpose in pursuing these things, and I just I feel the exact same way when I compete now. And how was it that you chose volleyball? Was there another sport first

or was it always volleyball? No? You know, I mean I found BABA when I was ten, So you know, I feel like my whole life prior to that, I played every sport, and I played every sport whatever was in season. That's just kind of how we grew up like multi sport athletes. My parents really believe in that for diversity and range and so you don't get burnt out. So I have a big brother where E love months apart, and so I did everything with him. I played basketball,

played baseball, UM, soccer. I was always one of the boys in our little town in Scott's Valley, And but when I found volleyball in the fifth grade, UM, it was like head over heels. I'm so in love. This is new, this is different, this is all female, um, which I don't think I realized that. I didn't realize I was a girl at that point. You know, it

was just like a tomboy doing my thing. And then I found this sport that was like all my friends were playing, my mom was coaching, and it was just awesome. And it feels like now people start specializing earlier and earlier, now that you have three kids. What's your philosophy on sports and specializing. I mean, I'm just a big fan of trying everything, and I'm not a fan of specializing. I think at a certain point, going into college or pros, you specialize. But have you guys read the book Range?

Should we? Yes? You should so, especially on this topic. But it compares Roger feder basically to Tiger Woods. Entire Woods is like the anomally of all anomalies. Right from three years old on, he would only played golf. But he is very rare. There's only one of him. A Federer played all these other sports, and every sport that he did just helped him develop more range within his tennis,

within his business life. And so they just say, whether you play sport, you know, sports as a pro or not, the range you developed by playing multiple sports, by trying multiple things is just priceless. And I definitely I've experienced that. I believe that. So with our kids, they play whatever

is in season. You know, I just told both boys there, damn like you guys know, you don't have to play sports, right, And they both looked at me like I was crazy, you know, because they want to win, and when they don't win, they've taken on themselves, you know. And I don't want them to have that baggage either. So but I mean they're you know, eleven and twelve right now. So anyhow, whatever is in season, uh, and I just

want them to try a lot of new things. My parents planted a lot of seeds in my head growing up. You know, I lived in the Bay Area. I played every sport. I watched them play sports. It took me to Stamper, that took me to Santa Clara, I went to museums, um, I watched the pros play, and because of that, I just kind of found my path. So carry Your mother was a college volleyball champion at a time when a lot of colleges still didn't even have

women's sports. How did she become an athlete? She was born into it, you know, or her like my nana, her mother bottom like, hands down, the most competitive human I've ever experienced in my life. She passed away when I was eighteen. He was my hero, still is still very present. But she was gnarly. And then my grandfather, they called him Grandpa Big m His name is Marty. He's in the Santa Clara Hall of Fame. He had a nickname. He was called the Splendid Splinter. He played

in the World Rose Bowl Football. He was a track star. So it's just in our DNA. And my mother is like her mother the fiercest, like gnarlist lawyer angel you've never met in your life. Like she's had eight children. Three of them were her first sister. She carried triplets. She was surrogate, so she is one of eight children, six girls, two boys. They kept having kids until they finally got their boy and he came in number six and the number seven. Um. But my mom um, she

loved having babies, like she had five of us. I have one brother up in heaven. Um. But right before my I think mone was like thirty seven and she's like, look Michelle, her sister, or like the time is now. You know, they tried IVF. They tried everything for so long, and my mom is like, I meant to do this. I would love this. So they put in I think six eggs. They said likely none of them will survive and all three of them did, and now they're turning thirty.

On Maid, well, something stuck with me and she was like a warrior angel, like you know, both of them. Would people describe you like that? I don't know. I don't think so. I don't think so. I'm not as tough at all. Like my mom is a warrior in everything she does. I might be a warrior on the court. Um and well maybe, I mean I have elements of that. I inspire to be like my mom. So you chose

an athlete to marry. It almost seems like it would have been sacrilegious for you to marry out of the athlete kingdom after all of these generations, like you couldn't ruin the lineage. Did you feel that way? How funny? Well we're not breeding. I probably no. No. I I just my heart loves who I love, and you know, I I fell in love a Casey Like the first week of dating him, I felt like he was family. And no, I just I'm just like his biggest fan.

I think he's so incredible. But like, I don't think it would have worked with anyone else because we had the same job, like we had our first two kids. We traveled the world as a traveling circus with all four of us and then my sisters or nanny. You know, Like my life is so full and he's just been such an amazing champion with me, Like it just doesn't work without him. He's it takes a man, you know, to like I'm a lot so in many different ways. So I'm just so grateful. What do you mean when

you say it takes a man describe that? You know, I take up a lot of space, you know, and I feel like you have to be very secure in who you are. I run fast, I have big dreams. I I don't like waiting. I like to do what I want to do when I want to do it. But I also want to, you know, have a simple life and have my children and be very closely connected to all of that. And so I think kind of the athlete and both of us allows us to be utility players, you know, allows us to be nimble together.

But it takes a strong human being to be so supportive. And not that he takes a back seat, but he just he lifts me up, you know, and he doesn't diminish himself as he lifts me up. And I think that's a really strong soul to be able to do that. What was the last thing you thought about? You know, I was in marriage counseling, and I am pretty adverse to confrontation. And I'm one of those ones who like swallows my feelings. I can handle it. I can handle

it until I can't. And so our our therapist, Mike Jervey, who's an incredible performance psychology, so she's like, care, you cannot be afraid to engage, you cannot be afraid conflict because there's deep intimacy there. Um. I honestly can't remember what we fight about. I think, I don't. I have no idea, some silly, stupid stuff that we don't need

to find it out. How do you parent? Because I think sometimes when you're such a doer and you're such a go getter, and you three different kids with three totely different personalities that might or might not mirror your drive, how have you come to, you know, reconcile that with your own parenting style? You know, fundamentally, I'm just I love. I'm so in love with my children, you know, so

love is just the foundation. It's probably obnoxious, like I probably let them get away with too much stuff, because you know, I come I came from upbringing of so much like literally unconditional love. But it was very tough love, you know, and not a lot of soft nurturing love in its own way, but it wasn't that, you know. And I feel like my mom and my dad were

preparing me to be who I am, you know. And so but I think on the flip side of that, I'm parenting slightly different in the expression of my love. And but I I feel like the way I am as a human, like I swear, I feel like I've left up in every way. I've succeeded in so many ways. I've been in a whole I've been an angel, I've been everything and then some. So when my children are being who they are and they're doing great or they're having challenges or their failing or triumphing, like I've been

there largely, you know. So for me, it's just like I just want to remind them they're okay, you know, and just if they do something wrong, how did that feel? Did that did that make you feel bad inside? Okay,

don't do it again, you know. Kind of like as simple as that, because I feel like if they can have that self awareness where they can kind of love themselves as they mess up, and they know nothing is to end all be all, you know, no failure is too big, like you always have to carry your head high because it's just a rep at something, you know. And so I feel like that's I don't know if that's a parenting style, but that's certainly I'm kind of raising my kids as as really young high performers with

a lot of focus on self love. And my husband is gnarly and he's incredible, and the way he his expression of that, I think it balances us out. You know. Um, he's like from Vegas, born and raised like he's from Vegas, and that should tell you a lot about my husband. Like we're so different, you know, like our whole world viewers. So I grew up in a bubble and a bubble and he grew up in Vegas, you know. So our kids get like the Plonny pol Leanna that side of

life and the biggest gritty streets of life. And it's a really powerful comb My husband is so he's so emotional, he's so like tuned in and he's very empathetic as well. So I think we just meet our kids where they're at a lot with high expectations and with a lot of yeah, a lot of love for sure. So you went to Stanford and then how did your career evolve from there? Well, Stanford was like my first big dream

come true. I grew up twenty minutes away and it was just like like the best place ever for me. After Stanford, I played in my first Olympics. So I was a senior at Stanford and I left her for two quarters to compete my first Olympics in two thousand and Then after that Olympics, my whole world changed because I left indoor and I went to beach volleyball, and like on day one, not only was I trying out with Missy May now Missy may trainer, who you know

is my Michael Jordan, my idol. That was the start of ten years plus of playing with her, but on day one I also happened to meet Casey because we trained against him when I was trying out with miss and so you know, I was I was so like almost having a panic attack, like playing with my childhood idol, trying out for what could change my life in case he was on the other side and that didn't like pay one lick of attention to him until the last ball of the match. He tried like he almost took

my face off because he went to go finish the game. Um, and then we kind of had a moment of like oh, and then a couple weeks later we just started hanging out. So after Stanford, everything happened very fast and it was awesome. Did you return to school after that? I did. Yeah, So I took two quarters off and then I returned in the fall of two thousand and one. What was

it like to go back? Awesome? Oh my gosh. I thought like I felt smart for the first time, you know, like I always like I always just fancied myself a jock and an athlete. Like I'm like, I know why I'm here at Stanford is not because I'm the smartest. It's because I can play volleyball and I'm not too dumb. And I don't mean to diminish anyone, Like everyone there

was so gnarly. I just really diminished myself and I was so insecure, and so I think it took me being away and like kind of living a more worldly life to go back there being like, oh, I have thoughts of my own, and no one's judging me. Everyone is just trying to figure stuff out. So my last two quarters there were my favorite, and that just makes me want to have my kids take a leap here so they can go experience life, you know, because it's

just it's crazy what a little perspective can do. What was your relationship with Misty like, because I feel like there's been, you know, a lot of talk about it. It's so unusual and it's it's just so exciting, you know. I just love her so much, like with all my heart, I adore her and missing Our were so similar in so many ways as far as our values and our discipline and how we show up, but our expressions of

all these things are so different. So you think we're like night and day, and I think that's why we fit. But she's just she's like my sister. I just did an appearance with her in Virginia and it was so fun to be on stage with her, just rehashing our magic, because I think it took us a while, like we were just never satisfied. We were always working so hard and having so much fun in the pursuit because we literally believed we could be so dominant, and it wasn't

like an arrogant thing. It was just like, we have something very special here, let's like push this to the max. And that really filled us up. But when you're in it, you don't really appreciate the magic. And then now that you know, it's been almost ten years since I played with her, which is shocking to me to rehash the

magic and the love, it's incredible. But our relationship Sam was, you know, especially after when Missy retired, Um, I kept playing, and I think, you know, feelings get hurt and interviews get said and think throughout a context, and I hurt Missy's feelings a couple of times, totally unintentionally, and I think there's a sensitivity there that I just didn't have the awareness to acknowledge, you know what I'm saying. And

so we've then through heaven and hell together. And for a couple of years after we separated, we weren't really friends. I loved her from a distance, but I couldn't really kind of connect with her and the way we used to, which, of course that relationship is going to change. But we grow back to each other and now we I mean, we have rekindled that love and that friendship, and um, I just I adore her. She's so special, Like everything you see a Missy is so true and she's just

such a great human being. What was it do you think that brought you back together? It's hard to find love again, whether it's friendships or love, it's hard. Well, I don't want to take all the credit, but I'm very persistent. It's like with my marriage, Like I had a moment with my husband, you know, after a couple to Olympics and where he's like, I cannot do this anymore,

and like I understand. I understood his point of view, but I'm like, but no, you're wrong, Like we're meant for each other and you just lost yourself and with Missy and like, no, you just forget that you love me and you forget that we're special. So I'm not going away. You know, of course I would go away if I if they were like no seriously, But you know,

like I'm I'm pretty ampathetic. I can feel people and their vibrations and I could put myself in their shoes really easily, and so I feel like I was persistent and then I gave space and then I just continue to love. And every once in a while I'll approach the topic like, hey, miss, I'm still here, Like you want to connect one other thing from something you said about your partnership with Misty, which sticks with me for a reason. As you said, you both just knew you

were dominant, You knew you had something special. A lot of girls and women do not allow themselves to feel that, even if they know it to be true. Like why do you think you were able to I think because we were together, Like we were like a force together. I feel like I feel like if you try to

like tell yourself that alone, it's harder to believe. You know what I'm saying, Like, I'm I can rule the world, dominate, And it's like when you're together, you're like building something together and it's more of like a vision outside of yourself, even though you're required to bring all of yourself. I don't know really how to like speak to this articulately, but I just know that being with Misty was so empowering and it literally was not about anyone else or

anything else. It was about us. And so for me as an adult now and as someone who wants to continue to joyfully dominate and kick as no matter what I'm doing, I want my kids to do this as well. I I have to make it only about me. I literally like my my lead up to Tokyo and even Rio to a certain extent the last two Olympics, like I had too much focus outside of myself, and that diminishes me, you know, Like I revere everyone. I have

so much respect. But if I give too much credit, or if I spend too much time focusing on what's outside of me, then I can't self source the confidence that's required to say I can do this again and again and again and I can dominate. You know what I'm saying. I think that focus has to be very internal. When you were going through it and you're building this together, how did you in Misty resolve conflict? Um? You know, there really wasn't a lot of conflict because we won

so much, you know. But I'm like in this, I'm in life for the depth of it, and so almost my soul craves like hard moments because then we you know, like we talked about intimacy amy right when you're conflicting,

when you get depth. But Missy and I are first second year together, Missy's mom passed away, and then we went on the road and tried to take on the world together, you know, and we're both like early to is at the time, figuring out the game, figuring out each other, and that life happening like made us connect so deeply, and it was such a gift, like it really was. And I feel like that set the tone because she was very vulnerable with me, and she's not

a vulnerable human being at all. She's very strong and she's very internal um and that allowed me to be there for her, and so I think we we got comfortable in that situation a little bit, which was against such a gift. And then when things came up over the years, it was never internal like. It was always people being like, oh, miss you should dump carry you know, she's overrated, or carry like go try someone else, like

and it was so dumb to me. And but sometimes people are relentless and if you're having weak moments, you're like, oh, well, maybe maybe the grass is greener, you know. So a couple of times, one time in particular, there was a lot of that going on, and at some point it was just like enough of this topic. Are we going to stay together break up, and we had this moment of reckoning. We're like, no, we're that silly, like we're

going to stick this out. And this was after our first gold you know, where people just want you to separate and that you know, people get a kick out of doing that to people. And then we were weak and we kind of let someone come between um that any other conflict between us was so minimal, you know, And we had so much trust And we were talking the other day at our appearance and it's like we were so individually so driven. I never worried about Misty, like I knew she was busting her butt and she

knew I was busting my butt. And then we'd come together, travel the world and just show up and play freely. And so the moments of frustration when in that was very, very minor. And now a quick break. Are you a woman owned business looking for a new sales channel. I'm so excited to tell you about our newest partner in the w Marketplace. Founded by two women, it's a nationwide e commerce site for women entrepreneurs and the shoppers who support them. It offers favorable terms and is a supportive

community for female founded companies. With over five dred women owned businesses selling thousands of products and services, The W Marketplace might be your favorite new sales channel. Intrigued learn more at Join the W Marketplace dot com. When Misty retired, how did that impact you? Were you afraid of what would happen next? No? I really wasn't. You know. Misty retired and then unretired and then retired. So I was just so grateful that I had her for one, you know,

two more years after that initial retirement. Like that was a dream come true because she retired and I want to say, like early on and I called her, was like, miss are you sure? Because I want to go for the next Olympics. I need to find a partner. She's like, yes,

I'm done. So I got a new partner. And then she called me a couple months later being like, we need to talk, and I was like, oh my gosh, and so like that was one of the hardest things I've ever experienced because I had to call my dear friend Nicole Brandon and being like, Nicole, I have new information, things have changed, like we need to talk. And I remember sitting down we were at a coffee shop in Manhattan, beach, like grabbing her hand, being like Nicole, I'm about to

break your heart. And it was like so gnarly, you know, and um, I still gives me. Chill still hurts my heart and Nicole is forgiving me. But you know that changes her life, That changes everything. And so anyhow, so um, when Mry retired the second time, like we knew she was done. She was so done, you know, mentally, physically, spiritually, like she earned the right to go out on top

and be done to start her family. And so I was very very prepared for it, very you know, I was so sad, Like after we won in London, I literally would not let go overhand, Like every interview, I'm like you are here, like you're not allowed to leave me. So you know, you did the circuit after you win, and it's like crazy, like I wouldn't let go of her because I just knew it was going to be different the moment I let go overhand and it was talk to us about training while you were pregnant for

that last gold medal. So the Olympics are always in August, right end of July. August, there's always a tournament like a month before the Olympics, and it's in stodd Switzerland, which is have you guys haven't been, Like you need to go. It's my favorite town in the whole white world. But Casey and I decided to give it a try, you know, because like my first pregnancies were very easy. I had maybe one day of um, you know, sickness the whole two pregnancies. Like I was one of those jerks.

I loved every moment it like it's just one of those things. And so the doctors always say, you know, base your next pregnancy on what you experienced before. So I wasn't worried at all. So we tried and shot, we conceived and shod and then a month later, you know, as Olympics. So I was very very very early, like I missed my period, I think very early in the games. And then there was a point of recogning. It was after a couple of matches at the Olympics, and I

remember taking ice back after a game. It's like midnight, like we're celebrating me one my husband's ordering room service with our two boys, who were I think two and three at the time, and I was like doing the math and I was like, oh my God, I think I'm pregnant. And I call it to my husband in the other room, was like, hey, babe, I'm like, I'm late. I think I'm pregnant, and he's like, that's how we do it. And then we just carried on. It was like and then I told Misty the next day and

she's like, am I supposed to be surprised? And with like reference earlier Sam that I hurt Missy's heart a couple of times, like unknowingly, and that was one of the time times. You know, it's like because I didn't involve her that we tried to get pregnant and shod you know, and then to tell her and she hadn't had children yet, and you know, and I don't want to I don't want to be speaking out of turn with Misty, like these are just these are my experiences.

So she has her side of everything, that's of course, but it hurts me that I hurt Misty, you know, by being just casual about my stuff, you know. So I definitely learned learned there, um, because it's a very nuanced relationship obviously, and being a woman and getting pregnant and doing the dance and you know, it's like your whole life, you don't want to pregnant, then when you do, you want it so badly, like to do everything. You wouldn't be able to compete while having babies. I mean,

you had three. Welcome to me, clearly not well and I don't know, like my mom. My mom just showed me, like I swear she was pregnant with the triplets in Hawaii, six month pregnant, huge body surfing. You know, she would play softball and slide, you know, like very competitive softball slide with a huge belly. Like it's just you know, like I felt training when I was pregnant. I felt like a warrior. You know. I wasn't training to win goal. I was just training to like reinforce myself for my

my baby and to be empowered. And it was definitely a different perspective in my body. And I appreciate my body so much. You know, I'm way less critical, even though these days I'm very critical. Um, I need to get over it. But I just I trained, like like I wanted to be the healthiest human for my child, and I wanted and I that, and then I also wanted to have my baby. Take a couple weeks off to heal after and then go and doing all that when I was pregnant. Really, um, it allowed me to

do all of that, and it's sanity. Like if I'm not moving, I'm not a happy person. Your post Misty retiring for the second and final time, what happens to your career? Um, it kept going and it's still going. I don't know if I'm retired or not. I gave myself tell July to figure it out. I'm like going crazy not knowing. So this is another where hurt Misty. So after missing I won gold hugged. We played the Americans in the finals and it was April Ross and

Jennifer Kessie and we gave her hugs. When I was hugging April, I said, April, congratulations. Now let's go win Golden Rio, which was four years away the next Olympics. And I, honestly, I have no idea where that came from. It was like I hadn't even thought about anything, you know, consciously, but it came out and I'm like, yeah, that that's about right, Like that feels right. And then I said it and it was done, and then I went and I was so in love with Misty and you know,

like it was just here and gone. And then April and I partnered up and we got bronze in Rio and it was incredible. It was It was so fun with April, you know, and we were we were so close to just doing it. We were the best team and I believe in the world. And we had a bad night in the Semis. I had a tough night in the Semis, and we played for bronze, and that

bronze was incredible, like a huge, huge mental accomplishment. As an athlete who prides herself on always getting up when she gets knocked down, you know, you gotta be careful what you wished for. Because I was able to put my character to test that night with April. How do you think about failure? You know, after we lost in Rio, like I lost myself, Like I really didn't. I didn't understand that I had identified myself as a winner and if I'm if I'm not winning, I'm I'm a loser.

Like I carried a lot of shame for many years after that, and you know, I'm still working through that how to process it. But now I look at everything as a stepping stone. I learned from experience, and so failure is just an experience that that's meant to build you in the various ways you need to learn and grow. And now I see my weaknesses, I see my failures. I see what I lack as untapped potential, you know, and the failure is there to highlight what I have

to work on. The failure we're talking about is a bronze metal correct. Yeah, but it was so gnarly, Sam, I don't even know what to tell you, Like, I just it ruined me. And it's not like I don't mind losing, like I mean, of course I mind losing, but it's like a way you lose, you know. And that night, like I kept fighting, I kept trying to crack the egg. I stuck with April, like there were I just didn't play well, you know, And so I don't like that obviously. You know. It was really hard

for me to look in April's eyes after that. It was really hard to look at my family's eyes and my coach and be like, I'm so sorry you guys, you know. And I felt like I made myself on an island when it really is a team game. You know. We didn't play great that night as a team, and I just focused on myself and I built a wall of shame. But you know, I that also is kind of like my kryptonite or my answer too having it not happen again is to become superwoman, right, And that's

really I mean, perfection is not even possible. But if I take ownership of everything, then I can at least fix it. If I like point my finger, you know what I'm saying, Like I need to take ownership so then I can just address these things. How did you and April discuss it after that? How did the two of you reconcile your relationship when you kind of blamed yourself for everything and and were so full of shame,

you know, I mean that night was really hard. We kind of had our team meeting after and I can't remember what we said, you know, kind of numb, you know. And then like we played twenty twenty three hours later at like eleven pm, right or ten pm the next day in Rio, and so all day like I didn't I slept maybe an hour that whole time. I'm assuming April did the same. We were just kind of handling

in our own way. I had private conference like meeting with my coach, and by the by the time we came together to get ready for the match, my coaches like, you guys, like it's done. Like whatever you do, just stick together. I don't care if you're up, stick together or if you're down, stick together. Just that's my only

request because then you have a chance. Right. And then prior to that, before like I kind of got ready for the day, I was just kind of wallowing and I literally was lost to my husband's like, baby, you need to stop, like this is ridiculous, Like you have like you're an athlete, you have you have earned the right to fight for another day, Like go and win this ship. You know, you're an American, Like this is the American spirit that you love so much. Get out there.

You're so supportive, and that really helped me kind of turn the corner, you know. And then Harry, my coach, say just stick together. Because there was the bronze medal match started. How the semi final finished. It started as a nightmare for the first game and a half, and then there was one moment where April like I was just kind of an automaton, just like trying to figure it out, and I didn't realize I wasn't like deeply connected with April. And at one point she grabbed my arm.

She's like carry I'm like, yeah, she's like Carrie, and she like made eye contact and that was just like okay. And then literally a point or two later, like there was a gnarly point like we outlasted, we won, and that changed the whole game. You know. It's I love April. You know we uh we had a kind of a falling out after ath Olympics the next year, just mostly because like domestic volleyball politics. But you know, it's like

politics these days, you can't take it personally. And we agree to disagree, and you know, we parted ways, you know, and there's no hard feelings. I think she's wonderful and she won gold in Tokyo. I'm so happy for her, you know, so I'll ended as a ship. It's almost like the way you talk about deciding whether to retire. It's like some crystal ball is just going to manifest itself and tell you. But but you're in the driver's seat of that decision, right, I mean, yes and no, Sam.

I you know, I opened my mouth the other day about who I would play with if I came back and this person is deeply private, and so I can't go there right now. And it's a very mutual decision. So I'm being kind of cryptic, but for important reasons. But you know, like like three months ago, no beginning of this year, I was like, I literally don't know. I had to two things that happened with my children who are and I was like, maybe I can't do this.

I had one thing where I was gone in the lead up to Tokyo for many weeks, and my my kids came over to visit me, and my daughter was like, hey, Mom, and kind of talked to you about something. I was like, yeah, she goes. On the day that you left for your long trip, we took a picture and in the picture, I was crying because you were leaving, and you were miling because you were leading, and I was like, oh my god, like that it was the gnarliest thing ever.

She's looking at me right now, and it like crushed me. And I was so grateful that she had the awareness to talk to me about that, because that could traumatize a child thinking your mom is so happy to be It rocked me to my court and we had a great conversation, you know. And um, so that's one thing, like heavy, heavy, deep stuff. And then there was another conversation.

My son Joey wrote me a birthday card and he was really funny card and he wrote it and he's like, you know, Mom, I'm twelve years old and some of the hardest times in my life have been when you were away. And and then he wrote this other stuff and I'm like, God, oh my hell, like this is and so and they're so honest, like how like what a gift? And so um, I was like I can't, like I can't do this, but I have this calling in my heart. What do I do with these two things?

And so in the meantime, we've had many conversations and now the solution that we came up with is that we do this together. So we travel together. So I need to get an airline sponsorship and Airbnb partnership and then the whole crew can go together. And um, that's the dream. And that was always a dream for us to travel as a family as a traveling circus and

you know, really realize our dreams. And so if my partner who I want to play with is she's in then it's on, but we gave ourselves tell July to figure it out, and so um I told her, I'm in, and now I'm just waiting. So what do you do? We know that you don't just sit around and wait. You're probably writing her love letters every day. No, I'm like, I have so much restraight right now. Well, I blew

it last week by doing a podcast. I was like, oh, because I'm so casual, like I have no secrets, and so I learned a definite boundary in this new partnership potential. But she's my friend. I love her. She'll forgive me. But I'm you know, I'm working on my company four p. Fourteen forty, and I'm really trying to give back to

the game. I really want to leave the sport in such a better position, and right now at the pro level, it's it's having a tough time, but the juniors are incredible and the collegiate love is incredible, so there's a lot of great things going there. I'm training, but I'm just not playing volleyball, but I will soon. I live in Tahoe now, and so the snow just melted like a week ago, so things are changing, and I just want to do it my way, like I want to

finish how I started. And I started like so joyful and so curious and just just like I don't think I was self absorbed, but I just loved the personal development part of it. And I didn't care about anyone else. I want to have fun with people, but worry about me, And that's how I want to finish, you know. And now a quick break. I was a junior athlete and then I went to college and played varsity tennis. And one of the hardest things in my life was to

lose my identity. Like after I stopped playing tennis, I truly didn't know who I was because everyone in the world knew me as a tennis player. That was my entire identity. And so regaining my identity and figuring out who I was without my sport was really difficult for me.

How do you think about that? You know, I feel like I've lived that a couple of times, like with each pregnancy and you know, you bow out, You're like, oh well, they don't even care, like you're already gone, you know, so you kind of realize where you fit in the picture of the world that you're just you know, like something very special but so minor, and you know, time goes. So that's really helped me kind of get

some perspective. But also you know, like I I decided I was gonna take this year off and hopefully I come back. If I don't, I don't, But my my purpose in life hasn't changed, you know, Like I am here to literally develop myself into the best me I can be. You know, Volleyball my vehicle and my whole life, and that will transition to something else after this, but above the self development becoming the best me, Like I want to be a light in this world, and I

don't need volleyball for that, you know. And so I think, I mean, I'm forty three now I'm almost forty four. Like I've lived a life, a lot of heartache, a lot of dreams come true, and I will not settle for a life that does not involve being inspired, inspiring, staying fit, inspiring, empowering. You know. I just I can't do that, you know, And it's and it's hard, you know,

it's so it's so easy. An athlete like you, you have three trainings a day and you're really fit, and you feel like you played the part, and I think to have a different kind of I don't know. I don't know. It's gonna be hard for me when I do finally retire, so I haven't really lived it yet, sam to like to the fullest extent. I know I will grieve it. I know I will be devastated, but I also know my life keeps unfolding in a way that the next logical thing that's rad keep showing up,

and so I'm just expecting that to happen. And I'm a worker, like I'm a dreamer, and I'm very good at I'm just so blessed that i have amazing people around me, and I'm not afraid to say, hey, let's try something, let's do something. You know, so I'm not really worried. Amy. Let's go to the speed round. What book are you reading. It's Dan Milman. It's the author who wrote Way of the Peaceful Warrior, and it's another one of his book books. I think it's like his

whole whole life, not just his college life. I can't remember the name, but if I can recommend any book in the whole wide world, it would be As a Man Thinks by James Ellen. It's my favorite book. When is your morning routine? Okay, my deal morning routine starts at night so I can wake up early. So an ideal would have me like in bed never happens. Waking up at four thirty, making my hot water with lemon

and honey, journaling, meditating, breathing. At six o'clock. Two days a week, I have a workout with my trainer on Zoom and then my kids wake up at seven and then we get going on the day. So but I found that if I wake up an hour to an hour and a half before my babes, before I have any obligations, my day feels like I'm on vacation, even if it's the craziest, harriest day. Who leaves you star struck? I mean, I'm just a weirdo. I mean I my heart races fast with any cute person or kind person

or celebrity. I don't know if it's star struck or not. I'm just kind of an anxious human. I don't know. I feel like everybody and nobody. Does that make sense? But like if you went out to dinner tomorrow and I and there was one celebrity at the restaurant, and we're like oh my god, holy sh it. Guess so I just thought, who would that person be? I mean, all of them are fun to see and look at. I would like hee my pants if I had to

talk to any of them. I have this documentary series that I want to should shoot, which is like sitting down with high performers who are doing the juggle of life, like long sustained, excellent careers with the family, like some divorce them don't, some retire, some don't. And my thought of interviewing these people gives me a heart attack. And my list is like the highest people ever. You want to hear the list, Okay, Tony Robbins, Michael Phelps, Abby

Wamback Layard and Gabby. I have Kevin Costner, I want Morgan Freeman, Um Connolle's a Rice like these people. Carrie, do you realize that you are a celebrity? No, I don't. My husband gets so piste off. He's like, Babe, it's ridiculous, stop it. You're not that dumb. And I'm like, I just I don't know what to say. I'm just no, but I need you because it's like I did that podcast asked that I like spilled the beans and NBC Olympics picked it up, and now I like, got my friend.

She's all mad at me, and I need to be aware of these things. So our final question, if you were not a volleyball player, what career would you have? You know, I would have to compete in some way like period, and I don't know what that looks like because volleyball has just been my whole life. But I just have this like I'm like a cage like I've i haven't really competed in a year, and I'm like a cage lion, Like I'm literally like, let me add it.

I'm going crazy, Like I I have my company P fourteen forty, like I am so honored and out and we are on a mission. So it's Platform fourteen forty. It was, you know, we serve the volleyball community juniors. Um, sorry, we have live events and we're digital programming as well. But fourteen forty there are only fourteen hundred and forty minutes in the day. I learned that's the marriage counseling, and I learned that I was wasting so many minutes in my day, and so we wanted to create a

property that served the game. But that brought in universal wellness and awareness, you know themes and time is precious, time is sacred and if we can inspire you, Sam, you aim me to live in the moment. All of us know on this call that the moment is where our point of attraction is our point of powers, where truth wise, love wise, our futures created right now. And so fourteen forty we have a tour for juniors. Were actually giving away a hundred ten thousand dollars in prize

money scholarship money to our junior's athletes. Never been done before. Um, so basically we're subsidizing their journey to get college scholarships. It's really powerful and we're kind of in transition now figuring out our next move because we really want to. We want you know, events are very finite, so we want to you know, scale and do that on the digital side. But like my head is like I'm only I'm only magic in person. I don't translate this way, you know, so I don't know how to give the

wisdom and all that stuff digitally. Yet you have magic in you, Like I want to go run a marathon now and I don't run. I mean, seriously, you are very motivating, inspiring person. Well, that's very nice, thank thank you. I'll have to accept that because I'm trying to say, Sam.

One thing that's really interesting, and perhaps one of the reasons that I think Carrie's interview is so different, is that we do not ever hear women talk about business relationships or friendships that don't go the way of the angels, right, or that that break up or that end and finding our way back to each other like that is messy, that is complicated, and I feel like women aren't allowed to talk about that, and Carrie just owned it in

this really beautiful way. Well, I don't even think that's what it's that women aren't allowed talk about it, because I don't think men talk about it either. I don't think anyone talks about business relationships and how hard they are to maintain and how how important they are, right. I mean, our our partnership is so important to both of us, and we have ups and downs and we have to get into it a lot because we're dealing

in the trenches every day. And I think that, you know, part of listening to her was just enlightening for us. I mean, I think she was so honest about how hard it is and how awesome it is and how lucky you are to have someone that you work so closely with it you love. And I was just really inspired by just the way she talked about it. It was really funny. I actually there is one story. I can't remember which one, but I was like, oh my god, I'm so the Misty in this and A means the Carrie.

I think it was when she she won and then she whispered in that woman's ear like Okay, it's you and I in four years. I was like, oh my god, Amy would do that to me, and I feel like weeping in the corner. She had stepped out, she was dead, but I would still make me weep. That's the thing is Missy had stepped out, but it still made her sad. I would be the Missy anyway. I just I love Carrie and I definitely want to have her back. Thanks for listening to What's Her Story with Sam and Amy.

We would appreciate it if you leave her review wherever you get your podcasts, and of course, connect with us on social media at What's Her Story podcast. What's Her Story with Sam and Amy is powered by my company, The Riveter at the Riveter dot c O and Sam's company, park Place Payments at park place payments dot com. Thanks to our producer Stacy Parra and our male perspective, blue Burns