Never Gone - Beach

KENNER, La. — Don’t call it a comeback. Misty May-Treanor says she never left. Though May-Treanor retired from international beach volleyball following her third consecutive gold medal in the 2012 Olympics, she contends that she is not done with the sport. “I retired internationally, and I think everyone took that to the extent that I retired from the sport completely,” May-Treanor said Friday at the AVP New Orleans, the kickoff event for the 2016 tour. She and teammate Jenny Kropp, seeded second, defeated qualifiers Bree Scarbrough and Brittany Tiegs 21-17, 21-13. “I think as an athlete, you don’t have to say ‘I retired’ because you can do it for enjoyment. If you do it from enjoyment, there is no retirement.” Since “retiring” from beach volleyball in 2012, May-Treanor’s priorities have shifted from champion athlete to that of motherhood.“I don’t want to travel overseas anymore,” May-Treanor said. “I want to start a family and be home. It’s for fun. It’s a hobby now, it’s not a job.” Even though fans will not see May-Treanor playing overseas anytime soon, the three-time Olympic gold medalist still wants to play the sport she dominated for nearly a decade. “It’s fun for me,” May-Treanor said. Fun is the primary reason May-Treanor has teamed with Jenny Kropp fNew Orleans, despite never playing with Kropp and barely playing against her.May-Treanor is the first to admit she is unable to prepare and “put in the hours” that made her an Olympic gold medalist, but embraces her role coming out of the beach volleyball bullpen....

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