Advertisement

Virgen: A fun night of fundraising

Share

When April Ross walked onto the runway Sunday night, she showed swagger as she pulled out a camera to take a photo of her friends behind her, that would be Misty May-Treanor and Steve Timmons.

May-Treanor followed with a silly bit, too. She danced like Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta did in “Grease,” and swirled her make-believe lasso.

Timmons had a little breakdance move, it appeared, as he also modeled on the runway.

It was all silly and fun, and to raise money for their favorite high school sports program at the OC Mix in Costa Mesa.

Advertisement

Newport Harbor alumni Ross, May-Treanor and Timmons were a part of “Style in Sports,” a fundraiser fashion show for the Newport Harbor volleyball teams. Boys and girls from the teams also showed their personality as they modeled fashion from special sponsors during the night.

“It was amazing,” Ross said of the event. “When I was in high school we never had anything close to this happening for fundraising. It was really fun to be a part of. It’s a perfect event for volleyball.”

Ross said she had a lot of fun, mainly because of May-Treanor.

“It’s hard not to have fun,” Ross said. “Misty kind of raises the bar on the fun. I know she’s going to be super goofy so I have to do something too.”

Ross, May-Treanor and Timmons are volleyball royalty at Newport Harbor. They were introduced at a red carpet as they came out of convertible luxury cars.

Timmons, also known as “Big Red,” who graduated from Newport Harbor in 1979, won two Olympic gold medals and a bronze for the U.S. men’s indoor volleyball team.

May-Treanor is also legendary, as she won three straight Olympic gold medals in beach volleyball.

Ross won the silver medal at the London Olympics, and she’s on a quest for gold at the 2016 Olympics with May-Treanor’s former teammate Kerri Walsh Jennings.

NHHS Coach Dan Glenn, a friend of Timmons’, certainly sported a smile at the event and beamed with pride when he talked about the alumni who give back to the program.

“I’m just really proud of them,” Glenn said. “The greatest thing for me, is that they all give back. None of them have forgotten where they are from as far as their roots.”

Glenn said May-Treanor showed up to support the Sailors at Newport Harbor’s season-opener at Long Beach Poly earlier this month. Ross attends Newport Harbor’s matches, too. She even drove all the way to Goleta to watch Newport Harbor’s match at Dos Pueblos in the state playoffs in 2009. Glenn likes to tell that story.

“Misty talks to the team before the CIF finals,” Glenn said. “I had a clinic for kids, call Misty and she’s there. These guys just do so much and they have never forgotten their roots. I just love them all.”

Glenn also thanked Evelyn Yardley, who was the chair of the event, which also took place last year, but without Ross, May-Treanor and Timmons because of their schedules.

“For us to compete at a high level we have to do events like this,” Glenn said. “It’s a fundraiser but it’s also a celebration of April and Steve and Misty, Cinnamon [Sary] and Mackenzi [Campbell], there’s a lot of state championships with that group right there.”

The event also featured Newport Beach Mayor Keith Curry and Newport Harbor’s new principal Sean Boulton.

“I just think we are lucky at Newport Harbor High School to have three Olympians who went to Harbor who are willing to come back and give back to the place where they got their start,” Boulton said. “They model for everybody how important it is to come back to the community where they came from and give back.”

Curry posed for a photo with the three Newport Harbor Olympians at the red carpet.

“That’s the best part of being mayor,” Curry said of the Kodak moment.

The Newport Harbor players also seemed to have fun at the event, especially the ones who modeled on the runway.

Carolyn Bockrath, a Newport Harbor senior, showed some attitude with her strut on the catwalk, which made everyone laugh and cheer.

Kaitlynn Bell, a Sailors junior, also had fun, bonding with her teammates and alumni like Sary. She said it was fun to see past and present players unite to raise money for the program.

On the court, Newport Harbor looks to improve, as it is 3-11. The Sailors play host to rival Corona del Mar Saturday at 7 p.m.

“We’re pumped and excited for the Battle of the Bay match,” Bell said.

May-Treanor said it was fun to see the Newport Harbor players out of their game-day uniforms and modeling for a good cause.

“This was just a fun event,” May-Treanor said. “It was my third modeling gig. I hope I was a good model.”

Advertisement