By: Jon Ackerman, NBC Olympics
Besides getting to play a sport for a living, life as an American volleyball player is rough. With no professional league in the U.S., the country's elite ply their trade anywhere from Brazil to Russia. Three-time U.S. Olympian Ryan Millar just completed his 12th season playing overseas, and this one was spent in Siberia. He spoke with us about that experience, achieving a lifelong goal in 2008, and what sport he may pick up once volleyball is done.
You played in Novosibirsk, Russia, this past winter. How was it?
Like you'd think. You know, it was okay. Our team (Lokomotiv Novosibirsk) was real good, which always helps. Living in Russia and experiencing everything that kind of goes along with that is a little tough, especially living in Novosibirsk. You're in the middle of the capital of Siberia, so it's obviously real cold during the winter -- minus-40 it got down to. But besides that it was good. The volleyball was real good, the money's good, and that's kind of why everyone goes to Russia to play.
You've also played in Italy, Turkey, Poland, and Puerto Rico. What do you like most about living in a foreign country?
The best part really is -- besides the fact that what you're doing is paying for your mortgage -- being able to be immersed into a culture. It's so much different than just going someplace on vacation for a few weeks. You have to live there for six months, you have to learn how to become a resident. So that part of it is pretty cool. I like learning new languages. I like interacting with new teammates and getting to know coaches and things like that. Just the overall social aspect of it all is pretty interesting. It's a grind, though. Six months out of the year you're away from your family and friends and things that are comforting to you.
Are the Olympics the light at the end of the tunnel when you're in the middle of winter in Siberia?
Yeah it really is. When you're over there, a lot of times you're looking forward to the summer and getting back in the gym with the national team and the bonds that you've formed there. And then the Olympics, it's just the pinnacle. What you're doing overseas is important for you financially and also career-wise, but compared to the Olympic Games there's no comparison really. The Olympics is what you play volleyball for.
Can you sum up the experience of winning gold four years ago in Beijing?
For me personally, it was extremely gratifying from a professional standpoint. That being my third Olympic Games and coming up short in the other Games, to be able to go there and compete and achieve the ultimate prize was pretty reassuring for me knowing that my place would always go down in history as someone that was to be labeled a champion, and that was special for me personally.
Have you looked past 2012 and considered the possibility of a fifth Olympics?
I would never say never. It's not likely. I'll be 38 years old, that's pretty over the top for a player in my position (middle blocker) to play at that level still. I'm not saying that I couldn't do it because if I continue to feel as well as I do now, I would think that I could do it easily. The problem is would I want to do it. Like I said, playing overseas -- you have to play overseas because that's the way to continue to hone your game. It's just a big sacrifice for my family, my kids are getting older, they're getting into school. There are a lot of factors that go into it, it's not just, "Hey, I feel good, I'm going to keep playing."
We understand you're a big golfer and would like to play on the senior tour when you're done with volleyball. How's that looking?
As of right now, probably not very good. Hopefully at some point I'll be able to dedicate a little bit more time to it. But I really just enjoy golf in general, the mentality of it, the discipline it takes to be good. It's no wonder why so many athletes play golf; it's a great sport as far as pushing yourself. It's just a good game and it's you against the course. There's really nothing else to blame except yourself if you hit a bad shot. It's a psychological battle.
We can't imagine you play too much golf in Siberia?
No, not at all. I told the guys I really like to golf and they're like, "Do you have a golf course by your house?" I'm like, "I've got like probably 10." They're like, "What?! The nearest golf course here is maybe 5,000 miles away."