Matt Anderson may be a star player on the U.S. men’s volleyball team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, but off the court, the 37-year-old athlete is a devoted husband and dad.
On Aug. 5, Anderson scored 20 points in a winning match against Brazil to secure his team a spot —and the chance to win a gold medal —in the Aug. 7 semifinals against Poland.
Anderson has played in every Olympics since his debut at the London Games in 2012. This year, the athlete, who won a bronze medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, brought along his wife, Jackie Anderson, and their kids —son Jamie and daughter Juno — as his personal pep squad in Paris.
The Paris Games marks the first time his family has joined him at an Olympics, he told NBC affiliate WGRZ-TV of Buffalo, New York.
“It’s always awesome when family can be at the matches and in particular, my kids right now and my wife. This is their very first time seeing me play live in the Olympics,” he said.
“We’re trying to soak it up as much as possible and give them the experience of the Olympics,” he said. “But also me being able to have them there for support is pretty good.”
“My kids and my wife and my family are what keep me going,” he added.
Read on to learn more about Matt Anderson's supportive wife, Jackie Anderson.
Jackie Anderson is a food stylist and a photographer
Jackie Anderson (née Gillum) is a food stylist and a photographer who answers to the nickname "Snackie," according to her personal website.
The couple tied the knot in 2020
Matt Anderson first shared a photo of him posing his future wife on Instagram in September 2018, calling her “my babe of a girlfriend" in his caption.
In May 2019, he shared pics showing him proposing on Instagram along with the caption “She said ‘YES!’” He added the hashtag #happiestmanalive.
The couple tied the knot in 2020, according to the athlete's profile on the Team USA website. The following year, Jackie Anderson shared throwback images from the couple's wedding ceremony on her website, adding the date Aug. 29, 2020.
They share two kids
Matthew and Jackie Anderson welcomed their first child, son Michael James, whose nickname is Jamie, in 2020. They later welcomed a daughter named Virginia, whose nickname is Juno.
Jackie Anderson says her husband is devoted to his family
While in Paris for the 2024 Olympics, Jackie Anderson told NBC affiliate WGRZ-TV of Buffalo, New York, that when Matt Anderson is at home, he prioritizes his family above all else.
"Family's first, the volleyball. That's just who Matt is to the core," she explained. "Like when he's up on the court, he's on the court. Then when he comes home, he's a husband and he's a dad."
Jackie Anderson sometimes 'distracts' her husband during his matches
During his time competing in Paris, Matt Anderson shared a cute Instagram video that showed him blowing a kiss to his wife in the audience during a match.
"When your wife is trying to distract you during kind of an important match… I love you@snackieanderson," he captioned the video, adding emoji of a heart-eyed face, a heart and fire.
Matt Anderson says his wife's support makes her his 'superhero'
Matt Anderson says the support of his his wife, whom he calls his “superhero,” helps him to stay focused on the sport despite occasional setbacks, such as the team's disappointing showing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
“A lot of emotions come up (to make me wonder) “Is it still worth it for me to keep playing?” I think it is, and my wife,Jackie, is in the same boat. I’m very lucky to have that support from her and the rest of my family,” he told NBC Sports in September 2023.
Matt Anderson calls life at home with his wife and kids 'beautiful chaos'
Matt Anderson told NBC Sports in September 2023 that being a dad has reshaped his perspective on life. "My kids have humbled the sh-- out of me. Some things don’t matter anymore," he explained.
He went on to describe his life at home with his family as "beautiful chaos."
"It’s been wild but exhausting. It’s been full of love," he said.
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Gina Vivinetto
Gina Vivinetto is a writer forTODAY.com.
