This past weekend, Team USA swept Brazil 3-0 in the Pan American Cup U19 championship match. O’Gorman’s Bergen Reilly was on the team and was a main contributor to the squad’s success.
A year ago, Reilly was on Team USA during the World Championships, so she has similar experience playing at this level. The Pan American event is like World’s, but only includes teams from North and South American countries.
“I think this year was a little easier for me, because I had the experience last year, but it never gets easy, that’s for sure,” Reilly explained. It’s always a grind when you’re in the USA gym, and everyone is fighting for the spots to play, but then it’s also so rewarding. Just like, being able to wear the flag on your chest and coming out with the gold medal, it just shows that it’s all worth it.”
Coming into the 2022 Pan Am, Team USA was projected to do well.
“I knew going in, and everyone kind of knew, that we were one of the front runners. It was between us and Brazil. So we played Brazil before the tournament even started, we had a scrimmage the night before, and they beat us, and so we knew we had some things to work on,” stated Reilly. “Coming back from that very first night to the very last night, and sweeping them, I just think that was so special to see how much we did grow in five or six days.”
Competing on a world-wide stage, and representing your country, is considered an honor. Along with the honor comes expectations and pressure – naturally.
“It really is so mentally challenging being there. That’s probably the hardest part. It’s obviously very physically challenging, but the mental part of being there is insane. Just because almost everyone there, it’s there first time not being the best in the gym, so it always leaves doubt and there’s a lot of confidence issues,” Reilly said. “That’s definitely super hard. Anytime you’re in the USA gym, you’re going to have a lot of people who are the same level as you.”
Reilly received two awards following this weekend’s champion match with Brazil. She was named both the Best Setter and tournament Most Valuable Player.
“It means a lot to me. I wasn’t expecting MVP at all. There were so many good players in that tournament. It gives me a lot of confidence to know that I belong there, instead of just kind of hoping that I belong there,” Reilly explained. “I think that’ll just help me a lot going forward and trusting my training, knowing I can do it.”
Reilly will enter her senior season of high school volleyball this fall with the O’Gorman Knights. The Knights are coming off back-to-back seasons of winning the state championship in ‘AA.’ She hopes that her experience with Team USA will improve her tools as being a leader on her high school squad.
“Volleyball is a very mentally hard game, and it’s a game of ups and downs, and I think that playing at that super high level has taught me to stay calm in the biggest situations and how to be a leader when your team needs it,” the Knights senior said. “I think that those are the things I can bring back from Team USA. I’m really excited for it, hopefully going for the three-peat.”
High school volleyball teams in South Dakota can start practicing on August 11th with the first matches of the regular season slated to start on August 23rd.
