Meet Heather O'Reilly
Heather O’Reilly did not win the Most Valuable Player when she and her University of North Carolina teammates voted on postseason awards her freshman year. She scored 16 goals and tallied 13 assists in only 25 games, received National Freshman of the Year honors from several publications and made it on to several first-team All-America lists, but she was not the UNC MVP. She scored eight goals in the NCAA tournament, a record for UNC players that helped lead the team to the NCAA championship, but she was not the MVP. That award went to National Player of the Year Lindsay Tarpley, whose 23 goal, 27 assist season was one for the record books.
Instead, O’Reilly won the Gift of Fury award, which to Tar Heels is even more prestigious. To win the Gift of Fury, a player has to be more than good; the Gift of Fury does not come from the stat sheet. The award goes to the player who makes the decision to compete for her team every second she is on the field. UNC coach Anson Dorrance calls the Gift of Fury his favorite award because “it is a quality that involves personal physical sacrifice…and it also demonstrates a kind of physical courage.”
This quality has defined O’Reilly’s career, which is long and illustrious for anyone, especially a 22-year-old. She won two NCAA championships and a National Player of the Year award while at UNC and has scored 10 goals in 59 games with the United States’ National Team. Her four goals and seven assists were critical for the U-19 National Team that won the 2002 World Championship and she scored the game-winning goal in overtime to down Germany in the 2004 Olympic semi-finals.
O’Reilly has not limited her success to the pitch, however. She has earned very good grades in UNC’s education program and, despite playing for both the Tar Heels and the national team, has found time to have a balanced life. She took the time to answer some questions about her current soccer activities and some of the quirkier parts of her personality off the field.
What is your best nickname, on and off the field?
"People call me HAO. It is pronounced like "Hayo" and it stands for my initials, Heather Ann O'Reilly. I've had a couple nicknames though. Some people at UNC called me "The Angry Chicken" because of my very intense playing style on the field. Kind of weird, but accurate!"
What song/television show/movie do you secretly love but are embarrassed to tell people?
"I have a definite soft spot for cheesy love music. I love old Bon Jovi, Eric Clapton, and even Richard Marx if the mood is right. Should I be admitting this? Meatloaf's, "I Would Do Anything for Love" might be my all0-time favorite songs, at least to do karaoke too. The Backstreet Boys albums are still in my car for days that I need a pick-me-up."
"My movie selections are pretty standard. I love all the classic inspirational sports movies like "A League of Their Own" and "Rudy" and "Without Limits," a movie I would recommend to any athlete. It's about Steve Prefontaine."
What are your feelings about your first World Cup?
"The team has not been completely finalized yet, but I am excited about our team going forward. I think we have prepared, and we have the talent and chemistry to take on anybody. The World Cup is the 'big dance' and four years has been a long time to think about 2003. We are ready."
What is your favorite/least favorite country to play against?
"We really do like playing the best teams in the world. Germany, Sweden, Brazil and many of the others that we battle with are the most fun to play. Great teams push us past what we think we can do, and that it what sport is all about, right?"
When you're a teacher, how much are you going to brag about your soccer career?
"I might toss it into a couple of my lesson plans! I think that one of the coolest things about playing for the National Team is being able to travel and experience different cultures. I have been to China five times and I am only 22 years old! I have a lot of good stories to tell."
What is your favorite international destination? Where haven't you been that you'd like to go?
"I really enjoyed playing in Sweden with the Under-21 National Team in the Nordic Cup in 2005. It was beautiful, clean, and the people were so friendly. I really want to go to Italy one day, and I also hope that we have a chance to play in Africa."
Where did you get the energy to play at UNC, for the National Team, and handle your schoolwork at the same time?
"It definitely was challenging trying to balance everything. The key was not allowing myself to get too overwhelmed and to take things day-by-day. If I looked at my schedule too much, I would feel over my head with everything. I just had to remember to have fun and keep perspective. I miss college already!"
