Heather O'Reilly

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Heather O'Reilly
Personal information
Full nameHeather Ann O'Reilly
Date of birth (1985-01-02) January 2, 1985
Place of birthEast Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
Height5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Playing positionMidfielder/ Winger
Club information
Current clubBoston Breakers
Number9
Youth career
2003–2006North Carolina Tar Heels
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2004–2005New Jersey Wildcats9(8)
2009–2011Sky Blue FC50(4)
2012Boston Breakers (WPSL-E)
2013–Boston Breakers (NWSL)20(5)
National team‡
United States U-19
United States U-21
2002–United States194(37)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 27, 2013.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of February 3, 2014

Heather Ann O'Reilly (born January 2, 1985), also known by her initials HAO, is a member of the United States women's national soccer team and a three-time Olympic Gold medalist. She is a midfielder currently playing for the Boston Breakers in National Women's Soccer League.

Early life

Born to Andrew and Carol O'Reilly, Heather is the youngest of four children. Growing up in East Brunswick Township, New Jersey, O'Reilly attended Saint Bartholomew's School and later played on the girls soccer team at East Brunswick High School.[1] In her four-year career, she scored 143 goals. In 2001, as a junior, she led the team to the New Jersey State High School title.

Throughout high school, O'Reilly was a member of the National Honor Society and played on the school's basketball team. During her senior year, she was named Parade All-American and the Parade National Player of the Year. In 2002, she was named the Gatorade High School National Player of the Year and the National Soccer Coaches Association Player of the Year. [citation needed]

O'Reilly was Soccer America's number one college recruit in the country.[citation needed]

University of North Carolina

O'Reilly as a Tar Heel.

O'Reilly was an education major at University of North Carolina, where she played forward for the North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer program from 2003 through 2006. She appeared 97 times for the Tar Heels, scoring 59 goals and assisting on 49 others. She led her team to national championships in 2003 and 2006.

During her senior year, ESPN the Magazine named her the All-American Player of the Year and was awarded the NCAA's Today's Top VIII Award following her senior year. [citation needed]

In 2006, O'Reilly's No. 20 jersey was retired by the program, joining luminaries such as April Heinrichs, Lorrie Fair, Tisha Venturini, Kristine Lilly, Mia Hamm, and 13 others.[citation needed]

Playing career

Club

New Jersey Wildcats, 2004–05

O'Reilly played for New Jersey Wildcats of W-League from 2004 to 2005, winning the championship in 2005.[citation needed]

Sky Blue FC, 2009–11

O'Reilly playing for Sky Blue FC, 2010.

O'Reilly was allocated to Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer on September 16, 2008, along with fellow U.S. national team players Natasha Kai and Christie Rampone.[2] She appeared in 17 matches as co-captain during the 2009 inaugural season, leading Sky Blue to an unexpected playoff berth. During the championship 2009 Women's Professional Soccer Playoffs game against Los Angeles, she scored the only goal helping her team clinch the championship title.[citation needed]

Boston Breakers, 2012–present

Following her husband's enrollment in Harvard Business School, O'Reilly trained with and played two matches with the Boston Breakers of the Women's Premier Soccer League Elite in 2012 after the WPS folded and during breaks with her national team duties. She was allocated to the Breakers in 2013 at the initiation of the new National Women's Soccer League.[citation needed]

International

In 2002, while still in high school, O'Reilly was named to the U.S. national team. O'Reilly made her first appearance with the United States women's national soccer team on March 1, 2002 against Sweden.

2004 Athens Olympics

After recovering from a broken fibula from a match the year before, O'Reilly made the national team roster for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. At nineteen years old, she was the youngest player on the roster. On August 23, 2004, she scored the game-winning goal[3] in the Olympic semifinal match against Germany, propelling the United States into the final, in which they defeated Brazil for the gold medal.

2007 FIFA Women's World Cup

In the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, O'Reilly scored a critical goal against North Korea in the 69th minute, which tied the game at 2–2 and saved the Americans from a devastating opening-round loss. The United States ended up taking the bronze medal, with O'Reilly scoring a goal during the 4–1 win against Norway. She was nominated as Sports Illustrated's 2007 Sportsman of the Year.[4]

2008 Beijing Olympics

O'Reilly was a part of the U.S. Women’s Team roster for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. She scored the fastest goal in Olympic women's soccer history against New Zealand to earn the team a spot in the quarterfinals.[5] She also scored a goal in the semifinal match against Japan. The team went on to defeat heavy-favorite Brazil 1–0 to win the gold medal. Prior to the Summer Games, Time magazine ranked her number 15 on its list of 100 Olympic Athletes to Watch.[6]

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup

O'Reilly was selected for the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup and in the second game of the group stage scored the first of three goals for USA against Colombia.[citation needed]

2012 London Olympics

At the 2012 Olympics in London, she made a crucial assist in the 123rd minute of the semifinal match against Canada, sending a cross from the right to Alex Morgan who headed the ball into the goal over the hand of Erin McLeod, propelling team USA to the gold medal match against Japan.

International goals

Assists made in international matches

Heather O'Reilly is among the top ten players of United States women's national soccer team in providing assists.

Personal

O'Reilly married Dave Werry on October 1, 2011. Although she legally changed her name to Werry, she decided to keep O'Reilly on the back of her jersey. She is of Irish descent. [citation needed]

O'Reilly currently lives in Massachusetts. In January 2013, she gave a speech to the students at South Lawrence East 5th Grade Academy. Afterwards, she proceeded to beat the entire student body in a footrace.[citation needed]

Endorsements

O'Reilly has endorsement deals with Adidas and TRX Training. In 2013, she appeared in a commercial for Adidas' Adizero™ running shoe.[7]

In popular culture

Magazines

In 2008, Time listed profiled O'Reilly as the #15 Olympic Athlete to Watch in their list of 100 Olympic Athletes To Watch.[8] She has been featured in Fitness,[9] Shape,[10] Teen Vogue,[11] Sports Illustrated,[12] and Boston Magazine.[13]

Television and film

O'Reilly has made appearances with her national teammates on Late Night with David Letterman, The Today Show,[14][15] The Rachel Maddow Show[16] and Good Morning America.[17] She was featured in the film, Winning Isn't Everything about the women's soccer program at the University of North Carolina.[18]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Staff. North Carolina's Heather O'Reilly Captures Honda Soccer Award, Atlantic Coast Conference press release dated December 20, 2006. Retrieved February 13, 2011. "The East Brunswick, N.J. Native Is Also Automatically Nominated for Collegiate Woman Athlete of the Year Award."
  2. ↑ Goff, Steve. "Soccer Insider – WPS Allocation List". Voices.washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 2011-10-03. 
  3. ↑ Steve Politi/Star-Ledger. "Ledger Archives: Heather O'Reilly lifts team into the finals". NJ.com. Retrieved 2011-10-03. 
  4. ↑ Nicki Jhabvala (November 13, 2007). "SI.com – 2007 Sportsman of the Year – My Sportsman: Heather O'Reilly – Tuesday November 13, 2007 2:47PM". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 2011-10-03. 
  5. ↑ Martin Mejia (August 12, 2008). "East Brunswick's Heather O'Reilly leads U.S. women's soccer team into quarterfinals". NJ.com. Retrieved 2011-10-03. 
  6. ↑ Gregory, Sean (July 24, 2008). "15. Heather O'Reilly – 100 Olympic Athletes to Watch". TIME. Retrieved 2011-10-03. 
  7. ↑ "O'Reilly Adidas Commercial". Game Changing Films. 26 January 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
  8. ↑ Gregory, Sean (24 July 2008). "100 Olympic Athletes To Watch". Time. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
  9. ↑ Magno, Marianne (27 July 2012). "Olympic Moments With Heather O’Reilly…and an adidas Giveaway!". Fitness. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
  10. ↑ Nuñez, Alanna (16 July 2012). "Go for the Gold! Workout Secrets from Top Olympic Athletes". Shape. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
  11. ↑ "Q&A With Soccer Star Heather O'Reilly!". Teen Vogue. 2 August 2010. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
  12. ↑ Segura, Melissa (3 February 2003). "Date With Destiny". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
  13. ↑ Kahn, Madison (March 2013). "Reverse the Curse: Boston Breakers and Women’s Soccer Make a Comeback". Boston Magazine. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
  14. ↑ "WNT Appears On NBC's Today Show". US Soccer Federation. 13 May 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
  15. ↑ Thach, Yenly (19 July 2011). "NBC's 'Today Show': Women’s Soccer Team, The New Heroes and Trendsetter". Gather. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
  16. ↑ Maddow, Rachel (19 July 2011). "US women’s soccer returns to jubilant reception". MSNBC. Retrieved 3 November 2013. 
  17. ↑ "The U.S. Women's Soccer Team on GMA 7–19–11". Celeb TV. 11 April 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
  18. ↑ "Winning Isn't Everything". IMDB. Retrieved 28 October 2013. 
Match Reports

    Further reading

    • Crothers, Tim (2010), The Man Watching: Anson Dorrance and the University of North Carolina Women's Soccer Dynasty, Macmillan, ISBN 1429946261
    • Grainey, Timothy (2012), Beyond Bend It Like Beckham: The Global Phenomenon of Women's Soccer, University of Nebraska Press, ISBN 0803240368
    • Lisi, Clemente A. (2010), The U.S. Women's Soccer Team: An American Success Story, Scarecrow Press, ISBN 0810874164
    • Stevens, Dakota (2011), A Look at the Women's Professional Soccer Including the Soccer Associations, Teams, Players, Awards, and More, BiblioBazaar, ISBN 1241047464
    • Stewart, Barbara (2012), Women's Soccer: The Passionate Game, Greystone Books Ltd, ISBN 1926812603

    External links

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