OJVA 18 Gold at the AAU National Championships
By: Ariana Wiltjer
Going to the AAU National
Championships in Orlando, Florida is a blessing that I, nor the rest of my
team, will ever forget. Nationals gives teams a chance to play the best of the
best and get the exposure that you don’t get anywhere else. Walking into a vast
room with over 175 courts, hundreds of college coaches, and a tournament with
over 2,000 teams might be overwhelming for some, but our team knew how to
handle the pressure. The amount of noise in this kind of setting from players
coming together, coaches yelling, refs whistling, and parents cheering is
indescribable. As we warmed up the first day, the first team on our court, we
were all very focused and ready for play. We knew that every minute of practice
and warm-ups were important, as this was our first tournament together as a
complete team since we’ve had to deal with several injuries, including mine,
this year. Although nerves channeled through some of us, we used it to get
positive momentum on our side.
After finishing the first day 2-1,
with our only loss being to the 5th seed in the tournament in the third
game 14-16, our girls and coaches went back to the hotels and rental house to
relax in the sun, enjoy some Florida restaurants, play cards, and swim (not too
much, of course, because we knew we had play the next day!).
Entering pool play the next day, we
knew we were up against some extremely good teams. First up, we had the number
2 seeded team in the entire tournament. Although we ended up losing, it was
really good to know that our team could compete at that level and stay up to
the speed that a team that practices 5-6 times a week is at. At the end of pool
play that day, it ended up being a three way tie for 2nd place, meaning
we would have to play-off.
On the third day, we felt amazing
and came out of warm-ups playing our hearts out from the very beginning! We
went undefeated this day, putting us in a good position for the last day. On
the last day, it was bracket play and we ended up 21st overall in
the 18 Open division! This was amazing for us because of how many high caliber
teams were there.
Being able to attend Nationals was a
perfect ending for the season because not only was it great competition and
allowed us to peak at the best time, but it was also really eye opening for our
team. Playing in the 18- Open division, made us realize that there are so many
talented teams outside of Oregon, and every team you play at this level is
good, so you have to be on your A game 100% of the time. Competition aside, it
was also an incredibly fun experience to be in a room that big with so many
other people that share the same love that you do. I, and I’m sure the rest of
my team, hope to be able to do this again!
