Fresno State Athletics
Q&A With Olympian Laura Berg
8/4/2008 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Aug. 4, 2008
FRESNO, Calif. - With just four days until the opening ceremonies for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, former Bulldog softball player and four-time All-American Laura Berg sat down with www.gobulldogs.com for a Q&A.
Berg is the only four-time Olympian in the sport of softball and is looking to guide Team USA to its fourth gold medal. She was the starting center fielder the previous three Olympics and scored the first run of the championship game in 1996 and had the game-winning hit against Japan in the 2000 games. Berg has been a member of the U.S. National Team since 1994 when she was attending Fresno State.
In her four years at Fresno State, Berg was a crucial member of the 1998 National Championship, the first in school history. She was also a four-time All-WAC honoree, three-time NCAA WCWS participant, two-time Fresno State MVP and is ranked in amongst the top in numerous school, conference and NCAA categories.
1. How does it feel to be heading to your fourth Olympic games? I feel very lucky and fortunate to be going to the Olympic Games.
2. What does it mean for you to represent team USA? It's an honor to represent USA. Anytime I have USA across my chest I feel a sense of pride. I feel very blessed to have this opportunity.
3. Being the only four-time softball Olympian what does the experience and leadership you bring mean to team USA and the softball world? It just means that the young players can tease me by calling me Grandma.
4. Out of the three Olympics you've participated in, which one is the most memorable and why? Each Olympics has been very different. It's hard to pick a favorite. Atlanta was the first time softball was in the Olympics and it was in front of our home crowd. Sydney we had our backs against the wall and had to fight our way to the gold medal. Athens was special because of how dominate we were and because it was the birth place of the Olympics.
5. What was the most memorable moment on the tour this year for you? When we were given a ride in a black hawk helicopter and got an up close and personal view of Mt. Rushmore.
6. What can fans except from Team USA in these Olympics? The fans can expect a dog fight. Everyone wants to win gold since it's the last time softball will be in the Olympics. Everyone wants to have what we've got and will fight like heck to get it.
7. We have heard you are the jokester on the team, what do you think is the best prank you have played on a teammate? A pie in the face to Lauren Lappin during a mock interview.
8. Who are the greatest softball players you have ever played with and against? Lisa Fernandez, Dot Richardson and Crystl Bustos.
9. You have done a lot of traveling with Team USA, but name one place in the world that you have never been that you wish the team would travel to play? Germany.
"Join the State- Fresno State!" - For information on the 2008 Beijing Olympic softball tournament log on to www.gobulldogs.com.
