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The U.S. girls’s rugby crew made America proud by bringing dwelling the bronze on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The rugby sevens’ bronze medal match in opposition to Australia on July 30 shocked viewers, with the crew scoring a game-winning conversion because the clock ran out.
Standout Sammy Sullivan, 26, introduced an additional air of patriotism to the rugby area.
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In addition to being an Olympic medalist, Sullivan additionally serves as a captain within the United States Army, main followers on social media to name her “Captain America.”
Sammy Sullivan, No. 4 of Team United States, celebrates as she runs in to attain her crew’s second attempt throughout the Women’s Pool C match in opposition to Brazil on day two of the Olympic Games on July 28, 2024, in Paris, France. (Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
In an on-camera interview with Fox News Digital, Cpt. Sullivan expressed her pleasure about clinching a medal at this yr’s video games after beginning her rugby profession at West Point in 2016.
“The Army, to me, is the ultimate team.”
“I spent my full four years there playing rugby,” she stated.
“It’s where I first discovered rugby, because I played soccer my whole life.”
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Sullivan, who’s at present primarily based in Chula Vista, California, revealed that she “always had a call to serve,” as her dad was a Special Forces Green Beret.
“Seeing the level of bonds and connections that he had with people at work just really appealed to me, as someone who always thrived in a team sport environment,” she stated.
Sullivan’s brother, left, and father, heart, each served within the Army. (Sammy Sullivan)
“The Army, to me, is the ultimate team, so I knew I always wanted to go into that, which is why I chose the military academy.”
From West Point, Sullivan was commissioned as an engineer officer and was finally stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado as a route clearance platoon chief, which she described as “the most fun time of my life.”
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While serving, she continued driving to Denver 3 times every week to maintain up with rugby.
“In the background, I had this other dream of going to the Olympics as a rugby sevens player,” she stated.
Sammy Sullivan is pictured with the U.S. Army rugby crew after a win. (Sammy Sullivan)
When USA Women’s 7s Head Coach Emilie Bydwell known as Sullivan to debate taking part in for the crew, she utilized to the World Class Athlete program, which permits Army troopers to compete and serve their nation as Olympians.
“Getting accepted into the World Class Athlete program was a massive honor for me,” she stated.
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The program has allowed Sullivan to compete and practice full-time with the USA rugby crew for the final two years, finally main her to the Olympics.
The now-Olympic bronze medalist stated that making the rostrum along with her crew “doesn’t feel real” and that she’s “still riding the high.”
Team United States celebrates victory as they pose for a photograph after the Women’s Rugby Sevens Quarter Final match between Team Great Britain and Team United States on July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (Michael Steele/Getty Images)
“And [I’m] really missing my teammates,” she added. “I feel like I have separation anxiety from them, because we’ve worked so hard and spent every day with each other for years.”
Sullivan’s different teammates, her fellow Army brothers and sisters, have shared their help. “They’re just so beyond proud of me,” she stated.
From area to area
Sullivan spoke about how being lively within the Army interprets to her efficiency on the rugby area.
“[Rugby is] a combat sport. There’s a lot of adversity that happens on the field, but it’s that type of adversity that brings teammates and sisters (that’s what I call them) closer together,” she stated.
“And that’s exactly what happens in the Army, too.”
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“You go through these adverse situations together, whether it’s field training in sub-zero weather, or ultimately deploying and serving our nation – it’s something that not a lot of people on this earth can say they do,” she continued.
“I’m really proud to be a part of that community that serves our nation.”
Kristi Kirshe No. 12 and Alev Kelter No. 5 elevate Sammy Sullivan No. 4 of the United States Women’s National Team for a lineout throughout a girls’s Pool C match between France and USA on July 29, 2024, in Paris, France. (Alex Ho/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
Through rugby, Sullivan stated she’s realized quite a bit about management and learn how to be resilient in robust conditions.
“Rugby has taught me a lot about myself, how I handle stress, and has made me a better officer,” she stated.
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Sullivan stated her favourite a part of taking part in rugby on the worldwide degree is saluting the American flag earlier than a finals recreation whereas the nationwide anthem performs.
“Getting to show my patriotism in that way — and how proud I am to not only represent my country as an athlete, but also as a United States Army soldier — brings tears to my eyes every time,” she stated.
‘How exciting’
This yr’s video games have introduced within the largest variety of feminine athletes in historical past, with an equal 50/50 cut up between women and men, based on the Olympics.
U.S. girls’s rugby has additionally made historical past, as Emilie Bydwell turned the primary feminine rugby head coach to win an Olympic medal.
Head coach Emilie Bydwell of Team United States watches a Women’s Medal Semi Final rugby 7 match between New Zealand and the United States on July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (Alex Ho/ISI Photos/Getty Images)
“I feel like people are finally starting to see just how exciting women’s sports can be and how much emotion is put into it, how much grit, how much aggression and power,” Sullivan stated.
“It’s OK to be strong and powerful and feminine and beautiful – and all those things can happen at once.”
For younger women right now, Sullivan stated she hopes the U.S. girls’s rugby crew can illustrate how “playing like a girl is how you want to play.”
Finding an outlet
Even Olympians have to blow off some steam, particularly when thrown into high-pressure competitors.
“You can start going down a really dark path when your whole identity and your whole success is wrapped up in your sport, and I think even Olympians feel that,” Sullivan stated.
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Outside of rugby, she has shared her love of constructing with Legos as her personal outlet, to assist her disconnect from the game.
“Legos for me is something that helped me to not put my full identity into rugby,” Sullivan informed Fox News Digital.
United States’ Sammy Sullivan reacts as she joins her teammates after they received the ladies’s bronze medal Rugby Sevens match between the United States and Australia on the 2024 Summer Olympics, on July 30, 2024. The U.S. received the sport 14-12. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
“I would encourage every young, old and new athlete out there to find something that sparks your joy outside your sport.”
As the Paris Olympics involves an in depth, Sullivan stated she has the 2028 Los Angeles video games in view.
Sammy Sullivan No. 4 of Team United States celebrates following victory throughout the Women’s Rugby Sevens Bronze medal match between Team United States and Team Australia on July 30, 2024, in Paris, France. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
In the meantime, the Army captain hopes to present again to the army group and share her story with different service members and recruits who wish to “pursue both dreams.”
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“The Army does such a good job of supporting us in all of our endeavors,” she stated. “Any job you can think of, there’s a way the Army can tie into that.”
“I’m really proud to be a part of that community that serves our nation.”
Sullivan added that she hopes individuals “come out in droves” to look at the rugby crew’s video games all through the season, since they are going to want “all of America’s support to go for gold in 2028.”
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“This sport means so much to me and this team means so much to me,” she stated.
“As long as they’ll have me, I’m going to keep playing.”
