Bernice Orwig facts for kids
| Personal information | ||||||||
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| Full name | Bernice Jane Orwig | |||||||
| Nationality | American | |||||||
| Born | November 24, 1976 (age 48) Anaheim, California |
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| Sport | ||||||||
| Country |  United States |
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| Sport | Water polo | |||||||
| College team | USC Trojans | |||||||
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Medal record
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Bernice Jane Orwig (born November 24, 1976) is an amazing American water polo player. She was a super talented goalkeeper who helped her team win a silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics!
Bernice Orwig's Journey in Water Polo
Bernice started playing water polo when she was in high school. She went to Savanna High School in Anaheim, California. She graduated in June 1994. At Savanna High, she played as the goalie for the school's water polo team. This is where her exciting journey in the sport began!
Becoming a College Star
After high school, Bernice went to the University of Southern California (USC). She played water polo for the USC team, and she was fantastic! In 1999, when she was a senior, her team won the NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship. This was a huge win for her team!
That same year, Bernice also won the Peter J. Cutino Award. This special award is given to the best female college water polo player in the United States. She was recognized as one of the top players in the country. Bernice also earned "All-America" honors multiple times. This showed she was a top player throughout her college years. She graduated from USC with a degree in Social Studies Education.
Coaching and Inspiring Others
After her playing career, Bernice decided to share her knowledge and passion for water polo. She became a coach! In March 2005, she was named an assistant coach for the USA National Team. She also coached the Junior National Team in January 2005. This team won the gold medal at the 2005 Junior World Championships. That's a great achievement!
Bernice has also been an assistant coach for other college teams. These include the University of California, Berkeley, the University of Michigan, and her old school, USC. In 2005, she became an assistant coach for the women's water polo team at Golden West College. She helped coach them to win a state championship in 2009. Bernice continues to inspire young water polo players!
