As good as gold: Olivia Olson’s whirlwind tour continues
What a year it has been for Olivia Olson Olivia Olson 6'1" | CG Benilde-SM | 2024 State MN , the gold-medal winning, college-offer collecting, all-everything #1 prospect from Minnesota’s Class of 2024. Having already earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Time Management and working towards her Master’s in Major League Multitasking, the sophomore’s calendar is full, full, full. The next big game on her agenda will be on Tuesday night when the star of Team USA basketball gets her first start of the season in goal for Benilde-St. Margaret’s against St. Louis Park. Yep, in between visiting with a who’s who of elite college basketball coaches, and handling the day-to-day demands of being one of the country’s most highly recruited prospects, Olivia still finds time to do her homework and play high school soccer. She’s pretty good at that, too.
We spoke to Olivia in between appointments on Sunday night to learn more about her whirlwind tour of amazingness over the past few weeks, a journey that included a gold medal with the U.S. National U16 team at the Championship of the Americas in Mexico two weeks ago. Our clunky questions and Olivia’s spiffy answers have been edited for your reading pleasure.
Q: This last few weeks must have been pretty crazy. How would you describe it?
A: I’d describe it as crazy, too, but it has been fun these past couple of weeks to get out and make some visits and see the different schools and their different cultures.
Q: Tell me about your experience with Team USA in Mexico. What did it feel like the moment you realized you had won a gold medal?
A: It was just a really cool feeling. We were all super happy and just kind of hugged each other. During the national anthem we all started singing it. I thought that was pretty cool.
Q: It was a little different kind of basketball there. The team was obviously dominant, and your role was a little different than you normally have. What was that like?
A: I thought we played really well together. It was super fast-paced. We pressed right from the get-go and just stayed up. It was tiring but we had quicker rotations and we had a super-deep bench so everyone could get in and play and we went up and down in transition. Most of the teams played zone against us so we had to find different ways to score.
Q: The expectations for the team were obviously really high. Everyone expected you to win by a large margin in every game. Did you feel some pressure as a group going into the tournament?
A: For sure we were nervous going into the first game because we didn’t really know what the teams were going to be like. I was nervous myself about everything. When we got that first game out of the way we knew that we could play together and do what we wanted to do in the end to win gold.
Q: How would you describe your role on the team? How different was it from what you are normally asked to do?
A: I was more of a spot-up shooter on the team which isn’t really my role with the Fury or Benilde. I normally have the ball in my hand a lot and kind of facilitate more… In the game against Costa Rica I started to drive more and find the space to do that.
Q: In the third game you were asked to play point guard. How did that come about?
A: KK (Arnold) and JalonI (Cambridge) had both rolled their ankles. A little bit into the game coach just pulled me aside and asked if I would feel comfortable bringing it up the floor and being an extra point guard.
Q: How did you feel about that? Were you already prepared?
A: Our offense was pretty simple. We had a lot more in-depth things that we didn’t really run once we got into the tournament because we didn’t really need to. Right when she told me that I didn’t know exactly what I was supposed to do at the point but I just kind of picked it up as we went. Before the next game I had read through the play book again and had gone over my notes.
Q: You and I have talked before about what role you might play in college and what that might look like. Do you think it was good for you now to have played off the ball a bit, to get that experience in a different position?
A: I think it was really good. My mom and I were talking about that, just how it was a good learning experience and growth opportunity to see other people have to do more of the ball handling and everything, and how playing a different role will make me a better player.
Q: It was pretty clear from watching the games and how you were used that the coaching staff trusted you with the ball at key moments. Were there discussions ahead of time about what your role was going to be?
A: We didn’t really have a huge discussion about it. They told me they wanted me to be a shooter. They told me I had a green light. When I got the ball on the wing in the games coach would tell me to shoot or drive it when I could. She said she trusted me with making decisions.
Q: One of the challenges on a team like that is the fact that everyone is good. Really, really good. On their own teams they are the go-to player and they are used to having the ball in their hands all the time. It can be challenging putting a team like that together in a short period of time and making that work. How much discussion was there ahead of time about that, about how you would all work well together and be focused on the ‘we’ part of it and not the individual part of it.
A: It was honestly pretty hard at training camp. It was a little sloppy the first couple of days. It was just one pass and then drive and take it yourself. We kind of had to break down some drills and do more fun team bonding types of things. Coach would just talk about the “we over me” and towards the end of training camp I think we started playing really well together.
Q: What is the biggest thing you learned about yourself at the tournament?
A: Probably knowing that I could do it, that I belonged there. That was probably the biggest thing. I think just being away from home really helped me to grow as a person. I had travelled to Mexico with my family but I hadn’t been there with a team before.
Q: Were your parents in Mexico with you?
A: They were there but we couldn’t have any contact with them. We were quarantined in our hotel. We couldn’t hang out with any of our teammates. We were really in our own rooms for the majority of the day except meals. We had an hour of designated pool time per day but we had to wear masks.
Q: Has the tournament had any impact on your recruiting since you got back?
A: I would say it has picked up quite a bit. A lot of coaches have called Nick Storm from the Fury. I had kind of shut it down while I was there because I didn’t want to get distracted. I’m just getting caught up with coaches now and talking to some new ones who were there.
Q: I know you have been out visiting schools over the past week or so. Where all have you been?
A: I went on a road trip to Michigan, Michigan State and Notre Dame.
Q: What other schools have you visited in person?
A: I have been to Minnesota, Iowa, Iowa State and Nebraska.
Q: So how many offers do you have now?
A: I think it’s around 35.
Q: The whole year has been kind of a whirlwind for you. What has that process been like? It must feel kind of crazy some days.
A: Yeah, it has been crazy but I just try to manage it the best I can with calling coaches and going to school, playing soccer, basketball, just working out. I try to do two calls a day to kind of keep up with it. Some days I do more than others. If I have a free hour at school I’ll make a couple of calls, or if I need to get caught up on some then I’ll do more in one day.
Q: What have you learned this year about the process and about yourself?
A: I’ve realized that there are always people watching. I think I have matured a lot throughout the year. Right now I’m pretty busy. I keep a binder with information about each school and what I like and don’t like about it.
Q: Are you planning to play the whole soccer season?
A: I am. I just started back last Tuesday. They told me that I’ll be starting the next couple of games. I played 30 minutes yesterday in the second half and the game before that. We were up by a lot and I got put in. I’m supposed to be starting the harder games. My next game is Tuesday against St. Louis Park.