Maccabi women
frees winning
goalie to have
fun upfield.

Rachel Bergman

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Steve Stein
Contributing Writer

W

hen her soccer team out-
scores its four opponents
33-1, triumphant goalie
Rachel Bergman can enjoy the luxury
of swapping some playing time for an
upfield position.
The U.S. women at the 13th
European Maccabi Games in Vienna,
Austria, this month were that good.
And so is Rachel.
Bergman, 17, a senior-to-be at Detroit
Country Day in Beverly Hills, is one of
the top high school soccer goalies in
the state. She's already made a verbal
commitment to attend Northwestern
University in Evanston, Ill.
"I couldn't find a better fit academi-
cally and athletically, so I thought I
might as well make my college deci-
sion," said Bergman, who hopes to
become an orthopedic surgeon after
she plays goalie for the Wildcats.
She has been Country Day's starting
goalie for two seasons after transferring
from Bloomfield Hills Andover High
School following her freshman year.
Country Day advanced to the Division
3 state semifinals this past spring. She
also plays for the Vardar Soccer Club.
For Bergman and teammate
Stephanie Crawford, playing in Vienna
was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

scorer
Stephanie
Crawford

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Crawford, 22, a senior at the University
of Michigan, scored 10 goals in four
games as the U.S. won the gold medal.
More importantly, Crawford and
Bergman met and became friends with
other Jewish athletes from around the
world and helped make history.
The 2,000 Maccabi athletes and
their families and friends comprised
the largest gathering of Jews in Vienna
since Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany
annexed Austria in 1938. For Bergman,
her time in Vienna was akin to a class-
room come to life.
"I knew the history of Austria from
classes, but being there made it more
personal," the West Bloomfield resident
said. "Now, the history means a lot
more to me."
U.S. women's soccer team coach
Jared Bernstein praised his team. "It
takes a special group of people to come
together from all parts of the U.S., train
together, travel to another country and
play like champions:' he said.
"From the moment we got together
for training camp to the final whistle of
our last game, our players were men-
tally and physically ready to play hard
to win the gold."
The coach noted that the goal
Crawford scored 22 seconds into a
game against Germany was the fastest
scored by a men's, women's or youth
soccer player at the European Maccabi
Games. Crawford, who played college
soccer for the Wolverines, was a three-
time state champion and two-time
Michigan High School Soccer Coaches
Association Dream Team member
while at Novi High School.
Coach Bernstein is a big fan of the
Maccabi Games, saying no matter where
in the world they're held, "you always
know you're playing against family. Now
that we can stay in touch with Jewish
athletes from around the world over
Facebook, that makes the worldwide
Jewish community a little smaller."

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