Sky's the limit for the O'Haras

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jorge LeBaron | Kelley O'Hara  

NORFOLK, CA, UNITED STATES

07.11.2023

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Jorge LeBaron 

USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69)   

At first glance, it may seem that a jet pilot and a World Cup winner would have very little in common, but that is not the case for the O’Haras.
Lt. Gerald O’Hara is serving his country aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) as an F/A-18E Super Hornet pilot attached to the "Gunslingers" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 105. His sister, Kelley O’Hara, represents the United States in a different way, as a two-time world champion with the United States Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT).
Soccer has always been important in the O’Hara household. Growing up in Peachtree City, Georgia, Gerald and Kelley grew up playing soccer, and there was always healthy competition between them.
“We grew up playing soccer together, and having played the sport together, we definitely bonded over it,” said Gerald O’Hara. “Kelley is passionate, dedicated and very kind, but as soon as you start playing any type of game, she is one of the most competitive people I know.”
After graduating high school, Gerald O’Hara attended Georgia Tech through a Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) scholarship and commissioned into the Navy as an F/A-18 pilot. Kelley O’Hara received a scholarship to play division 1 soccer at Stanford University.
Today, the O’Haras have their own individual game days they prepare for.
“Flying is similar to soccer,” said Gerald O’Hara. “We’re always practicing the different types of flights and maneuvers, and every Sailor in the squadron has a role to play. That way, whenever we do hit game day, we’re ready for the fight.”
Similarly, soccer players train different drills, and every staff member on the team has a part to play. From the kit man to the coach to the players executing on the field, everyone’s ready for the fight.
“It’s easy to take for granted her continued success for 13 years, to stay at that level for that long speaks to her work ethic, dedication to the game and being a reliable teammate and leader. I’m incredibly proud of my sister,” said O’Hara. “There is a lot of mental toughness and mental strain you go through while you’re in the Navy, and when Kelley is in camp with the team, it’s the same. It’s a huge mental marathon.”
O’Hara’s mental marathon will continue up to and during IKE’s deployment while Kelley competes for another Women’s World Cup and a chance to win it for the third time.

• Date Taken: 07.11.2023
• Date Posted: 08.14.2023 11:27
• Story ID: 450000
• Location: NORFOLK, CA, US