My name is Kate Bergsgaard and I am a realtor out of Portland, OR. I am a 2nd degree black belt in both karate and Taekwondo, and used to compete in national and international tournaments back in grade school. In 2012 I hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa. I grew up in Rosemount, MN and spent many summers in Northern Minnesota. There, I enjoyed kayaking, water skiing, canoeing, and jet skiing. I spent my childhood playing fast pitch softball and my adulthood playing slow pitch, so I learned the mechanics of catching and throwing from an early age.
I’ve been playing dodgeball since Fall 2010. I really enjoy playing in the local league in Portland. The league builds camaraderie and encourages new players to come, learn, and play the game. It is a great place to come every week to have fun, meet new people, forget about stress, and just be a kid.
I remember my first dodgeball game which I had no idea what was going on. I was very intimidated by all the rules and people yelling. I wasn’t sure what each rule meant nor understood any strategy of the game. I also didn’t enjoy all the huge guys throwing as hard as they could at all the girls. I was overwhelmed and intimidated to say the least. I thought to myself how would I improve with all these #$!%* throwing so hard at me? Now I’m grateful for the challenge and rewarding experience to try something new, constantly get better, and learn new techniques and strategies.
I can throw as hard as some of the guys in the local league here, and am proud to practice with some of the nicest and most genuine. I am a quick reactor and know how to protect and cover my teammates. I feel like I am a good court leader and communicator. I try my best to stay talkative both on the court and in the sidelines to make sure my team is throwing together at the right target as well as holding/protecting when needed. I love playing against new people so I can feel out their talent, skill, and playing style. I’m always looking to improve any way I can in catching, throwing, protecting, dodging. I always am looking to improve not just my dodgeball skills, but also my general athleticism. I’m excited for this amazing opportunity and to play dodgeball with some of the best in the Unites States!