There are days where Lauren O鈥橰eilly wonders what she is doing.

She could be like most people her age, enjoying summer vacation while waiting for the next school semester to begin. Or she could be done her post-secondary education and getting ready to embark on her career.

Instead, O鈥橰eilly finds herself thousands of miles away from home, doing the same thing over and over every day.

But the bad days are greatly outnumbered by the good days.

鈥淚 am convinced I am on the right path, but there are days you wish you had a summer and could go with your friends to the cabin,鈥� she admitted.

鈥淏ut no second thoughts, this is where I am supposed to be.鈥�

The 22-year-old from 91原创 is in Winnipeg with the Canadian senior national team program.

She has been there since March, shortly after helping Trinity Western University鈥檚 women鈥檚 volleyball win the bronze medal at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport national championships, the program鈥檚 best-ever finish.

She is working towards helping Canada qualify for next summer鈥檚 Olympic Games in London.

鈥淕rowing up, I always knew I wanted to go to the Olympics,鈥� O鈥橰eilly said, although she never really knew what sport she would play in.

Always athletic, all she knew was that the Olympics were her goal.

And once she reached high school and put her efforts into volleyball, it became clear, this was the sport that would take her there.

During her Grade 10 year, she unsuccessfully tried out for Canada鈥檚 junior national team program.

Undeterred, she was back the next year and this time made it.

鈥淭hat was my first experience with the national team and that made me want to dream a little bigger and play for the senior (national) team,鈥� O鈥橰eilly said.

鈥淭hat is when I thought it was a realistic goal.鈥�

O鈥橰eilly is now in her third season with the senior national team as the starting setter and Canada鈥檚 head coach says he has seen a huge improvement.

鈥淗er personality on the court is the same, she just increased her performance and her on-court decision making,鈥� said Arnd Ludwig.

鈥淪he is adapting very well to the individual strengths of the hitters.鈥�

The team just finished a four-game exhibition series in Manitoba against Argentina yesterday (June 27).

This kicks off a busy stretch for the squad.

The team head to Mexico this week for the Pan Am Cup and then has a tournament back in Manitoba.

In August, they will face the Netherlands in a series of exhibition games in Ontario.

September sees the team head to Puerto Rico for the NORCECA Continental championships and then to Mexico in October for the Pan American Games.

And then there is one more trip to Mexico in January, this time for an Olympic qualifying tournament.

Only a dozen teams from around the world will qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London.

Canada is ranked 20th in the world.

While it is always a special feeling when she pulls on Canada鈥檚 red and white jersey, to do so at the Olympics would be an unbelievable experience.

鈥淎s a kid you always watch it on TV and you see all these athletes competing for their country,鈥� she said.

鈥淚t is the ultimate goal as an athlete.鈥�

Her coach at Trinity Western is not surprised by O鈥橰eilly鈥檚 success.

鈥淵ou see a kid with a lot of talent, but you are never sure whether or not they are going to fulfill that talent,鈥� said Ryan Hofer, who has known O鈥橰eilly from her high school days when she played in the Fraser Valley Volleyball Club system.

鈥淪he has worked hard, she is committed to helping (Canada) reach the Olympics and she is pretty driven right now.鈥�

O鈥橰eilly possesses the necessary tools to be a great player.

鈥淲hat makes her special is her athletic ability,鈥� Hofer said. 鈥淪he is quick, she is fast (and) she has an uncanny ability of locating the ball.

鈥淪he has these qualities in place that every coach is looking for in a setter.

鈥淎nd with those qualities, comes an ability to make her team better, which she does.鈥�

O鈥橰eilly also loves the fact that she can be a role model for younger players, including her sister.

鈥淲henever I put on my jersey, I always think of my little sister and the position I am in right now,鈥� she said.

鈥淏eing on the national team makes me a hero to so many girls who play volleyball.

鈥淏ecause I have this platform of being on Team Canada, I can be a role model to young girls across the country to dream big.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 inspiring to know how proud my little sister is of me and how young girls look up to me because I get to represent my country.鈥�

Despite chasing her dream, it can still be a grind.

She misses her family, for one thing, and the daily regimen can be difficult.

A typical day involves six hours of practice, weight training and conditioning.

鈥淥n a daily perspective, sometimes it is tough to remember the future goal of the Olympics, when it is Friday, you haven鈥檛 had a day off, and you are so tired,鈥� she said.

鈥淣ot feeling like you have a life, like volleyball consumes you.鈥�

鈥淪ome days are bad; you just have to hope the next day is better,鈥� she said, adding that having a boyfriend in town helps give her life some balance.

She has also had to leave her Trinity Western teammates and her studies, although she has done some of her coursework online as she works towards her degree.

But in the end, it all comes down to the fact she is chasing her dream.

鈥淭here are so many other girls who wish they were in position so we strive to play like that every day,鈥� she said.

鈥淣ot taking it for granted that we are here, that we get to represent our country and it is a privilege and not something to be taken lightly.鈥�