When asked who have been his greatest influencers while growing up in Kremmling, Alexander Bergman didn’t hesitate to list his mom first by stating, “I don’t know who I would be today without her support.”
But after acknowledging her support and steadfastness in his life, Coach Ryan Tripicchio was definitely at the top of his list of others who have provided support and guidance. “All my coaches have been there to help push me to be not only a better athlete but a better person,” Alexander remarked. “Trip[icchio] has been there for me since middle school through the cross-country program when Ms. Kristen Rath was the coach.
“Trip has taught me valuable lessons that I will never forget. He has taught me that it’s okay to take a break from everything and reset and then continue. He has taught me that when tough challenges arise, there are multiple ways to look at it and that it is always good to look at these challenges from different angles. Trip has been super supportive of me through my interest in volleyball as well…with support from Coach Trip, as well as many others, I was able to create a film and send it to Sage’s head volleyball coach (Reid Hartl) and secure a spot as the middle blocker for the Gator Men’s Volleyball Team.”
Alexander states that he chose Russell Sage “because I have always wanted to move to New York and, seeing that they have an incredible business program, that drew my attention to the school.
“RS is a small private school that has around an 11:1 student-faculty ratio,” Bergman continued. “It gives me that small-school feel that I currently have here at West Grand. Having this homey feel will really help me adjust to life 1,925 miles from home. When I visited last January, I connected with people on campus and have found myself a family away from my real family. With Sage having small school vibes, I know I will fit in and make many new friends.”
Band was a huge part of Alexander’s high school experience, and he was accepted to the Western International Band Clinic twice during his time at West Grand. He states that he will not be playing music in college. “With volleyball being a winter/spring sport, I will be dedicating most of my time to either schoolwork or to practice and games,” Bergman explained. “I will also be dedicating a lot of time during the off-season to prepare myself for the season to come. Sage does not have a band program which would make continuing to play the clarinet harder.”
Alexander will be studying business with an emphasis in accounting and is pursuing a double minor in business management and marketing. “The Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter at the school has really helped me narrow down my search for this field of study,” he explained, adding that he chose this direction “because business is such a versatile career path that can take you anywhere.”
Bergman will be leaving Grand County in the fall, but Grand County won’t be leaving him any time soon. “The biggest thing I will miss from Grand County would be my family and friends. I will bring with me fond memories of spending time in Kremmling and at West Grand.”
