January 29th, 2016 | Uncategorized
The Waterford Victory Scholars, Katie Fox and I, decided to pay a visit to St. John of God National School to talk to the girls about the Sport Changes Life program. Insights about how Katie and I got involved in the program and how sport changed our personal lives leading us here in Ireland summarizes our chat with the four different classes. I mentioned to the girls how my teammates were my closest friends growing up influencing my drive to show up to training sessions and games. Besides my competitive nature and finding a lot of joy in basketball, having most of my friends on the team was another factor of me sticking with sport. Come to think of it, basketball has always been the common denominator with almost all of my friendships. Sport has interwoven these “strangers” in my life shaping me into the person I am today – without sport, my current life would be completely different and past memories I hold so close to me would be nonexistent.
One of my BESTEST friendships (who is more like my sister) was established through basketball as she was also my college teammate. Marlena “Mar Mar” Tremba scored her 1000th point in the Tribe’s conference game against the University of Delaware this past week. Already missing her big 21st birthday, I am yet missing another significant event in her life being roughly 3,000 miles away in Ireland. Depressed about this, I was fortunate enough to have my other close pals and former teammates, Kyla and Brooke, there to support Mar’s success despite their game loss. I was so delighted to receive pictures of the three girls hugging after the game, girls I call my family.
Not only does playing sport build relationships but coaching sport does as well. Here in Ireland I have become so close to the young Waterford Wildcats I coach every week. Getting to know one another as people about our families, basketball, or even pop culture has definitely impacted my Irish experience positively; some of the girls even asked for my American address so that they can communicate with me after I depart back to the States. Yet again, sport does not fail me in the aspect of building relationships with people, continuing to change my life forever.
Sport has and will always impact and direct my life. Sport has taught me people skills, communication skills, teamwork, leadership, but more importantly, has given me the best friends ever and I am infinitely indebted to sport.
Victory Scholar: Jazmen Boone
Present University: Waterford IT
US League: CAA
Club/Community Partner: Waterford Wildcats
Alma Mater: The College of William and Mary
Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland
