Hi, everyone! I just wanted to give everyone a quick update. I have been back in Letterkenny, from my twelve-day trip home, for a week and a half now. I definitely had some serious jet lag for a couple days, but now I feel settled back into the routine, somewhat. It doesn’t help having these NFL Playoff games starting at 1 a.m.…
Since being back, I have done a couple coaching sessions. I returned to our 18U team pleasantly surprised. In the first two practices since the break, Jack and I told the players we were going to begin expecting more from them for two reasons. First, we’ve been coaching them for almost 5 months now and secondly, they are ready for it. Therefore, we began being more detailed with our approach and having higher expectations for all the different aspects of the game. Without going further into detail they handled it very well. I can begin to see they are seeing and thinking through the game in a much different way. I like to think it is great coaching, but not quite sure yet haha!!
To shift to a different topic, I currently have about three weeks off from school. I was fortunate to only have one final exam. The way Ireland does their final exams is quite foreign to me. Back in the States, students would take finals in the beginning of December, then be off for an entire month, then start the second semester in mid-January. However, here in Ireland, it seems like most schools have class up till Christmas, then have two weeks off for the holidays, then two weeks of finals, then a week off, then the second term starts at end of January. More simply, U.S. finals are before winter break, whereas their final exams are right in the middle of winter break. Since I only had one final, which I think I crushed, I have had a lot of free time.
With all this free time, I have been trying to fill my time with reading, going into town, and exercising.
I just finished up the book, What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business School by Mark McCormack. It’s a great read, very engaging. I strongly recommend it for anyone entering or currently in the business world. I’m definitely taking recommendations for my next read if anyone has any?
Next, I have been trying to go up to the main street to enjoy Letterkenny a little more while I have the free time. I think every day last week I walked up the hill to where all the shops and stores are; it’s a solid 15-minute walk. Once there, I always try and find a great spot to get a cup of tea and some food. With that said, I think I have been to nearly every place up there haha! Usually, I read or watch TV on my iPad for a good hour then walk back. It's definitely a good way for me to get out of the house.
Lastly, Jack and I had a blast of a day last Friday. We wanted to get out and do something early because we had a game in Galway the next day. So we decided to do a two-mile run to the Aura Gym/Community Center. We got to the gym, stretched out for a little, and then hopped into the steam room and hot tub for an hour. Then, we went to see the movie Live By Night at the cinema; just a fantastic day! I was thinking jeez half my friends are working 9-5’s right now and I’m sitting in a hot tub haha! Rough day! Don’t be mistaken this is not nearly a daily routine out here, more like a once in a while de-stress day. I viewed it as a little reward for finishing finals week. I find that it's often good to reward yourself a little bit. So take a day to take care of your body and mind and just relax! You'll feel much better haha
Quick shout out to the Aura Gym in Letterkenny! They gave Jack and I a free membership for the entire year as a form of gratitude for the hard work we have put in with training the local youth. I can't thank them enough!
