So this past weekend was Basketball Ireland’s Inter Varsity tournament. This is basically all of the college basketball teams gathered together for games and a bit of craic for the weekend. It also marks the end of the college basketball season, with the winners of each pool emerging as champions. And it was here in the Dub, too, which was convenient for myself and my teammates 🙂 Of course almost all of my fellow scholars were there and it was so great (as always) to see them and even play some of them (not as much fun having to guard them, though haha).
This tournament was pretty important to myself and my college teammates. I know for me personally, I really wanted to leave Ireland with a championship as a player. I was fortunate enough to have won two championships here as a coach—with my under 20s Cup team and with my Senior women’s team—which were so incredibly awesome! But, the stubbornness and competitiveness in me wanted to win something as a team player. I suppose I wanted that satisfaction of knowing I helped a team succeed to the top. The Superleague title and the Cup victories didn’t happen for me and my DCU Mercy team, so I was hungry for something. It is one thing to be recognized with individual awards and honors, but I want to know I had an impact on a team. I want to know that I helped make people better and raised the level of play around me. For me, that is really rewarding. So, although very exhausted from playing five games in three days (one game went into double overtime!!!), my team and myself walked away with an Inter Varsities championship! 🙂 What I also loved about this past weekend was that it felt like AAU!!! My body didn’t like it as much (haha) since I’m a little bit older than I once was, but it definitely brought back some memories. Sitting around between games, getting food with teammates, wearing sweaty jerseys for a second game of the day—ahhhh you gotta love it 🙂
