Given the fact that I am getting my Masters in Sport and Exercise Psychology, I have been exposed to high performing athletes. From sprinters training to compete in the Olympics, or Gaelic Footballers who just competed in the national cup, my interactions with these high level athletes has been one of the highlights of my course. While all of these visits have been impactful, there is one visitor who stands out in my mind, and that is Pat Burke.
For those of who do not know, I’m assuming most of you reading this, Pat Burke is the only Irish born basketball player to play in the NBA. Knowing this, you can imagine the excitement a basketball junkie like me had about this visit. Pat spent the entire day with us in class, offering his own insight to what it takes to perform at the highest level. Pat told stories of his playing days in the NBA and his time as a member of the Irish National Team.
As if the three hour classroom session was not enough, after class Pat put my entire team through a two hour practice. Having a former NBA player at practice not only elevated the level of that practice, but our team has been completely different since his visit. Practices are more intense, there is more self belief in games, and we are all trusting each other more than ever. The results of this have been a winning record in 2019, after going 1-12 in 2018. Pat was only in Waterford for a day, but his impact has been lasting. He is a perfect example of the type of influence I would like to become in the basketball community.
