I’ve been told countless times by my parents that it’s the people that make or break experiences-that no matter the occasion, it’s the people who dictate how memorable or worthwhile moments shared prove to be. It wasn’t until this past year, from the moments of graduating college to now completing my Victory Scholar experience, that I fully acknowledged the vivid truth in these statements. So, as my final blog post, I want to emphasize my gratitude to all of the people and relationships that that have been a part of not only this past year, but also my upbringing– from the people from my home town of Dunmore PA, extending into my high school of Scranton prep—and continuing to my college experience at HC, and now so prevalent as I finish my Victory Scholar year in Cork…the people and the relationships that first, molded me into a person eligible for this program, that have second, supported me in this memorable journey and have been critical in making my experience so unique, and have third, inspired me to go forward and chase my dreams to make them a reality.
To the people who have been the most recent impacts this year—from the staff at Sport Changes Life and my amazing fellow Victory Scholars, to my 8 dear MSc classmates and lecturers and the entirety of the CIT & Brunell basketball community, and of course to my #Network (Maddy Ganser and Shannon Brady) and the Bakers road apartment and its most valued residents and guests (shoutout Kyle, Adam, Linda) THANK YOU for welcoming me as family, for challenging my perspective, and for inspiring me on a daily basis. For showing me what balance really looks like and for being individuals I can now consider best friends… Thank you for sharing your story with me and proving that each and every person and her experience is unique, that no one way is the right way, and that a quality of life doesn’t always depend on your country or your income.
To my hometown —Scranton (Dunmore, if we’re being technical), PA—and its people. Anyone who experienced this last year with me in Cork knows that I have had the opportunity to meet numerous new people that have somewhat random, but nonetheless valued, connections from my hometown. “Is that another one of your random Scranton connections?” was what Justus frequently asked…Whether it’s been catching a lift to drive the length of the country by an Irish coach from NEPA, meeting close family friends out in Dublin, or knocking on the door of your cousins grandfather’s old home in Mayo to be welcomed in by his aunt…to getting dinner with an old teammate that’s studying abroad, grabbing lunch with your grandmothers old neighbor’s son or the guy who knows your uncle’s friend, catching drinks with a friend of a friends’ friend (ok, you get the point), I’ve been blessed with so many people who have been willing to take the time to introduce themselves to me, and show a genuine care for me, simply because of my roots or mutual connections. So, thank you to the people of both NEPA and “The Peoples Republic” for providing me with a circle of people that I can trust despite the fact that I am in a country that’s not my own and for ultimately making Cork feel like a true second home.
To Holy Cross and the Patriot League
Thank you for teaching me how to be a student-athlete at both the undergrad and the master’s level…for teaching me how to think critically and to write effectively, to prioritize and balance, to serve others, and to value the development of the whole self #CuraPersonalis. For enabling me to see the value in “Networking” that any HC student or alumni knows too well, and for giving me the confidence to put on my best blazer, and my best smile, to excel in an international job interview that a year ago I probably would have stuttered in every effort to sell myself. To the life-long friends that I have made—from my HCWBB squads and alumni (+coaches and practice players alike) both in the U.S and across the pond, and my besties who have introduced me to SCL and who have stayed in touch despite the distance and hectic schedules (Cat Darcy—your spirit lives through my sheep mug so technically we still live together)…Thanks for inviting me to share my story via a last minute skype interview-with my beautiful background as a backdrop-that enabled old friends and family to interact with my experience, and which hopefully encouraged young student athletes to apply to the unmatched program that is Sport Changes Life.
To my parents
Thank you for being my mentors and best friends, the superhumans who make life’s challenges look easy and never fail to acknowledge the blessings. For providing me with three older sisters and an older brother that are too, my mentors and best friends. For bringing me into a family of numerous cousins, aunts, and uncles who never fail to make life exciting (especially when they make trips to visit the homeland… those stories are for another time, but hopefully there are many more to come). Thank you for encouraging me to take my own path regardless of those before me, for teaching me how to serve others and treat all people with respect and dignity, and for encouraging me to trust the journey. Thank you for being there through my highest highs and lowest lows, and for challenging and encouraging me to be the best version of myself on a daily basis. A short paragraph could never express my gratitude to you and our family for your consistent efforts but know that there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t give thanks for the both of you.
To the VS class of 2020
Thanks for believing in the mission… for taking a risk to spend the next few months in a foreign country and for challenging the norms of your peers…for committing to raise the aspirations of young people through the game we all know and love…For stepping out of your comfort zone in ways you may not yet realize… thank you for joining the family– My hope for you is that you can develop similar relationships and grow your own network in this experience… that you’re willing to engage with all of the people in your Irish experience, from community fans to the strangers you encounter on the street, (even if that means going on a date with a randomer on a night before a final exam) and that you hear each and every story, so ultimately, you can have the courage to write your own.
Sláinte!
