People always want to know what everyone’s favorite presents are after the holiday season has wrapped up. This year, the greatest gift I received was being able to spend time with my family and friends. While I have been having the time of my life here in Ireland, I cannot begin to explain how much I have missed everyone back home.

When I woke up the morning of my flight to Boston, it didn’t quite feel real yet. A quick 7 hour flight and 3 movies later, I had officially touched down at home. In true New-Englander fashion, I found the closest Dunkin’ Donuts and bought myself a large iced coffee before going to find my family. I was met with hugs and smiles and maybe an eye roll or two when they saw my first priority was my Dunkin’. The next few days were filled with Christmas celebrations at my grandparents’ house and our own. Being able to share my experiences with my family face-to-face and hearing the stories of what everyone else has been up to made me feel like I barely even missed a beat. With the Christmas celebrations dying down, I was even able to go to the Christmas Day Celtic’s game against the ’76ers. I couldn’t have picked a more exciting game to go to over break. The Celtic’s got the win in OT and I got to witness Kyrie go off for 40 points. It couldn’t have gone better.

Not only did I get to spend some time at home, I also got to go down to Salve for a couple days out of my trip. It was so nice to see all of my teammates, friends and coaches. I never thought I’d say it but it was even nice seeing the training staff who (gratefully) helped me with a few problems I’ve been having. I loved our trainers, they’re great people, but those who know me know how sick of the training room I’ve been for the last year. I was able to catch a game for both teams. I missed watching these games live; it definitely beats staying up until midnight to cheer them on from behind my computer! Before I left I made sure to catch a couple of my favorite sunsets on Ocean Drive, too.

Saying my goodbyes were much easier this time around. I am having so much fun in Ireland and I was definitely feeling excited to get back into my community here. I have friends and family planning trips to come visit me this semester and am soo excited to show them around this beautiful place! Thank you to everyone who made my “home vacation” the best holiday season ever. See you soon Massachusetts!

 

“Good is the enemy of great” -Dave Hopla

 

I was fortunate to meet a legend at a legendary event. The Belfast Hall of Fame Classic is a basketball experience unlike any other. Thousands of fans from all over Ireland packed into an arena to watch D1 American basketball. The atmosphere was electric. Some of the kids had only seen basketball once or twice in there life. Others clearly loved the game of basketball but had never seen it at that level. Some had never seen an Americans at all I general. Either way, whenever I looked into the stands I saw looks of sheer amazement in the eyes of young Irish ballers.

In between games, i noticed an older white dude who was wearing Jordan brand head to toe while drilling every shot he took on the main court. I found out that is name was Dave Hopla: a world renown NBA shooting coach who holds the Guinness world record for most free throws made in under a minute. I introduced myself and it became clear that he had mentality of a champion. I asked him for shooting tips and he replied  matter of factly with a thick Boston accent, “ I stay away from that garbage you see on social media, I just pick my spots and make 1000’s of shots everyday”. The man was old school, and he might’ve been grandpa- aged but he definitely had swag. He was one of the bests shooters on the planet and he knew it.

The next morning he showed up to the arena to practice before he attempted to beat his own world record. When the assigned rebounder showed up late that day, I happily volunteered to rebound for him. Don’t get me wrong, the guy was extremely confident, but he also was down to earth and had a lot to say about what it means to be great. As we waited for the floor sweeper to finish up he started dropping some wisdom on me. He preached, “nobody remembers good, only the great leaves a legacy”. His words were simple but indisputable. Dave was so adamant about greatness that he claims that he visited the Great Wall of China over 15 times because it was known for being great and it resembled what he set out to be. If you look at him, he was only about 5’9 and had a slight build. You’d expect him to be doing things that people his age normally do like play chess and cheer on their grandkids. Instead, he was traveling the world teaching basketball, working with NBA superstars like Kobe Bryant and Ray Allen, all while being sponsored by Air Jordan. His word was as credible as it gets, and I knew his success wasn’t just by chance.

Once we finally got on the court to practice I was able to witness his greatness first hand. Warming up he made every shot with ease all while carrying on a casual conversation. His shot was beautiful; he flicked his wrist the same way every time and had perfect rotation on the ball. We eventually did a practice run at the record. We started and he not only was making every shot, but he put the ball through the same spot in the net EVERY time. Swish after swish after swish without hitting the rim once. It was as if he was shooting baskets on one of those hoops you see at arcades. He was like a machine and all I had to do was catch the ball right out of the net and launch it to his chest as quick as I could. When the minute had passed, the counter said that he had made 28…which would be the new world record. Sadly though there was no footage and no official counter so it did not technically count. Needless to say however, I was hired as the new rebounder when he attempted at half time later that night .

He continued to explain the importance of greatness as the day went on. He would state someone’s first name and tell me to say the first last name to come to mind. He would say “Michael?” and I said,  “Jordan”. Muhammad? Ali. Wayne? Gretzky. This went on until he ran out of names and said said see? You only remember the greatest of all time, you didn’t mention anyone who was second best. The guy was obsessed with greatness and because of that he was great. When we finally attempted the record at halftime he still didn’t miss any shots, but we fell short of the record by 3 baskets. Regardless, his message to me had been made clear. If you want to be a legend you must always strive for greatness and never settle for less. If you demand greatness and do everything you can do achieve that than good things will happen no matter the outcome. His mindset was infectious and I think  I’ll have to book my trip to see the Great Wall in the near future.

I blame my lack of ability to cook partially on my mom. She is objectively an elite level chef. Some of the most delicious food I’ve ever encountered has come right from home. I’ve watched people who claim they don’t like wings absolutely devour her home-made BBQ wings.If you take a look at the picture below, you can almost tell how sensational they are just by looking at them.In college I used to have no problem selling my thanksgiving leftovers for 10$ a plate. There was honestly a point growing up where I didn’t know if some of my friends were coming over to hang out with me or get a piece of her cooking. The smart thing to do would have been to learn as much as possible from her while I could. Yet, I never realized the value of cooking and my mom’s food was so high-quality that I never felt the motivation to make things on my own

.Fortunately, moving to Ireland has darn near transformed me into an iron chef and it might be time for my mom to pass the torch. Ok, that’s an exaggeration but I’ve definitely made serious strides in my journey to becoming a cook. Before moving here, I was clueless in the kitchen. My specialties consisted of things like eggo waffles, ramen noodles, or anything that doesn’t require me using an oven or a pan. What’s not an exaggeration is that during week one, I couldn’t so much as make eggs. It actually took the help of two scholars to help me to put vegetable oil on the pan and when to flip them. So, as you can see, my cooking skills could only go up from there…and that they did.

My desire to cook only came when I realized how much money I saved doing it. Why spend 15 euro on a meal when I can spend 15 euro on groceries that could last me days? I also figured since elite cooking is in my genes I might as well give it a give it a try. Once my roommates taught me how to properly season chicken my interest was sparked, and it only grew from there. Like basketball and other things in life, when you get the basics down it becomes easier and easier to build from it. A few pieces of overcooked chicken and incredibly dry noodles later, I began seeing clear signs of progress in the kitchen. I went from struggling to make eggs to being able to quickly make omelets with spinach, bacon, or whatever else I feel like that day. My repertoire has grown from instant noodles and toast to items like seasoned baked potatoes, any pastas such as penne and spaghetti and some of the most delectable gourmet baked chicken you’ve ever tasted. Currently, I’d say that my strongest dish is a steak wrap with eggs, green peppers, spinach and fried rice (pictured above), but I would expect that too change because my personal menu continues to expand.

My favorite part about cooking is that it allows you to keep bettering yourself each time you step up to the stove. It allows you to be creative by combining unexpected items and following a recipe in a way that best fits your taste buds. I may not be featured on Master Chef anytime soon but I’m definitely grateful that I was able to pick up such a valuable skill in the land of the Irish.

Over Christmas break, I took advantage of the time off and traveled with a group of the Scholars to Prague, Vienna, and Munich. Many of the Scholars took the opportunity to go home for the holidays to spend some time with family, but I couldn’t pass up the cheap Ryanair flights and easy access to mainland Europe. The six of us flew out of Dublin on December 19th and spent a total of seven days between the three cities. Since we were only in each city for a short time, we took full advantage of each day and covered miles of cobblestone walkways for as much sightseeing as daylight would allow. Twenty thousand steps logged on Ellen’s FitBit became a daily occurrence!

To be honest, I did not know what to expect going into the trip. I had spent the previous couple weeks working hard to finish my schoolwork and didn’t get much of a chance to thoroughly research where exactly I booked my holiday vacation. I even pulled up a map of Europe days before our trip to find out exactly where each city and country is located. I had heard good things about the Christmas markets in each of these cities, but ultimately booked my flights for a chance to travel with some of the Scholars who I had not spent much time with yet and to visit new places! Ellen took the reins on booking accommodation and organizing travel plans, and I (along with the others) followed her lead. Employers out there in need of timely, diligent, and organized scheduling and planning, Ellen’s your girl!

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in each city, but here are a few highlights from the trip with the “Xmas Breakers” crew:

December 22nd: Vienna Christmas market and skating “experiment” in front of Vienna City Hall

 

           

December 24: Day trip to Neuschwanstein Castle in Hohenschwangau, Germany (close to southern border of Germany and Austria)

 

December 25: Christmas Day mass (in German)

 

December 25: Christmas dinner, steins, and card games at Hofbrauhaus in Munich

Having the chance to travel and take in some of the beautiful scenery and architecture at some of the tourist attractions in these European cities is only part of what I will remember about my 2018 Christmas. I have my camera roll to hang on to those visual memories of the trip! Instead, the people I shared this experience with (Kollyns, Jenna, Shay, Courtney, Ellen, Tom, and Justus) will be the most prominent part of this trip when I look back on it. The card games, train rides, nights out, etc. will stick the most.

While in Ireland, it is difficult to find the time to visit and spend time with other Scholars in the midst of our coaching, playing, and academic responsibilities. So, I am thankful I had the opportunity to get to know this group who I don’t get to see much during the year. Having not spent much time together at all since the first week we arrived in Ireland, I thought we became very close during this trip and now have a mutual experience to reflect on and a friendship to build on the next time we see each other.

Howdy y’all!

Now that the new year has begun and Christmas is behind us it is time to grind on the court and in the class room. We’ve made plans to start, develop and finish our dissertations and will start them this January. I’m going to study the effects of community engagement on basketball organizations. Our league is opening up as we now will start to head south of the midway line of the island and some new competition will have to deal with the full fury of the Allstars!!

As Christmas has just passed I feel the need to say that I got some lovely gifts and my family came to deliver them in person! A good book and warm pair of gloves are always appreciated. I got Mythos by Stephen Fry and if you like Greek Mythology you should check it out. On top of some quality family time and nice gifts, I got to travel a bit as well around the area that I couldn’t reach before without a car. Mullaghmore and the Sligo Golf Club in Rosses Point have some exceptional views and the featured pic is from Mullaghmore.

All in all, it was a good Christmas and fun New Years!

What’s the difference between a businessman on a bike and a clown on a unicycle?

Attire

As the semester came to an end and classes and exams began to wrap up, a group of scholars came up with a plan to travel around Europe for winter break instead of going back to the US. When I heard the details of the plan, which comprised of flying out to Prague then taking a train to Vienna, spending a couple of nights there and lastly, commuting to Munich, I instantly knew I could not miss out on this opportunity. Ellen Graham did a phenomenal job of putting together an itinerary and finalizing logistic plans for the entire trip. Since we would be in Germany for Christmas day, I was curious as to what our plan was for that day. I checked in with the group and we came to a consensus of attending Mass at a nearby church and exploring the city.

 

Christmas morning was very different. I could tell that the scholars really missed their families. As we walked toward the church the mood in the street was just gloomy. The city of Bavaria seemed like a ghost town and it actually did not feel like Christmas morning at all. There weren’t any Christmas lights hung up from buildings and there was hardly anyone on the streets. We made it to Mass at 11 am. The minute we walked in we realized that the priest was speaking in a different language. In fact, the entire service was delivered in German. The church community welcomed us and it was surprisingly refreshing. After Mass we went into town to explore the city and to find somewhere to eat. When we arrived in the city, our sprits lifted because we saw an influx of people and so many Christmas lights that brightened the city. It was beautiful. People walking around with their family made me remember how we were not with our biological family members. However, we realized that Family isn’t always blood. Our friendship and camaraderie could be described in short as; Family. We had a cheerful tour of the city and had dinner at the famous Hofbrauhaus house. Dinner was fantastic and we shared stories about family experiences over a few beverages. After a “Merry Christmas” cheers, we played some entertaining card games.

 

Christmas day or Weihnachtstag in German, ended with a unanimous decision to watch “Shrek” to end the night. We chuckled and laughed as we watched the DreamWorks animated movie. By then, it was apparent that we ere all happy to be in each others presence on a day as widely celebrated as Christmas. That odd feeling that was obvious in the morning disappeared by the night, and that was a day that we will never forget.

Ahh, the Christmas season. A time when collegiate winter athletes race home to enjoy two, maybe three (if you’re lucky) days surrounded by family and friends, edible (non-dining hall) food, and the comfort of their own beds. And, in my case, to have your mom do the laundry you’ve been neglecting for a while. Talk about a Christmas miracle.

It’s December 23rd as I write this waiting for my flight to depart. My first semester of graduate school is complete, National League games are on pause until the new year, and the holiday spirit is more than in full effect in Ireland. But . . . for the first time, I won’t be heading home for Christmas.

It was a difficult decision to make, but ultimately the opportunity to travel and experience a new culture these next several days was too much to pass up. Luckily I’ll be in great company, travelling with several members of my Sport Changes Life family to Munich, Germany. While I’m saddened by the fact I won’t be home to exchange gifts under our tree Christmas morning, I do want to take this moment to thank my family for the gifts given and lessons taught that have enabled me to have this incredible experience at this point in my life:

Mom, I can’t say I’ve come across a more selfless and caring individual in my lifetime. You consistently put the needs and feelings of others above your own, rarely with a second-thought. Your self-sacrifices certainly do not go unappreciated by me, and you have made your family and community better because of them. You’ve always been an outlet for me to confide in no matter the time or place. You’ve taken my friends in and treated them as your own. Most importantly though, you’ve shown me the value of giving and ‘passing it forward’. I hope to carry this lesson with me and inspire others as you’ve inspired me.

Dad, you’re the physical embodiment of grit and hardwork. Rain or shine, in sickness or in health, you’ve awaken each morning ready to tackle the tasks in front of you. You’ve never settled nor become complacent with your standing ― starting from very little, you’ve faced adversity every step of the way, yet you continue to persevere. You’ve made so many personal sacrifices to ensure mom, Ally, and I have been able to grow up in a secure environment with everything (and much more) than we could ever want and need. These words cannot even begin to thank and repay you for the life of opportunities and experiences you’ve provided me, but I hope you know how highly I look at you as a man and father. If I can possess even half the work-ethic you have, I’ll be satisfied.

Ally, I know it can’t be easy living in the shadows of your parents’ favorite child, but you’ve handled it with class (did you really think this would start any other way?). All kidding aside, you have constantly served as the benchmark for which I compare myself. Division I athlete, full scholarship to law school, a community leader ― your success has pushed me to better myself in all aspects of life. I couldn’t have asked for a better sibling to fight with, learn from, and grow with. As long as you keep raising the bar, just know I’ll be right there behind you trying to keep up.

To the rest of my Rivard, DiDomenico, and Ditullio clan back stateside, I can’t thank you all enough for your well wishes and continued support. Knowing I have such a strong support system back home has made this transition abroad that much easier.

Merry Christmas everyone, and happy New Year! Love and miss you all.

  

 

As I sit here on my Aer Lingus flight en route to JFK, my stomach churns with  a million different emotions. It’s that feeling you get in your gut right before you play a big game or run a competitive race… It’s a bizarre combination of excitement, appreciation, and anticipation.  Honestly if I wasn’t so dehydrated right now, I think I’d probably be crying. 

Perhaps these emotions are due to the fact that I’m so beyond excited to be home and finished with college work for a month. Or that I’m still living off the high of our trip to Austria and the joy of my first five months in Ireland as a Victory Scholar. Or maybe it’s from witnessing an aerlingus employee deal so patiently and delicately with stressed out families and individuals trying to make flights in the holiday season ( I may or may not have been one of them)… or the family of five next to me whose dad takes out his cell phone to take a photo with his kids that has me beyond excited to see my family and friends in a few hours. 

I’m not sure, but all in all it’s amplifying the overall theme that’s been constantly on my mind throughout this month and especially in the holiday season —gratitude. And by this I mean a constant feeling of feeling beyond grateful for life, its experiences and blessings … to the point that I can’t help but take at least one moment, everyday to stop and literally, give thanks… not always for the obvious things like family, health and opportunity, but also things like… 

Scholar Thanksgiving in Belfast featuring a real taste of home with my Mom and Maura joining us. Traveled top to bottom of country in just 3 days with these road warriors! Love you guys 

The Belfast Classic ft. a memorable lift and shared coffee, meals and conversation with Carbondale/Scranton native and Tralee Coach Pat Price (and now legend in my eyes) thanks again Pat 

A volunteer session at  Gaelscoil Na Duglaise —Their basketball skills were much better than my Gaelic speaking ability

A completion of a multitude of projects and exams and a class night out to celebrate. Ross you still take the cake in the best dance moves 

A day trip to Ballycotton with Justus and former Victory Scholars Shannon Brady and Maddy Ganser, highlighting the value of SCL and the #network we have been able to establish in Cork

An unforgettable 2 day trip to Austria. Salzburg and Hallstatt now have a piece of my heart 

And of course, some lows (equally as grateful for) 

Sleepless night in my hostel in Salzburg… Co-Ed, lots of snoring, individuals of poor hygiene. You get the gist 

Getting kicked off my scheduled flight home. My dad and brother will forever insist that I “missed the flight” but I promise you, I was at the gate during boarding hours. (Dm for details) 

So, in short, this holiday season I’m extra thankful for my family, friends and all the rest, for where sport has taken me and what Sport Changes Life continues to provide, & I look forward to what the future may hold in the next five months as a Victory Scholar and beyond ! 

Merry Christmas!

Well they are smiling, and that’s the main thing 

Assistant Brunell U12 coach Niamh Cronin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Getting to help out at the Belfast Classic was an amazing experience. It was great to see so many kids at the event! Watching their faces when players dunked or blocked shots was priceless. Even though the Victory Scholars were not playing at the event, the kids were excited to be able to interact with us. I was with a few scholars when a group of kids asked us for our autographs. In that moment, I really realized that these kids look up to us and that anything I said to them might really stick with them. I was a stat runner at the event and a member of the backstage crew. In this role, I got to see many of the components that went into running the tournament, and I concluded that it’s definitely harder than it looks. The SCL staff worked very hard and put together an incredible event for the teams and fans alike.

A common hashtag that resulted from the Classic was #GlobalizeTheGame. In the U.S., there are so many leagues and opportunities for kids to get involved with basketball. Players not only have team coaches, but many now have personal coaches that help them take their game to the next level.

Right now, Ireland is not quite there in the opportunities for young basketball players. Because it is not largely popular among the population of Ireland, young people do not have much encouragement to play the sport. For many kids that I work with, gaelic football or hurling/camogie is their first sport. As a Victory Scholar and a basketball fanatic, I hope I can get some kids to fall in love with basketball like I did when I was younger. Basketball has given me confidence, role models, and a support system ever since I started playing. I’m excited to continue my work in the schools and clubs to hopefully inspire some kids to follow the sport.

Talking to my friends and family back home a lot of them ask, what does it mean to be a victory scholar? or they ask why do you keep posting I am Victory?

By definition victory is an act of defeating an enemy or opponent in a battle, game, or other competition. So what is our competition or what are we defeating? We as the Sport Changes Life family are striving to defeat the societal injustices, discrimination, poverty, prejudice acts against religion or races, and disadvantage kids. No matter what country you go to every culture is battling their own societal differences. In America there is racism because the color of your skin isn’t the same as someone else or children aren’t able to attend schools because they’re exposed to alcohol or drugs at a young age. In Ireland there are religious differences and children are exposed to drugs as well. Using sport to bring people together from different areas to show that you can inspire someone to become a better person has opened my eyes. Being a Victory Scholar is more than just a trip to Ireland, an education, and coaching. It’s about the people that you impact and the people that impact you. The young people are inspirational and everyone has their own story. Being a Victory Scholar shows that on any given day you can change any life around you and not even know. Knowing that it’s about more than just me, using sport and my voice as a platform to promote change in an entire culture. Sport Changes Life gives everyone a voice no matter how fortunate or less fortunate you are. Knowing that change starts within, you can’t change the world until you change yourself. For me this meant entering another culture and accepting their norms and not judging because I’m not used to seeing those things in my culture. Every culture is unique and bring their own beauty that as an outsider you have to accept and try to understand. Knowing that everyone deserves compassion because everyone is fighting a battle you may never know about. Coaching the youth is more than just showing up for practice and telling them what to do, but developing their skills, getting to know them, seeing their smile, and creating an unforgettable bond that changes their perspectives about life. We as Scholars are being leaders to create more leaders to shape the world for a million tomorrows! Being a Victory Scholar is creating a legacy for years to come, knowing how you want to be remembered in the Sport Changes Life Family. Creating unforgettable memories, bonds, and changes. Years from now the days we spent as a SCL family, inspiring kids around us, and helping those around us, all the Victory Scholars will be able to remember and feel the intangibles from this experience deep down in our hearts. I’Il personally could never call this a program because this is definitely a family! I Believe in Victory!

It is coming to the end of my first semester in Letterkenny, five months since landing in Ireland. It wasn’t too long ago where I was sitting up in Belfast very eager to start my journey as a Victory Scholar. I had just landed the opportunity to head back to school for my masters and was going to be able to continue to play the game that I had been playing ever since I was a “wee” (A term I learned as the Irish love to describe everything and anything) guy.  I couldn’t be more thrilled!

Letterkenny is situated about 2 hours from Belfast and is the largest town in the County of Donegal. Located in the middle of the northwest corner of Ireland, it has been my home for the past several months. In that time, I have been able to build countless memories, lifelong friends and gain some amazing experiences.

There have been many cherished moments that have definitely made a lasting impact. Whether it be the many people and families embracing me into Letterkenny community, coaching various camps, local teams and school visits. Partaking in countless trips travelling throughout Ireland, assisting at the Belfast Hall of Fame Classic, reconnecting with scholars and competing in the National and College leagues. All of which have added to a great time here in Ireland. I am looking forward to seeing what the next few months have in store.

This actually isn’t my first-time exploring Ireland. This isn’t even my first-time experiencing basketball in Ireland. After graduating college in 2016, I got the chance to spent nine months coaching and playing basketball for the Titans Basketball club in Galway. So, I was sort of accustomed to life in Ireland and had an idea of the lay of the land for the most part. Saying that, things are mighty different and a whole new world up here in Donegal, especially with the way they speak. In every conversation, you’ll be sure to get a like or a responding “aye” at the end of a statement. Several of my teammates are from Derry, they speak their own language when they are all together. Only taking me 5 months to be able to pick up on what they are saying.

Several of our other teammates have even got me and my teammate Spencer saying, “It will be grand”, “sorted”, “cheers” and “no bother”. All in which, I don’t think either of us has ever used in our lives prior to coming over to Ireland. That’s what makes this a great experience though, getting brought into a community and be able to get back on the court while being able to compete with a new group of guys. Hoping that some of our teammates and the kids we coach can pick up some of our “weird” or “different” terminology and sayings.

Getting a chance to return back to Ireland, meet some amazing people, learn, grow and inspire is something that I will take with me for the rest of my life. As the end of the term approaches and the new year begins, I am looking forward to continuing training, coaching, travelling and a little bit more of the Irish craic. I think it’s something that I’m more than well-equipped to handle!

That abbreviation stands for the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic and I recommend talking about it in papers to get your word count up. All jokes aside though, I got the chance to work on this event and I loved it. I got there a day early, so I was a part of an elite group of people that gets to joke with Stephen Fox about height and whether or not you go home earlier than planned. While working with my fellow scholars it was important to remember to help them when they go do a job. They might be secretly sneaking out to get a snack, and how mad I would have been to see Kevin walking down the hall with some chicken curry as I snacked on my 12th snickers. Seriously though, it was a fantastic experience. A lot of work, I won’t play you, but I met cool people (I’m hoping to have the money to come back and work it again) and the atmosphere was crazy for a preseason college basketball tournament. The amount of kids that screamed and cheered is ridiculous. Every play someone will yell for some reason or other and plug your ears if there’s a dunk. The only thing the kids there loved more than cheering is high fiving people going to and from the backstage area. I’m not kidding. I high fived more kids than all the teams combined. I felt like I was in The Beetles. And they want their high fives no matter who you’re talking to or what you’re carrying. It’s great. I’d say the best part of the tournament however is just seeing college basketball again. I really understood the level these D1 guys are at and the attention to detail each team has. It’s fun to watch them and have them view you as someone just working the tournament, but really you’re thinking “I used to be just like you guys. You’re so young. I’m old. I could give these youngins buckets…” hahaha. So yeah, great experience all around. 

#AllAccess

Joke time baby – Why doesn’t anyone have a nose that’s 12 inches long? Because then it would be a foot.

The way that the Irish speak is something that caught my attention right -away. Some of their accents are much heavier than others depending on what region the person lives in. Our coordinators Sam Woodside and Stephen Fox for example have accents, but I was able to understand everything they were saying without any problems. When I first met my coach Niall McDermott on the other hand, I was shocked by how little I could understand what was coming out his mouth. At first it sounded like total gibberish and I was left to use context and few words out of the sentence to decipher what the heck he was saying. Initially, this happened pretty often, and on multiple occasions I had to resort to just smiling and saying “yeah” when I had no clue what a person said in the conversation. I’ve definitely improved in this area now and I’ve even picked up a good amount of their lingo. Like any other country, the Irish have plenty of slang words and phrases that they use on a regular basis. I started to notice this early on in my stay, and I would hear an unexpected word in a sentence that means something totally different in America. This occurred so much that I began making a list of all the Irish slang terms that I came across and that list grew slowly but surely over time. For your guidance, below is a list of 35 terms so that you are prepared when you are asked questions like “Hows the craic?”.

1. Craic = Fun
2. Work-away= go ahead/have at it 
3. I’ll get you sorted= Ill hook it up for you 
4. Wee= Could mean anything depending on the context. Commonly used before a noun.
5. Aye= Yes
6. Lift=Ride
7. No bother= Don’t worry about it
8. Class= Great/ High quality 
9. G’luck= See ya later
10. You’s = You guys/ Ya’ll
11. Lads= Friends/ Guys
12. Calling in = Flirting with someone 
13. Its grand= Its all good
14. Steamin= Very drunk
15. Getner= Hungover
16. Pre-drink= Pre-game
17. Gaff= House
18.  Car -park= Parking lot 
19. Thick = Angry
20. Jumper= Sweater
21. Bibs= pennies
22. Trousers= Pants
23. Yanks= Americans
24. Mon= Come on
25. How ya gettin on? = How are you doing 
26. Quid= Bucks/ Euros
27. Fiver= Five bucks
28. Tener= Ten bucks
29. 7:30= Half 7
30. Wednesday-week= Next Wednesday
31. Goujon= Chicken Tenders
32. Crisps= Potato chips
33. Rashers= Bacon
34. Chips= Fries
35. Mental = Crazy

Whenever people ask me how I’m getting on here, I let them know that Ireland probably has the best craic in all of Europe. My team here may not have a winning record, but as people they are class and they make sure that I’m always comfortable and sorted. Whether I am at a pre-drink with them or just hanging out in one of their gaffs, they always insist that I work-away and take whatever I may need. As a yank it would have been easy to feel out of place on nights out due to differences in Irish music, style, and of course lingo. This is not the case however and in fact, most people are so steamin on weekends that they act like we’ve been lads for years! I would bet a thousand quid thatyou would feel the sense of community right away on this green island. It’s rare that you find someone that’s outwardly thick and if you do, it’s likely because they are severely getner.The driving here still seems a wee bit wild though so once you leave the car-park, I’d suggest that you hold on to your trousers because it will likely be a bumpy ride. Overall, if you like friendly people, you don’t have a weak stomach in car rides, and you pay close attention when people speak than your time here will be grand…mine sure has been. 

 

Obviously, moving to a new country brought with it plenty of expectations beforehand. For the most part, my perception of Ireland was totally based off the stereotypes depicted in the media. Therefore, this past summer, I anticipated the scenic green hills, and red-headed people that love eating potatoes and drinking Guinness. So far, I’d say that most of my assumptions were accurate.

For one, (no pun intended) the grass is actually greener in this part of the world. I am constantly surrounded by spectacular cliffs and valleys with sheep scattered across them., There’s a saying here that there are more sheep than people in Ireland which may be an exaggeration, but there is definitely an absurd number of wild goats and sheep that will casually enjoy the view right beside you. It doesn’t matter if I’m driving to a game or stepping into my backyard there are always views that look like the stuff that people use as screensavers. If you google the label of a nature valley ranch dressing bottle that is what the majority of the country looks like. Even the air taste fresher here and I can genuinely say that the landscape has given me a newfound respect for nature.

The stereotype about Irish people loving alcohol is more accurate than I anticipated. It doesn’t matter if its Sunday afternoon or a Friday night, there is legitimately always a pub open somewhere proximity. No need for a liquor store, all you have to do is stop at any local gas station and it will surely be fully stocked with whatever drink you prefer. In Letterkenny for example there is a probably a bar for every 20 residents that live here. The town itself is only a few square miles total but it may have just as many bars as downtown Cleveland. I knew that drinking was serious business here when at one of my games, the bar attached to the gym was much bigger and much nicer than the gym itself. One of my teammates once said that in Ireland if someone asks, “are you drinking?” and you respond “No.” than the typical response is, “what’s wrong with you?”. Overall, the drinking is a key part of the culture that distinguishes it from other countries and it might explain the outgoing and fun-spirit of the residents. 

 

So, after a month of living here I can definitely check scenic views and drinking Guinness off the list of accurate Irish stereotypes. While the Hollywood portrayal of Ireland seems to be accurate so far, there are still plenty of aspects of Irish culture that I did not expect.

• Many of the locals here run on “Irish time”. The phrase refers to how many people operate behind schedule and are regularly late. If we have practice at 7:30 then people don’t arrive until exactly 7:30. 

• The driving situation here is basically survival of the fittest. The roads are normally windy and end extremely narrow, but I have noticed that most drivers do not slow down for turns regardless of how sharp. Whereas in America you are bound to see a police officer at least once when you drive, I’ve been here for over 2 months and I’ve seen exactly one police car.  Similarly, parking is in Ireland is basically free- lance, many cars park facing each other or just straight up in the middle of the side walk if need be.  Overall, it seems like if nobody gets hurt, then whatever happens with parking and driving is perfectly fine. As long as you don’t have a weak stomach and you have GREAT trust in your driver than transportation in Ireland will go smoothly!

• I was surprised by how welcoming and friendly most of the people are. It doesn’t matter where I am most people here do not hesitate to try to get to know me. I obviously stand out as a taller black man, but rather than being met with fear, I have been greeted with a noticeable amount of warmth and curiosity. The one moment that stuck out to me was when I was at the grocery store when an elderly lady approached me and asked what I was up to that night. All I did was tell her that I would be cooking dinner and she got so happy that you would have thought I told her she hit the lotto. She seemed incredibly proud of me and proceeded to pad me on the back and say, “That’s so great!”. I’m still not sure why that made her so excited, but those times reflect the southern hospitality vibe of the Irish. People are absurdly friendly and, in most cases, even strangers get treated like family. 

Overall, my first three weeks here have been totally unpredictable, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Other than people pronouncing my name as “Spancer” instead of Spencer I am truly loving the Irish way of life. A member of my Basketball team claims that a common Irish motto is “If it looks stupid but it works… it’s not stupid”. This way of life allows Ireland to be a culture that is still efficient, but they do not make a big deal about things as long as the job gets done. In my short time here, I have learned that important thing is to embrace these differences and just enjoy the ride. By expecting the unexpected I believe that I will continue to learn and grown as a person. The driving in Ireland is somewhat frightening, the people of are amazingly unique and outgoing, and I will never get over how beautiful the place is. 

             

 

 

 

 

 

 

In Galway, we got the unique opportunity to help out with an international basketball tournament called the Galway Masters. Teams consisted of players ranging from 30 to 60 years old, and there were teams from Scotland,Wales, Spain, Italy, and the USA just to name a few. 

Us scholars had the task of working the score table and working as venue officials for the events. I’m very grateful that I got to see first hand what the tournament is all about. Despite the fact that they were having fun, I could tell that every team really wanted to win. The player’s competitive drive and desire to get better had not faded with age. It was inspiring to see that basketball has no age limit. After working the event, Amy and I also got to attend the Galway Masters Gala Dinner with a few of our Mystics teammates. I got the chance to hear a gospel choir perform for the first time ever and bravely ate some lamb for the first time as well. It was a great capstone to an awesome weekend of basketball. I hope that I’m still playing basketball when I turn 60!

 

 

During my time here in Ireland I’ve been blessed to be able to take in some this Country’s immense natural beauty. It’s easy for me to get caught up in the stress of everyday life and take for granted all that I have to be grateful for. I find that when I occasionally take the time to remove myself from the stress and visit the nature that Ireland has to offer, it clears my mind and makes it easy to put things into perspective. In this blog I want to share a glimpse of what I’ve seen so far. I promise the pictures don’t do them Justice!

 

 

The week had finally come for Tricia and I to get our visas to become legal residents in Ireland for the year. Little did we know, we were in store for a true test of patience and perseverance in order to get the visa. Each day only 30 people in Cork are awarded their visa and it comes on a first come first serve basis. We had heard horror stories of people showing up without all of their documents or too late in the day and getting rejected so we made sure to get to the office at 6:30, two and a half hours before it opened. We only had three other people in front of us. You’d think from there we’d get seen almost immediately, get our visas and be on our way. Unfortunately, that was not the case at all. At 8:45 we were all told to go wait outside. We did as we were told (or thought we did) and logically waited in the foyer which was much warmer and dryer than waiting all the way outside. At 8:59, ONE MINUTE before the office opened, we were told to go to the very back of the line since we didn’t wait all the way outside.  At this point around fifty people had showed up in line behind us so when I went to ask the guy how he could do something so cruel he threatened to have me kicked out. The guy wasn’t having it so I took my place in the back of the line. There, I met back up with Tricia, who after two previous unsuccessful attempts to get her visa was determined to not let the mind games get to her. From there all we could do was laugh at the ridiculousness of what happened and hope we’d be seen. Eventually we did get seen despite the chaos of people trying to cut in line and the same guy from earlier threatening to kick people out of the office for standing in his way.

At the end of the day we both got our Visas and actually had a good time meeting other people and learning about where they were from and their past experiences trying to get their visas. We also withstood the true test of patience and know if we can get through that, we can get through anything Ireland throws at us!

This weekend all 34 scholars returned to Belfast to work the Belfast Classic. Coming into the event we all knew we were going to have to put in a lot of work to make the event a success like it had been the past few years. This year’s classic had twice as many teams and games than it had in the past so everyone was given different roles to make sure everything went smoothly around those games. I spent most of my time in the FanZone which was a makeshift basketball court, attached to SSE Arena where I played basketball with kids on their way to watch the games. This was a ton of fun as me and Garrett got to pretty much play kids one on one and break their ankles before they went to the games. During the games, my job was to keep the tunnel to the teams locker rooms clear and I also got the chance to throw gifts into the crowd which was a ton of fun(and showed me how far some people are willing to go for a free t-shirt).

As tired as I am writing this blog at 1am on my bus back to Cork from Belfast, it was more than worth it. Seeing the faces of kids, as young as 3, all the way up to the elderly, light up after hitting a shot in the FanZone and hearing the stadium roar with chants cheering on the teams are some memories I will never forget. The energy in the stadium was unbelievable throughout all three days and wouldn’t have been possible without a lot of people’s hard work and dedication. I’m thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the Sport Changes Life Team and to get to be a part of such an incredible event!

I consider myself a pretty enthusiastic person. Ask any of my past or current teammates, they will probably tell you I never shut up. As a point guard you must do A LOT of talking. If you don’t, and something goes wrong… it’s usually your fault. Anyway, talking is something that has always come natural to me. Whether it’s directing my teammates on the floor or screaming on the sidelines after Meg McGuinness hits another ‘trio’, I am constantly chattering away on and off the court. I love encouragement. I like getting it, but I LOVE giving it. I believe everyone needs encouragement. No matter what it is, just something to keep people feeling important while competing.  Reassuring a player that what they are doing is valuable is crucial. I try to use my high energy in a positive way, to encourage, yell or just make some kind of noise to motivate my teammates and make them feel appreciated.

This passed week Sport Changes Life held the 2018-19 Belfast Classic. Eight teams were invited this year, and I had the opportunity to be a team liaison for the Marist men’s basketball team. This was an unforgettable experience. I won’t get into too much detail about the tournament now (stay tuned for a separate blog), because I want to focus on the Marist basketball team.  I was able to watch practices, shoot-arounds, AND sit right behind the bench during games. I not only watched but I observed. It is Coach John Dunne’s first year with the Marist basketball program, and boy is he something else. John is a very vocal coach… which I love. He brings a massive presence on the sideline for his players to feel motivated and encouraged. Reminds me of my high school days playing for Scott Hazelton. One particular moment during the first game of the tournament struck my attention and inspired me to write this blog. Coach Dunne in a loud voice said, “David WHAT ARE YOU DOING”, after David made a mistake on defense. (Don’t worry David I heard that once or twice from Scott… maybe a billion times). Anyway a few possessions later David came off the floor, Coach Dunne pulled him aside and talked to him. Then as David walked away, in front of the whole bench, in a loud and sincere voice, Coach said “David way to take that charge, that was awesome” (fist bump). Did David get yelled at, yes, BUT coach Dunne made an effort to give David the feeling of importance in front of his teammates. We all know it is not fun getting called out for your mistakes, but what helps is the sincere encouragement in front of others to make it known that you are valued.  Coach Dunne was full of random statements of encouragement. When I say random I mean it. He and his staff would constantly give encouragement about little things (not just after having three slam dunks… sorry Liam). For example, “Matt that’s an awesome contest” and “Hey Brian that’s a great take to the basket” (after previously turning the ball over). My favorite one was during a walk-through of their out-of-bounds plays, Coach said, “ya you fell asleep on that one play, but awesome job on all the other ones”.  Coach Dunne is extremely passionate and genuinely respects his players. He is hard on them but he is constantly giving positive reinforcement, especially during these games when emotions and stress levels can be high.  Can’t forget about the Marist players! When Ryan was knocking down three after three (hitting his 200th career three) his teammates were the first ones to scream and keep encouraging him to shoot. Oh, and I thought the bench was going to get a technical after Brian through an alley-oop to Liam behind the defense… they went crazy!

I believe a successful team finds success because of the top dog (head coach). Players feed off their head coach. When the head coach is fired up and gives constant encouragement, the assistants follow; the players see that then they do too. It is quite contagious. Not everyone has that fire to constantly be vocal and make their players feel valuable, but Marist head coach John Dunne does.  As I player I will always try to give encouragement to my teammates and never shut up, giving those random shouts when needed. But in my future, as a coach, I want my players to feel valued. I will probably be the hard a** coach with high expectations, but I also want to be the one that is respected. I know it’s not easy, and I know it will take time. But I will focus on using my high energy to give constant encouragement and make my players feel valued by their teammates and by me.

Thank you Scott Hazelton for always being an inspiration. And, thank you Coach Dunne, for reminding me that a hard coach can also be one that gives the most encouragement.

My club team Eanna, has been on a hot streak and we currently lead the North Division in the National League. I’ve also been playing for my college team. We’ve had three games so far but I’m looking forward to the rest of the season. Playing for the college is slightly different than playing for Eanna. At Eanna, we’ll play roughly 30 games a season. For the college, we only get about 10 games so every one of them is special. Luckily for me, my coach at Eanna also coaches my college team so we run similar plays.

Basketball in Ireland has a completely different feel. The vibe is a lot more relaxing. At Eanna, we practice 2-3 times per week and have games every weekend. All of my teammates live in Dublin and some of them have also played on other pro teams in Dublin. Dublin has a decent amount of pro basketball teams because of the population of the city. Most of our games have been in Dublin because we either play at home or play another Dublin team. However, during the second half of the season we will be doing more traveling as we play more teams from the southern conference. My club team Eanna plays in the National League which is the second most competitive league in Ireland. The top league is the Super League in which Eanna was in last year but was relegated from at the end of last season. Our goal this year is to win the National League and make it back to Super League for the start of next season. 

It has been fun getting chance to travel and play in different cities around Ireland. Occasionally, our team will stay the night and enjoy the nightlife of our opposing team’s city. It has also been a great experience getting to see the other victory scholars and compete against them every weekend.  Ireland isn’t the biggest country in the world and the basketball community is even smaller. A lot of my teammates know opposing players from cities that could be hours away. In addition, this gives the fans of Eanna the opportunity to accompany the team to away games to cheer. All in all, basketball in Ireland has been different to say the least. I’m looking forward to the end of the season and hopefully remaining undefeated in the league.     

“Your team becomes your family, the ball becomes your best friend, the court becomes your home, and the game becomes your life.”

Before my first time at Madison Square Garden, the closest I’ve ever been to an NBA player was in my living room through the television screen. I always believed that NBA games were these extravagant events that celebrities went to that my family couldn’t afford. So you can understand my surprise when my father told me we were going to see a game. I don’t remember the exact day we went or who was playing the Knicks but I can tell you I fell in love with basketball on that day.

I remember it like it was yesterday. It wasn’t so much the game its self (TBH knowing the Knicks it was probably a blow out) but rather the atmosphere. I remember waiting in the line for tickets with my mom and dad, I’ve never been able to physically feel other people’s excitement the way I was that night. When we finally got to the front and was let inside, I had this feeling of relief. As if there was going to be some sort of bouncer there who would deny my family access to such a remarkable spectacle. I remember being pleasantly surprised at how close our seats were. I wondered if my parents blew their whole paycheck on them. Yet, the most important thing I remember was the crowd’s reaction to the Knicks’ first bucket. Thunderous applause and cheering that left me speechless and glued to my seat. At that moment, I felt this warm happiness just from watching other people around me. My dad was smiling because his beloved Knicks scored, my mom was laughing at my sister making fun of my dad’s reaction, and my older brother actually took a moment to put down his video game to see what all the commotion was about. All around me people were expressing happiness and joy at its best, and simplest form. On that day I learned the impact sport can have on people, and that impact is why basketball will always have a place in my heart.

Ever since that day I’ve always had a passion for the game of basketball. However, I was never able to experience that emotional connection to it the way I had at Madison Square Garden. I would have small moments, like when my team won a tough game or when practice got competitive. It was never like that day at Madison Square Garden. As I got older I could feel my love for the game slipping. The emotional connection with the game I love was fading, so I knew my career was fading too.

When I came to Ireland, I made up my mind that this was going to be my last year playing. I wanted to end my career on a high note. Sports Changes Life gave me the best opportunity to do so. A few months went by and I was enjoying life as a victory scholar. I not only had the opportunity to play basketball but to play an active role in the community around me. And then, there was the Belfast Classic. I thought it was super cool that I got to help with such a big tournament. The weeks leading up to the classic were chaotic, to say the least, but it ended being totally worth it! I remember right when I felt it, that old feeling I first had in Madison Square Garden. I was watching the last few seconds of the final game. Buffalo’s bench was getting excited, fans were starting stand for the imminent celebration, kids were starting to count down the clock just so they had an opportunity to yell and the people who put in weeks and weeks of hard work were finally taking that long-awaited breath. There were smiles all around and every one of them presents due to their own individual reason. Right then I felt that warm happiness again. Right then, at that moment, I fell back in love with basketball.

Throughout my first semester at NUI Galway, I’ve noticed several discrepancies from our own educational system in the United States: university programs here are only three years in length, school spirit and athletic support is minimal, students typically don’t move far from home to attend, and greek life is non-existent. Most importantly, however, the Irish boast a unique grading scale where a 70% will land you first-class honors and a 40% is passing (hopefully my mom is more receptive to me bringing home these numbered grades now than she was when I was in high school).

As final exam season approaches, I feel the best use of my time is to reflect on my first semester exam preparation under the Irish educational system in the healthiest and least original format possible, through The Office gifs. It’s a weird time year where unlikely friendships blossom and that creepy kid in class whose name you haven’t quite learned yet, but who takes extremely extensive notes, becomes the most important person in your life for a span of 48 hours. Hats off to my classmates and the other scholars; I’ll see you on the other side. Until this time, I will be posted in the Cairnes Business Center crying internally.

Walking into a packed James Hardiman Library during study week: 

Opening my notebook to the first few weeks of class material:

… Five minutes later:

Getting so overwhelmed by work I watch hours of Youtube videos instead:

Showing up to my exam the next morning after pulling an all-nighter:

When the professor begins passing out exams:

When my mom calls asking how the exams went:

…And I have to tell her:

“Sorrentine hit that one from the parking lot!”, Gus Johnson exclaimed. The deep three pointer all but sealed the Catamounts’ overtime upset over reigning Big East champions Syracuse and Boeheim’s army in the first round of the 2005 NCAA tournament. As the final horn sounded, an at-capacity crowd sat stunned in the Worcester DCU center. Thirteen had trumped four; the Burlington, Vermont David had taken down Goliath. It was my first impression of collegiate basketball, and I knew immediately it was something I needed to be apart of.

Fast-forward to today.

This weekend the Belfast Classic will be returning to Northern Ireland for the second consecutive year. And it’s bigger and better than ever. Eight teams, three days, and several thousand miles traveled by teams stretching from San Fran to New York.

For the next five days, I am privileged to be working alongside the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks of Nacogdoches, Texas, a team I have prior experience with from my own collegiate career. The team enters the weekend event 4-1, looking to collect statement wins over the USF Dons and the #21 team in the country, the Bulls of Buffalo. SFA is nothing short of a storied basketball culture though: four conference titles in the last five seasons, the best home court winning percentage in the NCAA (something I sadly helped contribute to), and the winningest program in the state of Texas in the last decade.

While the trip is sure to be memorable for the traveling party, with community outreach opportunities and historical city monument tours scheduled, the impact that this event will have on the local youth and the city itself cannot be overstated. It’s a chance to share a piece of American culture with my new home and to contribute to the growing popularity of the sport across the island. Sometime in the SSE Arena this weekend, these eight teams will inspire a new generation of youth, just as T.J. Sorrentine did for me all those years ago.

To find more information about the upcoming event, including games times and ticket pricing, visit our website at http://www.belfastbasketballclassic.com/.

“Ready, set, dunk!” 

 

Last week, I spent five days up in Belfast working the Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic as a team liaison for the Dartmouth Big Green. The Belfast Classic is an NCAA Division I basketball tournament hosted by Sport Changes Life in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Last year, four teams competed in the inaugural event. Given the success of last year, the field grew to 8 teams this year competing in two four-team brackets, creating a lot of buzz around the event and also requiring added preparation in hosting and working the event.

As a team liaison, I spent the entire week with the Dartmouth team, greeting them at Dublin Airport upon their arrival to sending them off on their flight home. Throughout the week, I made sure they were taken care of and on-time for all of their commitments (community engagements, meals, practices, games, etc.). As a little reward, I had an All-Access pass at the SSE Arena for the week and front row seats for all the games.

        Court-side seats to watch the “Goliath” bracket Championship Game between Buffalo and USF

The 10 Team Liaisons (and Royce) with our guy Gerard (our tournament coordinator by day and bouncer by night)

All the Scholars worked the event, so it was great to reconnect with everyone and spend some time together. Mark Kilpatrick (Ulster golf scholar) shared the Dartmouth team liaison duties with me, so I got to spend a lot of time hanging out with him and getting to know him better. Kid’s an absolute STUDDD (English accent)! Everyone at Sport Changes Life did a lot to promote the tournament throughout all of Ireland by primarily encouraging many of the youth clubs and school teams we coach to attend the event. The purpose of the Belfast Classic is primarily geared towards growing the sport of basketball in the North and South of Ireland and getting youth players throughout the country up to Belfast to give them an opportunity to watch high-level basketball. The tournament is meant to encourage them to love the game, improve their own, and raise their aspirations in sport and life through the avenue of basketball.

Courtney and I were able to get our Tyndall College boys free tickets to attend the event.

Personally, looking back on the event, I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work as one of the ten Scholars chosen to be a team liaison. Throughout the week, I couldn’t help but think back on my experience as a college basketball player at Amherst. Hanging out in the hotel and traveling with Dartmouth on the bus to team meals, practices, and games reminded me of life on the road as a player at Amherst. Team trips, whether it be for a single road game or a weeklong trip overseas (at Amherst, I was fortunate enough to travel and play in Italy during the summer before my sophomore year), provided great opportunities to bond with teammates and coaches. Having the chance to be involved with Dartmouth so closely throughout the week allowed me to briefly relive the lifestyle of a college basketball player on the road. To be honest, I found myself a little envious of the Dartmouth players as I watched their practices and games throughout the week. High-fiving the players as they rushed into the locker room after a great team win over UAlbany in their second game of the tournament reminded me how great it felt to win big games throughout my collegiate career. But, hey, I had my four years! All that being said, at the same time, I am appreciative that I am still playing basketball, part of a competitive team, and building camaraderie with my new teammates. I am definitely going to enjoy it while I have it!!

The Basketball Hall of Fame Belfast Classic. Where do I even begin? This week has been the best week of my entire life. I was gratefully chosen to be a team liaison for the University of Albany during their stay in Northern Ireland. First of all, I cannot begin to describe how amazing their program is. Their staff, their players and their families were so kind and welcoming and I will forever remember my time spent with them. 

Being a team liaison meant that I got to watch practices, attend shoot arounds and sit behind their bench during games. It was really one of the first times I have been able to watch a team behind the scenes that I wasn’t apart of. It was amazing being able to watch Coach Brown, who has been coaching at UAlbany for over 17 years, and his staff work to better his young roster. Talking with Coach Brown, it was clear that he has a lot of respect for the players he coaches. Even though they struggled to get a win during the week, Coach Brown was still positive about the things they learned about their team and the steps they had to take to move forward and progress. We also got the chance to talk about the Victory Scholar Program and he was quickly asking how to apply because he felt that this program would be perfect for a couple of his players when the time comes. The interest and effort he puts into his team beyond the court just shows that care and respect runs deep in his program.

The team was able to spend a few hours of their time engaging in the community of Belfast by paying a visit to Malone College. Here, the guys answered some questions from the students and then moved on to skills and drills. It was so fun watching how these kids looked up to the players like they were superstars. One even asked how many millions of dollars did they make a season. The team could not have been better with them and I think they gained a school full of fans for life.

 

With goals of one day getting involved in college athletics again, this week has been unforgettable and eye opening. I hope to one day be apart of a program with as much mutual respect as I have seen in UAlbany. I have learned so much from being able to observe a team from the outside-in and I hope to use this experience to help obtain my future goals in college sports.

 

As the Victory Scholars start to get into the swing of things, we are becoming more familiar with our schedule and the various groups that we work with. In this blog, I will focus only on the Crumlin community EHOOPS group for young adults. Sport Changes Life staff, along with Phillip Johnson, Mark Kilpatrick and I meet with this group on Mondays for two hours. For the first hour, we facilitate participation of sporting activity. The second hour, however, involves working in educational workshops that help to build the participants CV. These groups are exceptional. They are truly excited to be a part of the program and are devoted to what the program is all about.

Sometimes we have off site trips. The first off site trip that I was involved in was a team building session to an air soft facility. I was excited to participate and to be given the opportunity to get to know the young adults in a different setting. The match was an extraordinary success. The picture above is an insight depicting a fraction of the positive impact that the scholars and the SCL staff have on the young people of the EHOOPS program. A series of simple matches of friendly airsoft war games paved a path for the formation of closer bonds between SCL staff/scholars and EHOOP young adults. This allowed for conversations about aspirations and goals of these young scholars to emerge as they began to trust and open up to the participating scholars. Instances like these are what we are about! Creating moments that help foster an environment where we can educate, inspire, and motivate, so that we can all be VICTORIOUS!