Here at last… Here at last… After saying my see you later to my twin brother (Branden), my mother (Bridge), my grandmother (Shirley Ann), my aunts (Karen & Latonia), my boyfriend (Richard), and my cousins (Mike, Thomas, & Domo). Yea I know it’s a lot of names, but my family loves me and was there to see me off.

Mission 1: Arriving to Belfast is now completed. After an hour delay out of BWI airport to a plane change in London, I am here; with all three of my checked bags!

I was the second to last to arrive in Belfast. After arriving I got my first meal in Ireland… A CHEESE BURGER & FRIES!!!! Boy…Oooo… Boy was it GOOD! Soon after that I got to meet up with the rest of the scholars, and since then we have been on our next mission, which will be revealed on my next blog. 

Every Monday night we have practice for the UL Fresher’s (first year) team and we’ve seen tons of improvement from the first training session weeks ago! One important factor that I keep trying to stress to them is the power of talking! I’m used to communicating on the court for everything – defense, offense, encouraging my teammates, etc. For some reason, the Fresher’s team struggles the most in this (seemingly) simple aspect of basketball. Talking and communicating on the court creates a higher level of teamwork; it allows you to become more comfortable with your teammates at an even faster rate. We’ve had many practices where the Fresher team has tremendous progress with communication – then the next week we’re back to square one!

I now feel my coaches’ struggles from Elon when our team failed to communicate to the highest level during practices. I can recall plenty of times where we had to run for these mistakes, and now it’s eye-opening to see the same situation from a coach’s perspective. I’m in the process of thinking of some creative ways to improve our communication on the court as we speak! I’ll always remember the instances our coaches counted how many times we gave high fives or said encouraging words during our practice warm-up – and if we didn’t reach our goal number, we had to run for it! Time for some creative brainstorming! (Suggestions are welcomed!) 🙂 

This weekend I felt like one of the luckiest people around. It all started in the middle of last week, I was skyping my dad and he said he was coming to visit! Low and behold, he was in Galway 3 days later. I couldn’t have asked for a better surprise! Being my last weekend before classes started and training really getting underway, I was free all weekend minus a few hours on Saturday when I had the Academy and my first NUIG Mystics training session. So needless to say, it was a perfect weekend to have my first visitor. It was great to be able to show my dad where I live and let him experience what life in Galway is all about. We got to do a little sightseeing around the city and see places like the City Centre, the Spanish Arch, the Claddagh, Salthill, and of course my new university, NUIG. I have to say, even though I’ve only been living here about 2 weeks, I felt like I knew where everything was and was like a little tour guide. The visit wouldn’t have been complete without a few trips to the gym though. I was very fortunate that my dad was able to watch some of the Academy (which is a basketball camp I coach on Saturdays), 2 Mystics practices, and one of my Galway Titans training sessions. I was very glad that he was able to see first hand some of my basketball career in Ireland. He also helped me get a few things so I could finish getting my new home all set up. And I have to say it was so much easier shopping because he had a car so I didn’t have to worry about being able to carry everything back to my apartment! All in all, it was a fantastic weekend and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to end summer and start off the new school year. Thanks for visiting Dad!

We made it! Ten of the eleven Victory scholars for the 2013-2014 academic year have landed in Belfast and are getting warmed up to Ireland. Happy to say the great summer weather has more or less continued this week and we haven’t seen much of that famous Irish rain. There have been a lot of firsts in the few days we’ve all been in country… Amongst them our first taste of Irish stew, genuine Guinness from the motherland, our first eHoops program, and a variety of Sport Changes Life programs meant to prepare us for this year. Todays Victory scholar photoshoot was especially fun as everyone got to get real loose and goof around in front of the camera as SCL’s Marc Mulholland got some great shots of everybody. It was also great meeting some of the neighbourhood kids at last nights eHoops event, and getting a feel for what we’ll be doing throughout the community this year. So far, so good!

The verdict so far? Irish stew is delicious, Guinness is as good as ever, eHoops was great, and the Victory programs have been enlightening on a number of levels. All in all it’s been a great week so far and I’m looking forward to the rest of the orientation process… along with a couple more pints of Guinness.

In high school I ran (and won) for Student Council President under the slogan, “Coyne 4 Change”, a time when Obama was campaigning for change. Five years later, I found myself running for class representative in my International Management Masters Program. This time around there was no campaigning with cheesy catchphrases such as “I won’t nickel and dime you”, as I handed out chocolate gold coins to remind the student body who they needed representing them. This time around, I was practically forced into the role from my fellow classmates, whose nationalities range from Belgian to Canadian and Chinese to Indian. I hit it off right away with all of my classmates and when we needed to elect a class representative, they unanimously all wanted me to be it. I thought I may not have enough time with my already busy schedule but I found it to be such an honour (Yes I did just spell honour with a “u”, got a problem!) that they all thought I would be great for the job.

One of my first battles with the administration of the program is that they are not allowing the four Chinese students to go on the Hong Kong trip in May. These students approached me and were very upset that they were not going to be able to join their fellow classmates because the administration feels that the cultures are too similar and they would not benefit from this trip. After speaking with these four girls they informed me that they are from mainland China which differs completely from Hong Kong and that they would need a visa to even visit the country. They speak different languages and the culture is vastly different, with one of the students comparing Greece and Italy. She said, “Just because they look similar and the languages sound the same to a foreigner, does not mean anything.” I hope I can get through to the administration on their behalf and allow these students to take such a unique trip. I find myself learning more from my international classmates than I could in any textbook. I will let you know how it all turns out, let’s see if Coyne can change…

What a first few days in Belfast! Saying goodbye to the Ben and the fam on Saturday was harder than I imagined, but after a good sleep at University of Ulster in my own room I have recovered and am ready to make the most of this year!

I want to say a quick thanks to everyone who made this experience possible, and hello to my friends and family across the pond! The first shoutouts of the year go to Mom, Dad, Ris, Ed and Benjamin. Stay tuned for more.

I had high expectations coming here for this experience, and since arriving they have only risen. I am blessed to be working with an amazing group of scholars from all over and a staff who really wants to make a difference not just on this island, but also across the world.

Things here are both very different and very similar to back home. I have quickly learned that I speak “American” and everyone over here speaks “English.” We are quickly adjusting to the phrases and all of us have already adopted “wee” into our vocabulary.  My favorite saying so far though is definitely “happy days,” and everyone from back home will understand why!

My sisters planted wee notes in my suitcases before takeoff, and I’m going to end with them while they last, they are a good laugh, and really helped me through that first night.

#1 “KRATIE!” I don’t know if you found this one first, but HELLO! And welcome to our new favorite game show, Christine and Maddy’s Hilarious notes!

Training for the rest of the week, and then my roommate Shelby and I will be off to Dublin to play with one of the club teams against Yale!

Til’ next time, peacee

Over the first two weeks I had the opportunity to work/play with the next generation of Northern Ireland. We reported to camps all over, particularly in those less privileged areas. I quickly realized that I had their ear and an opportunity to make a difference in their day. I could share my story, or say good job and make their day or even their week.
Many of the children had never met an American, yet many of them asked, “Do you know the Kardashians?” The show’s popularity here was a disappointing realization to say the least. I wanted to say “No I do not keep up with the Kardashians, nor should you!”
On the final days of summer camp, I spent a lot of time on the playground with the younger kids. It was surprisingly sunny for the last two days with NO RAIN (we need to enjoy these days now because they will be nonexistent soon). Out on the playground I felt young again, even though I was primarily spotting children, pushing them on the swing as they said “higher, higher!”, or lifting them up on equipment which I recall being removed from playgrounds when I was a child.
There was a young boy named Ryan, and although he was not the only Ryan given that it is Ireland, he reminded me of myself. He was quite (and probably cuter than I was) until he asked me to help him on the swing, and then after that he was having me run around the playground with him, playing hopscotch, seesaw, and any other games he could create.

Yo! For the most part, everyone is here and we already have lots of pictures, accompanied by lots of laughs. My roommate is the only female soccer player, so shout out to Diana! We get along well, and all of the scholars bring something unique to SCL.

Attending ehoops was a learning moment because we sat and listened to a few young males in the program talk passionately about their culture. I was paired with one of the males in the program who really opened up to me. Hearing his story really touched me because we had just met, and he already had so much to share about how the program helped him turn his life around. 

I have no doubt that we will have memorable experiences while in school, in the community, and around town. All of the training will be very useful as we all settle in to our separate universities and community programs. Overall, I am really enjoying my time here. Having 24/7 access to Wi-Fi would be the best thing that could happen to me over the next few weeks because I would like to talk to my family and friends a “we” bit more. Until then I know I will be in great hands, surrounded by extraordinary people.

I have coached many different teams with many different players, yet there is something about the U12 boys I am coaching at Kubs that is different. And no it’s not their accents or their should I say “Irish” sense of humor but their ability to put all cares aside when it comes to winning a basketball game. We have had about 4 practices with different kids each week so I was a bit nervous going into the game. The opposing coach had a whiteboard and was calling and drawing up plays when I was on the other bench thinking to myself, “Playoffs? I just hope we can win a game.” (I hope some of you reading this know that quote because it’s hilarious). As the game went on things went well! We were up the entire game and despite our struggle to match up on defense, we did okay. I learned late in the second half that the boys had no idea what ‘match up’ means and no one cared to tell me. I must have looked very intelligent yelling it repeatedly the entire first half. So quick tip for anyone else coaching in Ireland they say ‘mark up’ here. We ended up winning by 2 after one of my players hit 2 clutch free tries (a la Bill Gibbons) after being fouled in the last 5 seconds.

I would say it was a pretty good coaching debut. The boys I am coaching have a lot of things going on at home and it is clear that when they come to Kubs they are looking to blow off steam. I have had to adjust my coaching style to ensure they get a good break yet are still productive and learn something. I am looking forward to continue working with them throughout the year to see their development as players and individuals. One thing I know for certain is that no matter what country you are coaching in, if you promise candy at the end of practice, they will be all eyes and ears the rest of the session. Anyway, we won our first game and I look forward to improving! 

It was finally time for our first training session (or what we would call practice) on a beautiful Tuesday evening with the Ulster Elks Club team. Oh, on a side note we have our first match, or as we would call it a game, on Saturday evening. I walked towards Sports Hall 1, which is the main basketball court, and I had the opportunity to meet some members of my new team. Unlike my Davidson teammates, the average height among these lads was not quite 6’6”, but my excitement was still unwavering.
We were scheduled to have practice in Sports Hall 1, which is strategically named that rather than Basketball Court 1. It is used as a soccer pitch, netball court, and for various other sports. We quickly realized that the basketball nets on either end of the court do not mean that basketball gets priority.
We entered Sports Hall 1 to find two Chinese men playing badminton, which to my knowledge can be played on any surface given that the shuttlecock (yes, I had to look up “the thing you hit in badminton?”) does not even bounce. I could not believe that we may not be able to have our first practice because of badminton. I thought I got frustrated during the preseason at Davidson when we would have to practice on the top side courts because of a volleyball practice that somehow always conflicted.
I thought to myself, soccer would be one thing, but this is just ridiculous. This is a reality I will have to continue to learn to accept; as basketball is not the popular sport here it is in the States. On this side of the ocean, people are brought up with a ball at their feet, not in their hands!

Hi! It’s only my second day in Belfast and I already feel at home. I packed so much stuff and I paid for it at the airport, but this is my first time out of the US so I figured 3 suitcases and 2 bags would be perfect. I also didn’t know I had to go through security again for an international flight and delays didn’t help, but I made it and this place is beautiful!

I had a great time with the SheHoops girls last night. We worked on fundamental moves, made necklaces out of clay, and finished the night with lots of pizza and laughs. I am still learning names, but during a light scrimmage one of the girls said “I can’t shoot,” and I told her yes you can, and 2 plays later she scored back to back with the help of good ball movement. Her face lit up and I said, “I told you so!”

I disappointed one of the girls when I told her I didn’t know anyone from the MTV series Buckwild, but I remember Caroline and Sarah telling me that they would think I knew all of these famous people just because I live in the US. They also looked at me strangely when it was time to stretch because I asked them to count with me alternating numbers like I say “1,” they say “2,” and so forth, but they got the hang of it.

Some of the girls are my age and others are a little younger. For the most part I can understand everyone, despite the accent and fast pace. I haven’t run into any trouble with the food, although I have to get used not to having much ice. My first meal at Burger King and my first chicken sandwich were delightful.  They also have a McDonalds, Subway, and good coffee!

I can’t wait until Gareth’s daughters arrive so I can show them pictures from the Justin Bieber concert. That was the last activity I enjoyed with my sister, Olivia, before I came to Ireland.

I’m also looking forward to the other scholars arriving. I have already connected with my roommate Diana and Brittney at the dinner in Philly; they are both really nice and awesome.

I plan on going into town today because the weather has been great so far, and everyone is telling me to take advantage of this and that I shouldn’t get lost because the town isn’t too big. Mostly everywhere I go has Wi-Fi and last night I talked to my mom on Viber. She said she would get an Instagram because everyone keeps calling her about the pictures I have been posting. I’m looking forward to every aspect of this program.                     

This past weekend I got the chance to coach my first tournament with the 16 & under girls’ team.  IT Carlow hosted the Midlands Mania basketball tournament and I got to see dozens of children from all across Ireland in action over the course of Saturday and Sunday at the Barrow centre in the college. There was some great talent out there and I really enjoyed watching the games, but it was even better being able to coach the girls.

This was my first time coaching a team by myself, so I was a little nerve at first. I had also just met the girls right before our first game was about to start-which made things a little nerve racking, but I was up for the challenge. The girls ended up winning both games that Saturday which lead them to the semi finals on Sunday. We ended up with a record of 3-1 in the tournament and lost in finals on Sunday. The girls gave an impressive effort and played a great game during the championship. The most import thing is that they never gave up the entire game and kept fighting because in the end they were still winners.

“The most important thing about winning is believing that you can win no matter who you are playing.”

Overall, I really enjoyed coaching and teaching these young girls over the weekend and I am looking forward to watching them progress and grow over the next year into great players.

Elle is my classmate from China. Although she is studying business, she is also working on improving her English. We have a group project together in International Corporate Finance, and I make it my duty to try and help her understand. Sometimes in class she will slide me her notebook and ask me to simplify what the teacher just said. If only Elle knew I’m trying to simplify it for myself too. So in actuality helping her in our business classes is helping me to better understand the content as well.

Then we have my good pal Fish. Yes, just like one in the water. Fish is also from China, but don’t ask me his real name because I don’t know it. I said, “Why do you call yourself fish?” He said, “I got it from Prison Break, the new guy is called Fish.” He is new to Ireland, but is fascinated with America. More specifically his exact words were “I love America and I love Allen Iverson.” He asked me how he could get braids like mine and I thought that was hilarious. Fish’s real mission is to get braids like Allen Iverson. He already has a similar crossover so I wont be surprised if I see Fish with some decked out braids next week.

As I find myself making adjustments to the way of life here, I’ve realized that it can be just as easy or just as hard for anyone else. Elle has her own way of learning English. Meanwhile Fish is just trying to make friends; and is in the gym everyday trying to replicate Allen Iverson crossovers. Personally, I’m just trying to keep up in the academic world of business.

I guess you can call me a “fish” too because I’m new to the scene finding my way with everyone else. At some point we all have to dive in, so why not swim with everyone else and learn something? 

These last ten months have passed by quicker than any others of my life. I feel like it was just the other day that I was getting off the plane in Dublin, eager for the experiences ahead of me. Now, I’m getting ready to go back home, anxious and uncertain of what lies ahead.

My time as a Victory Scholar has been such a wonderful experience and I am so happy with my decision. At first, I thought being away from home, away from all of my family and friends, was going to be difficult. But the people that I have met, the friendships that I have formed, and the lessons that I have learned while I was in Ireland, made my decision worthwhile. Words cannot describe how grateful I am for this surreal opportunity. I have enjoyed every aspect of being a Victory Scholar: playing basketball, studying, and helping young kids. But being a Victory Scholar is so much more than just those three pieces. I feel I have gained so much more out of this experience than I had anticipated. I have learned so much about the Irish culture and the country’s wonderful and welcoming people. I had the opportunity to travel around Europe and see things that I never thought I would see at the age of 23. I was able to learn about real time business projects and be a part of the continuous development of SCL and the Victory Scholar program, mainly through the use of social media. But most importantly, I have formed an entirely new family, my Irish family, who made Ireland my new home for these last 10 months.

Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this experience and for making it unforgettable.  It would be impossible to thank everyone who has affected me since I’ve been in Ireland. But thank you to everyone in the UL Huskies, Phil, James, Tommy, and all the girls, for welcoming me into the ‘pack’. Playing with this club has been a great experience and I’m lucky to be ending my basketball career on such a high note. Thank you to Marc, #socialguru, for taking me under your wing and allowing me to be a part of the development of this program all year. I was able to learn a lot in just a short amount of time. Cro, thanks for just being you, You do so much for SCL and all of us scholars and I SCL wouldn’t be the same without you! And of course, thank you to all of the Maguires. Gareth and Deirdre you guys have been nothing but wonderful to me. I appreciate your kindness and generosity and am lucky to have you a part of my life now. And to the girls, Anna, Enya, and Erin, I’ve always wanted a sister, and now I have three! You guys are awesome and I’m going to miss you so much!

Finally, thank you Sport Changes Life for this amazing opportunity. I am so proud to say that I am a Victory Scholar and a part of the Sport Changes Life family, a family who I know will be a major part of the rest of my life. 

Thanks for all the great craic Ireland! I’ll miss you! 

In my debut weekend as a coach, I was given the reigns on a young Carlow Knicks team with loads of talent, but lack in confidence. On saturday morning we had our first game at 9:30. The girls were a little nervous and tense and dug themselves into a early hole with a 10 point deficit going into the second quarter. We never were able to get back on defense, and kept giving up offensive rebounds that led to a surplus of second chance points. After taking two loses in the morning we finally clicked and got our first win Saturday night. Our point guard did a great job leading the team and our post players really stepped up the defense and rebounding. On Saturday we added another very special player to the team that set up way above all of the teams. We faced a rematch from my first game against Jess’s team, and we blew them out and started the game on a 10-0 run. It was smooth sailing from there. We had to make a few adjustments but our initial punch was too much for the opposing team to handle. We won the game, and everyone contributed. It was a “grand” way to start my year in Carlow.

Hi Everyone!

I know it has been a while since I have blogged but life has been crazy for me. I have been back in the states now for 8 weeks and in that time I had my Achilles surgery. It has been a longgggg 8 weeks to say the least. About two days ago they finally told me I don’t have to wear my boot any more! That has been the most exciting news for me in a while. I am now learning how to walk again. It is harder than you would think but it’s a step in the right direction. (see what I did there) I started my Physical Therapy last week and things are starting to look up.

The weather at home has been beautiful and I have heard from my Irish family that the weather up in Belfast hasn’t been so bad either. Needless to say I have been working on my tan since I have been on the DL.

I finished up my Exams at home at Boston University, and it was tough to study without Matt and Jim by my side. But we were able to skype and chat over everything and anything, so it all worked out. Good thing I had my Dunkin Donuts to get me though!

I think about my eHoopers & and Shehoopers all the time. I have kept in touch with my Elks and Rockets family via email, whatsapps and skype. And of course I am in touch with the Maguire girls on a daily bases and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Thank goodness for technology or I would be so lost. 

Being back in the states has been a little strange. Everyone is in a rush to go somewhere, everyone is on time, and I don’t get confused on what side of the car I am suppose to get into. But I miss the community I was apart of up in Belfast, there is something special about that place, and I am so thankful I was given the chance to be apart of it.

I traveled south this past weekend to Galway to help coach the North regional squad at the Ireland Inter-Regionals. They select the top 35 girls from this tournament to be a part of the Ireland u15 national training. I thought my biggest concern/worry going into this tournament would be to get crowned Inter-Regional champs and to get as many girls selected for the Ireland team as possible. However, my thinking has changed since being over here in Ireland.

I’m a natural born competitor that wants to win and be the best in any and everything I do. We always know what is in winning, but what comes from the journey will always be different. The long practices, the bus rides, team meals, being crammed in a gym all day, and having to sleep with one another brings a lot more memories than winning. I saw personalities shine, relationships grow/begin, and girls come out of their shell. That was a lot bigger than winning. Saw my young club and regional players really step up. When the competition got more difficult they stepped up to the plate (baseball analogy) and gave it everything they had. They may have struck out but at least they did by trying their best.

That’s all you can ever ask for out of a group of 15 year old girls. They all came together to be good basketball players and win Inter-Regionals. Sad to say that the winning part didn’t happen. However, they did become better basketball players from when they go on the bus to head to Galway to when they got off the bus back in Belfast. Their relationships had grown, their personalities were much stronger, and the look in their eyes showed nothing but enjoyment. SCL mentor Andy, Deirdre and I couldn’t have asked for more as coaches. We lost the trip this past weekend in basketball terms. However, we are riding high in the winning lane on our journey.

Every Monday and Wednesday night all of the scholars participate in the Ehoops program which brings together young men from Belfast, police officers and SCL scholars.  After a few weeks of working with these kids, the one thing I learned is that sports, specifically football (soccer), is a universal language.  Although we might be from different cultures, sports provide a common ground for all those involved in Ehoops. 

During Ehoops we play multiple sports but the one which is always requested by the Ehoopers is football.  Having not played soccer since 7^th grade, this was going to be a challenge.  My lack of soccer skills were clearly evident the first time I stepped on the field with the kids who all tried to be Ronaldo or Messi with every move they made.  Despite my lack of skill just competing with them allowed me to make an impression on the Ehoopers.  When we are split into teams for soccer games, I am able to engage with the guys in a less stressful and free environment.  Although sports is a huge part of Ehoops, the classroom and discussions we have had, highlight some of the community issues present in Northern Ireland.  One incident I learned about was the flag situation where protests erupted because the Union Jack flag was taken down from government buildings to be in accordance with the policies through the UK.  People took pride in the Union Jack flag and this was clear in the emotional reactions of the kids when they talked about pride in the flag. I am sure I will learn a lot more about these types of issues and I do so with an open mind as there is always multiple sides to stories but one thing is for sure, I am only scratching the service…

This last week in Ireland has been the best yet, and very emotional.  I never wanted it to end, I refused to pack and have been in denial since Marc and Matt came down for our exit interviews the week before =( … I Honestly don’t even know how this year has gone by so fast… Words cannot explain how grateful I am for the experiences & memories I’ve made with some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met. This was honestly the way to go out.  I traveled around Ireland with my girls Aileen & Shauna visiting the Aran Islands and then over to Connemara to see Kylemore Abby. We had dinner and drinks the night before Andre and I left and hung out by the Spanish Arch afterward with the Galway family. And of course the day we left, Friday June 7th, we had an authentic Irish wake-up call from my boy Dillon before leaving Woodquay…  It was a very emotional day, speeches were made before we left the apartment thanking each other for a wonderful and memorable year.  I won’t forget it.  The group hug before security at the airport with Andre, Shauna and Aileen is where it hit me that I was really leaving Ireland when it felt like we had only just arrived.  I’d like to thank SCL again for the time of my life. I know I will take these memories with me on this new journey to France & be back again someday for more.. If I could I was do it all over again and again!  I’ll see you soon Ireland!! Much love.  #Victory #Family <3

Since Jonathan and I were able to move into our apartment a little earlier than the rest of the postgraduate students, we had a lot of down time to explore the campus and Limerick City on our own. It was the first time in the first couple weeks where we had time to truly settle in our new environment.. and it may be silly to say… but it really just hit me that I was going to be LIVING in Ireland for the next year!

Having time to sit and just take in my new environment had me thinking about my goals and aspirations for this year. I’m more than blessed to have this opportunity to live in a new country, contine to play basketball, pursue my masters, AND become a role model in the local community through volunteering and coaching. I’ve always tried to be appreciative of my opportunities in life and to truly value the relationships that I make along the way.

I want to step outside of my comfort zone and to truly create genuine relationships this year. It’s one thing to say that the world is SO big.. but it’s another thing to experience it and see it for yourself. Learning about a different culture and fully immersing myself into this new culture is going to be an eye opening experience for me as well.

Working the camps these past two weeks has been a great way to begin my journey in Ireland.. No matter what type of day you’re having, the pure joy on the kid’s faces can always make it better. Using basketball to reach across those cultural boundaries just solidifies the reason why I love sport in general. Sport has given me a vessel to explore the world.. and I’m going to make the most of it. Basketball is not a big sport in Ireland to say the least.. and having the campers tell us that they enjoy playing basketball more because of our camps makes everything worth it.

I’m also giving a shout out to Positive Attitudes Youth Center in Burlington, NC… The kids at PAYC truly changed my life for the better and were the main motivations behind me pursuing the Victory Scholarship. I’ve learned so much from those kids and the staff that its hard to exactly put it into words.. but just know that I’m thinking about you guys!

I was asked to help a local soccer club in Limerick with coaching a group of about 40 under 10 boys during their practice alongside two of the Arsenal Community Development coaches. Now, many people may be turned off after hearing they have to coach such a large group of boys, fresh out of school, looking to release all that built up energy in an hour-long soccer practice. Call it weird, but I actually loved it.

I was also informed that I’d be introduced as the “international football player, because the boys would love that.” Simple enough. As I began to introduce myself to my half of the group of boys for a skills session, I only got two words out before they screamed, “Oh you’re AMERICAN!” and one boy shouted, “I can tell by your hair!” I got the boys started on the drill after a few questions about “the Big Apple” and if I knew any of their family that lived there (to their disappointment, I didn’t), but it was pretty remarkable to see how excited they were to have an American at their practice.

In between drills, a few boys enthusiastically asked me to watch them while they showed me a few of their skills like a rainbow, around the world, and a bit of juggling (apologies to the readers that don’t understand some soccer lingo). To my surprise, the boys were much more advanced than what I’m used to back in the states. They told me about how often they practiced on their own (a coach’s dream) and how improving their foot skills in soccer is mutually beneficial for the other sports as some of them play Gaelic football and rugby.

This practice reminded me why I love working with kids so much, and why I am here in Ireland as a whole. Hearing a child’s laughter while they play soccer, seeing a child’s face of determination while they chase a ball, and watching a child excitedly show you an accomplishment in their sport are a few of the fulfilling things a coach is able to experience. Excited for next Wednesday! #Road to #Victory

It’s surreal to think that my stay in Ireland has already come to an end. The friends, connections and memories that I have created over these months here are ones that will forever change my life. I’m truly grateful for everyone that I have met! You all are amazing people! I’m glad to say that Ireland is now my second home, and I will be returning soon no doubt! I want to give a special thanks to my “new” family, Sport Changes Life, for what they have done for me. Without them accepting me as an Victory Scholar, all these experiences, friends and connections would have never been possible! But, they gave me this opportunity and I will be forever grateful for that! What we do in this program is great for the community and it will continue to grow to do more and bigger things! Again, thank you everyone who I was fortunate enough to have met that made this whole experience forever memorable! Thank you all who followed my blogs/journey here in Ireland, the support was great! Love y’all and take care everybody!

Ever since landing in Ireland, whether I was in Belfast, Dublin, Tipperary, or Galway, I tried making morning runs routine. I would go out for a morning run, (well sometimes its more like a jog) before the city gets super crowded with people. Trying to run around a new city I’ve never been to can be quite challenging, but it’s definitely helped me learn my way around town and experience Irish culture. I’m not going to lie, I have gotten lost a few times, but thankfully the people here are so friendly, so I’ve had no problem asking for directions and finding my way back, eventually. I have probably seen twice as much of the city just because of these runs. The amount of beautiful scenery and interesting sites I’ve seen is absolutely amazing! Whether it’s been running along the water in Belfast and seeing the Titanic cranes in the background, along the sea in Dublin, by the lake in Tipperary, or through the city and by the bay in Galway, I’ve been in absolute awe. Seeing castles, horses, lighthouses, bays, and beaches is the perfect way to start any morning! Never would I have dreamt of seeing sights like these on a daily basis. I’ve always heard Ireland was a beautiful country, but I never imagined it would be like this. I can now attest that when people say it’s beautiful in Ireland, it is and they aren’t kidding. Between all the green and beaches and stone, it’s incredible!! Unfortunately, its getting harder to partake in these calming and enjoying runs because I’ve started training, but hopefully I’ll still find some time every now and then. 

Before I came to Ireland, everyone kept telling me get used to the cold and rain all the time because you can very well experience all 4 seasons in one day.  So I was a little worried as I’m not a huge fan of the cold, especially combined with rain. However, my first month and half here, it was pretty warm, sunny, and just a few drizzles here and there. And probably for the first week there was no rain.  I started to think and hope maybe people were just messing with me and it would stay this nice all year, but all my friends in Ireland reassured me that it will get cold and rain. And sure enough, it did. The past few weeks it’s been windy, cold, and lots of rain! But it’s tricky. I’ll walk to class in the morning and it will be sunny and fairly warm outside and I’ll be sweating while walking to class and then 3 hours later it will be freezing cold and pouring rain outside. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve failed to wear a raincoat or bring an umbrella with me and then gotten stuck in the rain. So I learned quickly and now I don’t take any chances. I wear a raincoat or bring an umbrella EVERYWHERE! I’ve gotten a few strange looks when I wear my raincoat when its sunny out, but I’m not risking it. So people can just get used to it! Little tip to visitors and foreigners: weather is crazy so carry an umbrella with you at all times if you don’t want to get wet. Now, I can definitely attest to the fact that you can and will experience all 4 seasons in one day! However, on the bright side, you get to see lots and lots of rainbows, and I mean who doesn’t like a good rainbow 🙂

Victory Scholar: Nicole Krusen

Sport League: PATRIOT League

Present University: National University of Ireland Galway

Alma Mater: Loyola College

After two weeks of training in Belfast and Dublin, we finally arrived in Galway! Our Irish host family, the Coughlans, have done an amazing job welcoming us and helping us get settled in. Between having us over for dinner, taking us around town, and being great company, they’ve been a tremendous help! After just a few hours here in Galway, I fell in love with it. Not having much coaching this week gave me the opportunity to walk around and explore my new university, NUIG, and the city some. Everything is pretty much walking distance, which is very helpful. The city is so up-beat and lively, and the people everywhere are so friendly; it has made the transition so much easier!

It was also great to into my new apartment, which I can call home for the next year. After a few days, I finally unpacked everything, but I’m still working on getting everything organized and decorating a little to make it feel like home!

It’s been nice having some free time to do a little shopping, exploring, and stuff before school starts, but I’m excited for classes and basketball training to get underway! I’ve had a few training sessions with the Titans, where I was able to meet the team, but I can’t wait for everything to be in full gear next week. I was actually registering for classes the other day, and I needed help with something and the girl I asked happened to be one of my Mystics teammates…what a small world. So needless to say I was excited to meet another teammate; and I can’t wait to meet the rest of the Mystics team this weekend!

Even though I claim to be from Boston, I am really from a suburb about 15 minutes outside the city. Also at home I always have my GPS on my phone. This means I rarely have to find my way based on the height of the sun or the placement of the stars (I may also add that the sun and stars can sometimes be hard to find in Dublin). That being said, Jen and I have resorted to using a map to navigate the streets.  Who uses a map these days? (Yes, this is sarcasm directed at the older generation reading my blog) Luckily, Connie and Allen (the parentals) have made me look at a map before on various AAU trips when no one knew how to work the GPS we so fondly call Gloria, so I am not completely map-illiterate. But let me tell you, a map is a whole different can of worms when there isn’t a blue dot that moves with you.

Jen and I have been pretty good at finding our way so far, mapping out our routes before we leave our apartment just in case we need the assistance of Wi-Fi, however, today was the first day we ventured out on our own. We were supposed to meet at Trinity at 1:50 by the front gate. This is the only route we know so I was pretty confident I could get there myself. I left the apartment without double-checking a map and before I knew it, I was completely lost. I tried to picture the map in my head, tried looking up at the sun, tried to find potential students that may be headed toward campus, looked for stores we had been in already, but nothing seemed to work. As I stood at an intersection twirling around (shoutout to Madelyn and Clare) I ended up having to accept defeat and ask someone to point me in the right direction. Thirty minutes later, I arrived at Trinity, obviously sweating from my adventure, to be greeted by everyone laughing (myself the hardest).

Now I find this very comical and am taking it as part of my initiation to a new city. It was kind of fun getting lost and not being able to tell anyone I was going to be late for our meeting. They say the best way to learn a new city is to get lost, so I guess I am on the right track. This is part of my growth and learning and I know I will eventually learn how to get around the city, but for now, say a prayer for me (especially when it comes to figuring out the bus schedule).