One of the most exciting times of the year is here and that is the start of basketball season.  Colleges across America began their official practices only a week or two ago while ‘across the pond’ Irish national and premiere teams began their seasons last weekend.  

 

I’m so excited and eager to finally begin my season with the Mystics this coming weekend. The begining of the year is the perfect time to see the results from the work you put in during the off season and see what else you need to improve on.  I feel like there has been a very big build up for this season with the many photoshoots and promo’s done with my NUIG team and national team within the past few weeks.  I’m ready to finallly put a jersey on and get to work.

 

Originally my first game of the season was supposed to be last weekend but due to some scheduling conflicts we had to postpone the game for a later date.  After hearing how the other victory scholars performed last weekend and being able to watch season openers for Chris’s Titan’s team I am very eager begin my season.  

 

Attending Chris’ first home game for the Titans was so exciting as they took on their rival team Maree.  The atmosphere in the gym  during the game was reminiscent of a Philly Big 5 game.  Another aspect of the game that was a nice surprise was the fact that I knew so many people in attendance both on and off the court.  All of the kids I coach at the Basketball Academy and thier parents were there, some of my teammates, classmates, my players from the club team I coach, and team managers were all in attendance. I even knew the people keeping the books and operating the scoreboard, and also ironically I was over at my friend’s house a week ago and her brother plays for the rival Maree.  Needless to say people were correct when they said Galway is a very small city where everyone knows everyone.  An exciting game, great people, and good atmosphere was all I needed to get myself even more hyped for this upcoming season. I’ll be sure to update you all after this weekend with the results. Leggoooo!

It is crazy how much the youth here will look up to you and be so entertained by you just because you are American. Whenever I talk their eyes are glued to me as if I am Martin Luther King Jr. about to deliver the next I have a dream speech. They honestly look up to you and it makes you live up to a certain standard.

At the end of the day I like to measure how successful I was by what I gave and not what I got. Being from America, sometimes it is all about what you have. It’s been really amazing to work with Ehoops and Shehoops and meet a group of people that are really all about giving and looking out for one another. The first basket Lauren made at Shehoops the other day both teams started clapping as if we had just performed a play on Broadway. I was confused at first until I came to realize what it was all about. For the first time a sport/activity wasn’t about winning or losing. It was simply about having fun. Don’t get me wrong I still find myself battling Natasha for 20 minutes in a game of badminton trying to beat her to 21 (sad to say I lost this battle).
They think I am like this great person and that I am there to help and teach them so much. In reality, I feel as if I am more of a student than they are. I have learned so much from the girls and boys out of the Ehoops program so far. They stress the important things in all aspects of their everyday life. Family (they talk so much about sisters, brothers, and kids), having fun in what you’re doing, and encouraging on everyone to succeed no matter who they are. One thing I have learned from my Rathefern Shehoops girls that really sticks out to me is to slow down and take the extra second of the day to enjoy the beautiful aspects of life. Sometimes being from America it is always about what is happening next and we forget about the present.
I understand they look at me like I am about to deliver the next great speech and that I am this great person. But, I look at them as if they are about to do the next great thing too because they are phenomenal people in their own way.

This week I helped teach a lesson and run a session for FARE week. This initiative, Football Against Racism in Europe, is quite inspiring in many ways. Still, I have a few ideas about how this is just the right start to showing communities that none of us are superior to another. Let me just share a few thoughts that have been running around my head…..warning: it gets a little philosophical again 🙂

 

As I began the lesson dealing with racism, one of the first questions I asked the class of boys was a simple one….”What is racism to you?” Hands rose throughout the class at once, and I received a number of responses, most of them quite accurate. A few of the answers weren’t necessarily technically correct, but they had me thinking. One kid said, “Is it when you don’t like someone because you think you’re better than them?” Another said, “Does religion count?” And yet another asked, “Does it have to do with homosexuality too?” Technically, I had to answer that this did not fall under the category of racism as we were intending to explain it, but these 11 year olds were on to something.

 

Although Football Against Racism in Europe is a brilliant initiative and a fantastic start to creating awareness, it seems that racism is just one aspect of a deeper, more encompassing problem. This problem is bigotry in general, the notion that any person is superior to, more important than, or fundamentally better than any other person. Racism is simply one face of the animal that is bigotry. The more I think about it, we have all faced it, and we are all very guilty of it.

 

As I walk back from class wearing some new Nike trainers and a Dayton jacket that I am pretty proud of, I wonder why it gives me joy to look nice and wear things that I can be proud of. It is human nature, yes, but my expression is completely based in the material world. I am proud because what I have is contributing to what I see as my identity. The same exact way that anything we take pride in that comes to define our identity is abstract, often material, and not a true indicator or representation of our identity. This is not to say that we shouldn’t be proud of who we are, where we come from, or what we believe in. However, we have to understand that these differences really do not define us, all they do is separate us.

 

I had to explain to the class the idea of “race” is now widely agreed to be a social construct. A biologically inaccurate and socially destructive way of distinguishing ourselves based on certain genetic similarities/differences. The class and I agreed that the only way to accurately categorize race was to understand ourselves as part of the human race. But that doesn’t just stop at race. Whether religion, social class, income, background, gender, belief system etc., our labeling of people based on their thoughts, feelings, unharmful actions, and ideas is just as bad as labeling people based on ethnic or cultural background! All of the differences that we assign to one another are material. The kids in the class helped me see the truth in that statement. So the next step is to move away from differences that emphasize material and superfluous aspects of our thought that we claim to be our identity and to truly understand that our identity is not what divides us but rather what brings us together, our humanity. Let us base our thoughts and actions in love for one another and a notion of humility, rather than the illusion that we individually or collectively are better than anyone for any reason at all. Hope you stayed with me on that rant, I’ve been reading and thinking about a lot of things all week. One love.

 

Victory Scholar: Jonathan Nelson

Sport League: ATLANTIC 10

Present University: University of Limerick

Alma Mater: Dayton University

 

When I was 4 years old I went to “Safety Town” where one of the things us ‘lil tikes learned was how to cross the street safely. Before crossing, we were to look for oncoming cars as we said the words “left, right, left, behind” aloud before crossing the imaginary streets set up for us. Needless to say, these words are still imbedded into my head. And good thing they still are…

 

Now, coming over to Europe, I was fully aware that you drive on the opposite side of the street. Therefore, when crossing the street you have to look the other way for the oncoming cars. Pretty self-explanatory, eh? (shout out to my Canisius Canadian roommates with the “eh”!). This sounds quite simple as I see it typed out- and now considering to lay down the backspace key because anyone reading this is most likely in disbelief that I am a Masters student… Well, anyways, if I must put Christine under the bus with me, which I must, we are finding this task quite the struggle as we cross the many busy streets of Dublin..all while on our daily adventures and NOT getting ourselves lost!  Then not to mention half of the streets are one-ways, so when we think we’ve got it right – or left – we just end up being wrong.

 

Needless to say, on our explorations these past few days we have been finding our way to wherever the path is meant to take us! There’s no better way to go about explorations than taking in the great vibe of the street performers, stopping in local pubs to watch the Gaelic football games and learning how to/taking the bus to whatever stop seems our best bet!

 

I am pumped to be here in Dublin where I will be meeting my new club team the Oblate Dynamos, as well the Trinity College team; to begin working at schools in the area as well as coaching for the girls Kubs club. Next week I start a few preliminary courses and then come orientation and moving into the new apartment on campus! So much to look forward to in these next weeks…and months 🙂

 

But, still remembering that the most important lesson of the week is that when in doubt of the direction of the two story busses or small little zooming cars in traffic, it’s always safe to look left, right, left, and behind! I am still a bit confused why you look behind…maybe I’ll just stick to “follow the leader” instead..

After two weeks of training from Sport Changes Life, I got taken to my new “home” for the exciting upcoming year… NUIG!!  It was a little sad leaving my Sport Changes Life family because I was just starting to get to know everybody. After spending so much time with them at camps, training, and travelling I started to feel like the relationship between me and all the scholars was becoming an everlasting, unbreakable bond. I felt as if all 12 of the other scholars were becoming a part of my family! I knew I had nothing to worry about though because we all planned to meet up in Dublin in a few weeks!

 

From the moment I got dropped off in Galway, I felt as though I had found the missing piece to my heart. I fell in loveeee with the city of Galway within a few hours! The first thing that I did when I got here was call my parents to tell them not to worry because I was extremely happy with life! LOL 🙂 My apartment was absolutely gorgeous, and everything was so convenient in relation to school and the city center. One other thing I loved was how nice everybody was to me! I never felt more welcomed to city (especially in another country). As I proudly walked down the historic streets of Galway, all I could do was smile. I felt as if this is exactly where I belong!!

 

After getting all settled, I was able to explore the city, the Irish culture, and have some fun before school and  community work got going for the year. I did some apartment shopping for food and accessories that I needed around the house. My host family got me tickets to an Irish Dancing Musical. I got the chance to see and understand the Irish culture and meaning behind it all. It was absolutely amazing how quickly they were able to move their feet and stay on beat with the music! I had so much fun watching and participating! My host family also took me fishing for Mackerel. Although we didn’t catch any dinner for the night, I was totally excited to get the chance to go fishing because I haven’t been since the age of 12! 

 

Words cannot explain how excited I am to be here! I have learned so much about Ireland and its culture, and enjoyed myself to the fullest! This opportunity has already changed my life in so many different ways. I loveeee IRELANDDD!!!

It was a busy weekend in Dublin for me. After coaching Elks youth teams Friday night, I hitched a ride with former Victory scholar and Irish superleague legggeeend Paul Cummins down to Dublin. My main reason for heading down South was to take the LSAT, the law school entrance exam, on Saturday afternoon. I’ve been studying for a while so hopefully I did pretty well… tough to say though, I’ll know in three weeks so I will keep you posted.

 

After the test (4.5 hours!) I headed back to Trinity College to meet up with fellow scholars Katie, Shelby, Marian, and Diana. We spent a night out in Dublin along with Paul and a couple of his buddies. It was a good end to a long day.

 

I was planning on heading back up to Belfast Sunday morning/afternoon, but the time started to fly by and I was still in Dublin. It was around 4 o’clock so I decided to check out last minute tickets to the Jay-Z concert going on that night. Ended up finding one right near where Diana and Marian had seats, so pulled the trigger on ’em and went to the show. I haven’t been to many concerts in my life, but this one was pretty sweet. Plus I squeezed in where Diana and Marian were, and ended up sitting (standing) with them the whole time.

 

Took the bus home Monday morning and passssed out. Tiring weekend but very fun and definitely glad I ended up seeing the show. Good times

Finally! I am settled and unpacked in Limerick. To be honest, I was beginning to get accustomed to spending time with the crew. Riding around Ireland on our little white bus, running sessions and camps, and enjoying this adventure together had already made my time abroad a memorable one. Nevertheless, my arrival at the University of Limerick was slightly overdue. Kelsey and I arrived after a few days spent coaching and touring the scenic city of Clonmel in the county of Tipperary. We had the privilege of spending a day of fun introducing basketball to various classes in an all-girls primary school. The enthusiasm and excitement of the kids that we worked with, not only in the primary school but also in the secondary schools, again proved to me that our time working in these schools is more valuable than we could ever imagine. These school and camp experiences in different schools throughout Ireland have me extremely excited about what is to come.

 

After moving in and unpacking, Kelsey and I went on a tour around campus with Sarah, who will be Kelsey’s coach at UL. The next day, Kels and I took an independent tour around campus via jogging everywhere. This method gave us a pretty good idea of what we were working with, and to keep it simple, we have been blessed with a beautiful and spacious campus. After this run, we walked around the city for most of the day and found our soon to be hotspots. There are some very cool places in the city as far as food, shopping, and sightseeing. The scenery is simply unreal. I am pumped to start orientation week, get my schedule, figure out where I will be coaching and playing, and learn more about this beautiful city.  

I would like to take advantage of this post to extend a huge thanks to those who have shown support and love for me on my journey as a #victoryscholar with Sport Changes Life. From all of those at the University of Dayton, the Atlantic-10 Conference, friends, family, to those at the Jamaica Olympics Facebook page, and many more, I have felt the wave of support, and it motivates me each day to be the best that I can be. For that, I extend my most sincere thanks and love right back. One love!

I have really been having one of the best times since I have arrived here in Ireland. I have met so many amazing and welcoming people everywhere that I have been this far. I got to coach and teach so many different kids at all the camps and this past weekend I got to coach the under 16 Carlow basketball team as well which was extremely exciting.

Besides working camps and coaching I also got the opportunity to explore some of Ireland. I got the chance to hike up Cavehill in Belfast. It had the most amazing view overlooking the city and was also able to see the land of Scotland across the water. Also while in Belfast, I got to see the Carrickfergus castle. After being in Belfast for a week, I traveled to Dublin where all of the scholars went on a nice walk in the city and got to see Trinity’s campus. While in Dublin, we got to coach and met the kids from Kubs Basketball Club which was grand. After the camp, Kelsey and I went off with our host family for the night. The family was very welcoming and I learned a lot about the Irish culture.  Their daughter Katie taught me some Irish slang words and showed Kelsey and I an incredible YouTube video that she was a part of which represented the Irish culture.

After working the camps in Dublin, I traveled to Clonmel/Tipperary for some more training with the other Scholars. When we arrived we got to go on a tour of the famous Coolmore Stables in Tipperary. During the tour I learn a variety of different things about breeding horses and how much work it is to take care of them. The most exciting part of the tour was seeing one their most successful horse, Galileo.

The past two weeks have been a real eye opening experience and I have been enjoying every minute of it. Next stop is Carlow!

 Keep posted for my next blog of me arriving in Carlow!

First off…Birthday shoutout to Enya Maguire, one of my three newest Irish sisters. The only thing I am missing about home right now is Labor Day…and I can live without it. The Maguires immedietly accepted us into their family, but I had no idea what that meant. It means unlimited tea and biscuits, kisses from Pippen (their dog), Four star pizza all the time, and most notable, an invite to the exclusive Enya Maguire “surprise party”! There is no time to feel home sick with a fresh cooked Sunday dinner. Baked Ham, TWO types of potatoes, and veggies. Don’t forget the TWO kinds of birthday cake as well. Most notable was the gravy Gareth slaved over for hours–there was not a drop left. Even when we are feeling lonely on campus (especially without any other students here yet) the Maguires have made it a point to keep us laughing and stuffed with treats. I am overwhelmed with their kindness and how it seems like no big deal to them! Anna is contantly offering to make us tea or drinks or anything we might desire. It feels amazing to be surrounded by such great people and I know this is only the beginning of all the new relationships I am going to build this year!

They say a picture can be worth a thousand words, or just the simple fact of looking at a picture can makes you want to be in that particular place. I say that because that’s what I have been doing since arriving to Ireland in August. I have been sending pictures back home and the person on the other end of the phone would say “WOW it looks like you are having a great time”, or “I can’t wait to visit!” The anticipating was on… And within two months of being here I had my first visitor… My BOYFRIEND… Yes my boyfriend, my best friend, my clyde, My… Well you get the point lol. I have been anticipating his arrival since September when he was suppose to come, but something came up. This time around he made it here and that’s what counts. When he arrived, I think that I was just as excited as he was, not just the simple fact of him being here, but because to me I wasn’t the new kid on the block anymore and I knew my way around, well for the most part. I felt like a pro in showing him different areas that I had sent him pictures of and he finally got the chance to see them in real life. From visiting Ulster University in Jordanstown where I study, to taking a walk down by the water, to sitting in on one of the Jr. Elks basketball practices, to even catching my season opener game against the Meteors which we ended up winning by 3 points. We got a chance to walk around Belfast after my home opener and on our way to grab a bite to eat we caught a cab where we ended up having an interesting cab driver. He told us how much he loves Americans and how he likes the different types of people in the states. He had us laughing the entire ride, especially telling us about the guy he recently met from Alabama (he tried to say it with a southern accent lol). We enjoyed his service so much and he made the the experience that much better. While my boyfriend was here we tried several restaurants. We went to The Kitchen in Lisburn where I knew the owner from back home. The food there was as close to home as I could get for now lol. With the strawberry sweet tea and wings, man it was good. We tried the sea bass at the local pub in Jordanstown which was absolutely great, but one place that he fell in love with was boojum!! It’s like the American Chipotle, but MAN they give you so much more in your burrito. He enjoyed it so much we ended up eating there like 3 times, which was basically everyday he was here lol. We also went to a restaurant called Stann and Ollie’s where we had milkshakes and steak. Those are the type of things that make me miss being home because it reminds me of a Chick fil a milkshake or a Texas Road House steak (my mouth is just watering right now lol). On the other hand this restaurant was a deal breaker because the meal included a movie ticket so we went to see Runner Runner which starred Justin Timberlake and Ben Affleck. The movie was great! But all in all, it was really nice of him to come visit me, and now we can look back on the pictures and have more memories as we continue our relationship. I wonder what words will come to his mind after seeing the picture below, but if I had to take a guess I would say #happydays!! I love you Richard! Now the anticipation continues as I wait for my family to come!!! But until then on to Mission 10: Socks… Just Dye It!

Our week of training from Sport Changes Life in Belfast was a great help in our first camp while in Dublin. From the simplest things such as silly ways to get the kid’s attention, to executing the instructions for a game, I was able to use what we learned a lot. …Oh, and a shout out to the training back in Buffalo- I thank my previous lifting coaches for preparing me to carry around 11 year olds on my shoulders for prolonged periods of time! I have yet to learn how to french braid, but luckily off the hook since my roommate, Christine is a certified professional.

Working these couple days with the same group of kids was very rewarding because just in the short amount of time together, we were able to make a connection through the fun that goes into teaching and playing basketball games!

Refreshing, fun and free is my first impressions on sport here in Ireland. It is purely a way to enjoy yourself and your friends, excel with your team and express yourself. It’s quite empowering being able to see this in the kids as we talk on the sidelines and witness it in the way they play. Basketball has given me so much, and I’m falling in love with sharing this with the kids here. Towards the end of the day of camp we all sat down and the kids had the chance to ask us questions. At that moment I realized how big of an influence we all are to each and every girl or boy we work with, give a high five to, help improve at a skill, or just have a short conversation about their favorite subject.

During the two days in Dublin we toured around a bit as I began to feel the chills and excitement of being in my new home city! We got a glimpse of the outside of the building we will be living in…and yes, there are green vines grazing the building outlining the windows! Yes, very corny, but these things I love! 🙂

So, the road trip continues as we venture off to Clonmel until Friday when we go off to our separate schools for the year. In the past two weeks I have been introduced to a new family. We have literally been living with and off each other, where personal space means nothing; learning what gets each other to laugh and how to laugh harder. As much as I’d like our group to stay together, I know we will all benefit from branching off at our universities and working with different groups of kids and teams in the process.

See you in Dublin!

Today, like last weekend, I went outside and felt like I was at Davidson. It is sunny and warm (about 65°F), much more enjoyable weather than I anticipated for Northern Ireland. It has rained less than 10 times since I arrived two months ago, and I am taking advantage of these beautiful days while I can.
Last week, Caroline and I were headed to the gym. As we walked across campus, we were amazed by how nice it was with a clear blue sky. Before entering the gym I said, “It seems like such a waste to go into a windowless gym on such a nice day.”
We quickly decided to adventure to the top of the hill in the distance that was marked by a steeple like structure sitting on top. Naturally, we walked straight towards it, thinking that would be the most direct and easiest way to the top. However, we quickly recognized that it would not be so simple because the back of campus was surrounded by private property filled with grazing cattle. I had a flashback to the days as a young child trying to complete a maze as fast as possible, which commonly led me down the wrong path and towards a dead end.
Since the direct path was not going to work, we walked along the road by the water. As we walked, we got distracted by the beautiful scenery by the Belfast Lough and we abandoned our original goal. As long as I can, I will continue to bask in this beautiful and unfortunately uncharacteristic weather of Northern Ireland. I guess the beautiful green countryside comes at a cost, as it needs its fair share of rain.

Summer camps, training sessions, and Ehoops… Today, the five of us Victory Scholars based at the University of Ulster, Jordanstown were given a rare day off! I’m less happy for us, and more happy for the SCL staff that is responsible for carting us around to all these events as well as putting the time in there themselves. It is nice to have a team of chauffeurs, even though they drive on the wrong side of the road and from the wrong side of the car ;), but I’ve had to make it a goal to become a little less reliant on them.

 

Basically, there’s no reason to feel like I’m stranded when there is public transportation at my disposal. I took the train into Belfast alone last week and found my way to Victoria Square in the City Centre. There, many of my favorite stores from home are clustered together in some kind of indoor/outdoor mall, more than three stories high. I walked around for a long time, just soaking it all in. Though the city evoked the same ‘hustle and bustle’ of any other metropolitan area, I couldn’t help but notice the atmosphere was more free-spirited that that of the American cities I’m used to, or so it seemed. People walk with less of a purpose; less of a sense of urgency. While we’re kept busy as Victory Scholars within the organization, I realize the culture is more laid back. Maybe part of the reason SCL keeps us so busy is so we feel more at home, but I’m certain they utilize us to the full of our potential because the youth are their first priority, and we are valuable tools.

 

Every day I learn something new about just how involved the members of this organization are with the young people in our programs. I know the highest members of SCL are not above putting themselves in dangerous situations to protect the welfare of the kids they’ve met, no matter the hour in which they receive a call or text. Though the young people come in groups once a week for programs like Ehoops or SHEhoops, many members of staff meet with them up to an additional five times a week on a 1-1 basis just to check in. It makes me think about how the culture in America is so highly reward-oriented… People and organizations strive for the best reputation, to accumulate awards and accolades, though the purpose is sometimes lost. Maybe that’s not exclusive to America… but regardless of location, it’s nice to see first-hand the working parts of an organization that has never lost its sense of purpose, and I am only thankful that our days have been going by so quickly because we’ve been so busy as contributors.

 

It’s days like today, however, that I can appreciate the more relaxed pace of a different culture. As we approach week three, schedules and details are starting to come into focus… I have an idea of what my weeks will be looking like in terms of class time, coaching, practicing, and mentoring. And while I’ll enjoy every moment of it all, I won’t forget to take advantage of days like today, when I can appreciate a slower pace and enjoy some exploration and adventure on my own.

I took a walk along the shore this past Sunday to finish off a week full of summer camps, Ehoops, and coaching. We were given a rare two days off throughout the week and after getting acclimated with Belfast on Thursday it was nice to take some time to myself (except for when Erin and Pippen came running after me) and just enjoy the beautiful coast line.

It was a tough week for my family and I as my grandmother passed away on the same night that I began coaching my U16 junior Elks. It was even tougher seeing my father (best friend) upset. It’s a sight I’ve only seen twice in my life and that was when my brother went to college and when I departed for Ireland. As I sat and stared out in the water, I wondered how I dealt with it all and I thought about a quote, “Home is where the heart is.”

There is an effect that kids have on me that really brings out the best of me. Whether it is during Ehoops trying my best to play soccer or at a summer camp in Rathfern/Tullycarnet playing Unihoc (indoor hockey), my heart seriously attaches to all the young people I meet. My action packed week helped me become so comfortable living in Ireland, even though I was far away from home. After my grandmother’s passing it really hit me, during my first practice as ‘Coach Ronnie’ with the u16 Elks, on why I was so comfortable with living in Ireland and being away from home.

As I sprinted up and down the court with more enthusiasm than the famous Jim Valvano and began to learn each one of my players names (escalator Enya, jolly Joanne, mashy Michele) I knew I was home. As I encouraged them throughout practice, took them drill by drill, and used their mistakes as teaching points I felt the happiness running through my heart. I was so comfortable with being here because I love coaching, interacting, and getting acquainted with all different types of young people.

There is a saying that when one person passes another is born. This hit a little harder for me this week and in each kid I met I could see new life. They can be prepped to become whatever they want to be, they have a whole life in front of them and so many steps yet to take before they figure out what their true calling is. It’s why I love working and interacting with young people so much; they have so much potential for learning and evolving into the best person that THEY can be.

So as I sat and stared down the coast and said goodbye to my grandmother. I also said hello to my new home because it is where I get to do what I love most, changing kids’ lives.

I have countless times had to explain why I am studying business this year, and frankly I have wondered the same thing. When presented with the opportunity to combine my three loves (basketball, serving others, and continuing my education), I dove in. I am guilty of rolling my eyes during my undergrad when the Business students only had one presentation or just midterms and finals, because I was being tested on a consistent basis and felt like I always had more work! 

 

After 3 weeks of learning “business,” I by no means am an expert. However, I now know why I am studying business, and how it applies to EVERY aspect of our lives. I think it should be mandatory for everyone to study at some point. I have begun to think differently about leadership, the function of marketing and the importance of teamwork. They all impact our daily life, and in ways we should be aware of.

 

Most applicable to me, I can see how important understanding business is in the medical field. I am doing a lit review now on customer service in health care and the role of a physician in patient satisfaction. Looking at medicine from this outside perspective has already taught me so much.

 

So, my apologies if I ever rolled my eyes at you for complaining about lots of work (ben :). My first 3 weeks of my masters has been very intense, and very rewarding. Study break is over, time to finish my paper! 

It was a sad occasion as we Republic of Ireland scholars had to separate from the Ulster scholars – the Ulster scholars were to stay in Belfast as we roadtripped down to Dublin and Clonmel to work basketball camps in different communities. But before we left, we all hiked to the top of Cave Hill Mountain together, and that is an experience I will never forget.

 

The first day of camp in Dublin was great as we worked and met the kids at the Kubs Basketball Club. At the end of the first night, we were welcomed into the homes of host families in the Dublin community. My and Jess’s host family welcomed us with open arms, and we learned a lot about the Irish culture from the family and their teenage daughter, Katie. Katie told us a lot about Irish slang words (we tried to take notes) and more about the summer camp she attended in Galway for 3 weeks. The entire 3 weeks she stayed there and learned/only spoke the original Irish language. At the end of the 3 weeks, she and the other hundreds of campers made a music video singing in the Irish language – which received over 2 million views on Youtube in the FIRST WEEK!

 

The second day of camp at the Kubs facility was a little easier as many of the same kids took part once again. As the weather was nicer, we were also able to make use of the outdoor basketball courts and blacktops to spread out and have more room. I was mainly with the younger group at the camp, and learned a few phrases in the original Irish language thanks to my girls Heidi and Laura.

 

 “Is mishe Kelsey = My name is Kelsey”

 

Look out for my next blog as I head to the University of Limerick!

Living at Trinity, we are surrounded by all sorts of shops, restaurants, supermarkets, street performers, coffee shops and pubs. Whenever I get the chance to go walking around, stopping in shops, or sitting in a different coffee shop, I take it because I am guaranteed to find something new to catch my interest.

 

On my discoveries I found an entire street of farmer’s markets that’s about a 7-minute walk from campus. This happens to be right next to the bargain grocery store called Lidl. My first time around doing the groceries, I took by big book bag with two large carrying bags for each arm. Considering how much food I consume on a weekly basis and how much I regretted not keeping up with my lifting schedule from college, I slightly struggled on my walk back to my room. Slightly. I was sore the next few days and needed to find a better way of taking this expedition.

 

The next week I became the girl who rolled around her suitcase through the store using it as a grocery cart. I strategized my shopping with the heavy non-destructible items going in first at the bottom, and the fluffy loaf of bread going in last. I got the frequent odd stare as I zipped my suitcase open and close in the middle of the isle, but it was fine with me!

 

As you can see, we are adapting and finding our way pretty well here. We cook massive amounts of food and store them in Tupperware, (my Buffalo roommates can account for my love of Tupperware from our bulging / avalanche of a top cabinet) and eat it throughout the week. We have been sticking to pasta, brown rice, chicken, eggs and spinach. And peanut butter. Christine just made sweet potato fries, which happen to be my favorite!…and I snuck a few extra off the pan while she wasn’t looking…shhh!

 

My parents are coming in 5 days….

I’m slightly excited.

On Sunday we hiked up a mountain called Cave Hill which overlooked all of Belfast.  When Aimee described the hike, she said it would be easy since she regularly does it when walking her dogs.  A few minutes into the hike this was clearly not the case.  Aimee took a detour through a few trees and Ronnie, Jonathan and I struggled to follow her through this steep and slippery climb.  Erin, Gareth’s 11 year old daughter, quickly ran up the mountain while all of the (former college athlete) Scholars struggled with the steep climb.  This was the first time I had ever a hiked up a mountain.  Being from NYC, this was a dramatic change of scenery. Once we reached the top of the mountain we were able to see all of Belfast and even Scotland off in the distance.

Much has happened in my first weekend in Northern Ireland. As a group, we have completed training and the “house-keeping” orders of business. Unfortunately, this meant we had to bid farewell to our 8 fellow scholars, who are located in the Republic of Ireland. We will no longer be rolling 13 deep in Belfast and attracting the predictable stares we have become accustomed to this first week. Although, as many people reminded me before I departed the States, I do fit in rather effortlessly by myself given my fair complexion.

It has been a busy first week, leaving limited to no time to work out or play basketball. As my family and friends back in the States know, I become testy when I miss a day, much less multiple days, of working out.

 

Surprisingly, I was able to find peace among this inner turmoil. I relaxed and embraced this opportunity to get to know my fellow scholars, as I am sure our busy schedules will make it difficult for us all to be together in the future. We did have an opportunity to play pick-up with all of the scholars at one point which was a lot of fun. It felt great to get a run in and shoot the ball and for us all to exhibit the skill which brought us here. I am looking forward to getting into a routine here in Jordanstown, beginning in part by making good use of our kitchen!

This past weekend we took a road trip to Donegal where we played 5 games in two days. I know what your thinking but nope there was no typo there we really played 5 games in two days. We won every game by a comfortable margin thanks to the leadership and guidance from Coach Connor and the MVP of the tournament fellow scholar Brian Hamor.

 

On the way back in the car we had a chat with Connor and our teammate Marty while Brian slept peacefully like he does on every road trip. We discussed how Connor had the natural coaching ability, seeing how he is undefeated coaching so far this year with two championships under his belt.

 

Marty did a year of high school in the US on an exchange student program and shared stories he had about his basketball coaches there. It really inspired me more to get involved in coaching. Back at home I took it so for granted how much time and effort coaches put into the young kids. Not to sure how I could over look this seeing how my father is a legendary basketball coach.

 

Day by day my eyes are opening more and more to life when the basketball stops rolling for me. If you roll a basketball, it doesn’t roll forever. Naturally it’s going to stop. When it stops for me I’ll give the ball a wee push for it to start rolling for young kids and change their lives hopefully as much as it has changed mine.

After training and a day of exploring and hiking Cavehill in Belfast, it was time to say goodbye to the 5 Ulster Scholars and head to Dublin for more training! The 8 Southern Scholars coached 2 days of basketball camps with Kubs Basketball, which was truly amazing.  Just seeing how much fun they were having learning and playing basketball was great. What really got me though was seeing how some of these young kids attach themselves to you! I walked in to the gym the second day and all of sudden I hear this voice yelling, “Nicole! Nicole!” and before I can even say hi, this little girl jumps on me 🙂  I just couldn’t help but smile. I can’t even put into words how much joy that gave me and it made my night! I never imagined how rewarding coaching and working with young kids could really be.

 

From Dublin, we headed to Clonmel/Tipperary for some more training. Wednesday was a free day for us, so we were extremely fortunate to get a tour of the famous Coolmore Stables in Tipperary. Coolmore has had vasts amount of success over the years, producing some of the world’s fastest racehorses, as well as successful breeding horses. I’ve always loved horses and enjoy watching horse races, but I never really knew much about it. However, that has all changed! I learned more about horses, the terminology, breeding, and horse racing than I ever thought I could, in just a few hours. We also got the pleasure of seeing one their most successful sires, Galileo. I really hope I get the opportunity to go see a horse-racing event in Ireland at some point. After a great off day, it was back to camps. I worked in two different camps Thursday, where I got to interact with different kids and see a variety of levels of play. Another day of camp Friday with the Scholars, then it’s goodbye, Tipperary and hello, Galway for Darryl and I!!!!

Traveling in Paris right now with my friends from Chicago for my birthday. They came in last week to visit.  I was so excited when they arrived it was hard to believe they were here.  It felt more like I was back home instead, messes with your head a little hah.  I played basketball with them in high school so they trained with my national league team and came to one of my coaching sessions for the u18 Galway girls basketball team.  The girls loved having a gym full of Americans!!  

 

Special shout out to the Crowley’s for letting us stay in their home, and inviting Andre (other Galway scholar) and I for Easter dinner!  ((Seriously, what would I do with out them?)) The Irish families are so nice and really look out for us Scholars, its amazing.  Easter Monday Andre and I coached the u18s Galway team down in Limerick.  The girls played very well and won their last game, I was very pleased with their play against so of the top teams in the country. Can’t wait for Varsities next week!!

Since arriving at University of Ulster we have already been able to spread the word of basketball. The under 14 girls Elks basketball team started with 5 girls. Five is not enough to officially compete in the league and have the games count. We have recruited and spread the word and ended up with four new players for our first friendly match. And by new players, I literally mean never have played basketball before. I can honestly say this is the biggest challenge I have ever had to face and at first it was hard. But the best thing about having young girls with varying skill levels, most extremely low skill levels, is that they are very easy to motivate, mold, and are light hearted.

We won both of our first matches and the girls were thrilled. But I was happy to see them learning and competing in a real game. Deirdre has so much experience and thankfully helped me along the way. Sometimes I forget the lack of athletic background and sporting background a lot of these girls have. At half time Deirdre asked one of the new players if she had a brother, she did, and if her brother tried to take her toys from her, he did, and then said you need to grab onto the ball like your brother is stealing your toy and hold it tight and strong. It sounds silly and simple but I saw a light bulb go off in this girl’s head and she completely understood.

We outscored the team in both games, but also somehow helped the other team score as well. Sophie stole the ball and put her head down and went straight to the hoop. She took three dribbles, perfect footwork for the layup, hit the backboard and nothing but net. But the entire bench was jumping and screaming because she had just scored in the wrong basket! The look on her face and then the smile after was priceless. Although it may be one of the most challenging things I’ve ever had to do, it proved to be really rewarding after the game when the girls were thrilled and smiling and all laughing about how much fun they had. It made me think of basketball as fun and not a job or stats or winning and I’m thankful for that.

 

Victory Scholar: Caroline Murphy

Present University: University of Ulster

Alma Mater: Gettysburg College

I have rode horses before. Flashback to when I was 11 and went to horseback riding camp at Mount Ida Stables and thought I was a professional rider as well as various trail riding in Massachusetts, Arizona and Wisconsin. However, the real extent of my horse knowledge comes from my sister’s American Girl Doll horse riding set. For those who do not know, these are dolls and the horse was plastic.

 

Now having been to one of the most famous stables in the world, I can finally tell you something about racing that I haven’t made up myself. We had a day off from coaching and were lucky enough to get a tour of Coolmore Farm in Tipperary, Ireland. I was expecting to see a few stables with some horses, yet that would be too simple. Each horse has its own stable-much larger than my bedroom at home. They are kept on strict diets to keep them in optimal health for racing.  When they are out of their stables, each horse has their very own field to run around in. They also have a vet available 24 hours a day and are constantly being watched on surveillance cameras. Needless to say, these horses live in an all-inclusive resort.

 

What surprised me most was how the entire stable functioned as a business. They have over 300 employees, each with a particular role from managing finances to managing the horses. People bring their horses to Coolmore from all over the world to breed with the stallions.

 

Racehorses are elite athletes just like us. The fastest horses may not have the best stride, but they do have the most heart, which is something we can all embrace no matter what we are trying to accomplish.