Training week with all the Victory Scholars was amazing. The group quickly becane close knit and it really feels like a team after just one week. Between laughing at each other falling down while hiking Cavehill to staying up until 3 o’clock in the morning eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while listening to music, we have already developed some forever memoreis. We were also able to visit the Titanic Quarter in Belfast where the Harland & Wolff shipyard is located.

This shipyard was were the Titanic (you know the ship famous for running into an iceberg) was built. It was created using two massive cranes (named Samson and Goliath) that highlight the Belfast sky when in the city. What made this visit even more intriguing to me was to find out how the two cranes were linked to Newport News, Virginia Shipyard. There is another crane of the 3 that is considered the “baby” of the three. It is used in the Newport News Shipyard for the U.S. Navy. 

It was nice to have that connection between my home state and my newly adopted home in Belfast! At the end of the week it was sad to say bye to the other scholars, but it will be fun to stay in touch as we all venture out onto our journeys and begin to pass along our knowledge, joy, and passion to young people using sport.

What a whirlwind of a weekend! After a week full of lectures and group meetings, it was finally time for some basketball. Saturday morning, Katie and I made our official coaching debut with the KUBS U-17 girls team. After a back-and-forth game, we lost on a heartbreaking layup in the last 30 seconds. The game was a roller-coaster of emotions and I was extremely proud of how hard our girls fought. I see great potential in this team for games to come. I also helped coach the KUBS U-12 girls team. They too suffered a heartbreaking one point loss in the final seconds. Like the others, the team fought hard and it was a great learning experience.

After an exciting morning of coaching, I was off to some team bonding activities with my Liffey Celtics. Some of the girls on my team had never eaten a burrito (GASP! I know), so I took them to Tolteca, one of my favorite burrito spots here in Dublin. For the most part, I think they enjoyed them (at least that is what they told me).

After dinner, we headed to the Templeogue-DCU Mercy Men’s Premier League game in Oblitz Hall. It was an exciting game with DCU Mercy ending up on top. Following the game, we ventured to Bewley’s Cafe on Grafton Street for hot chocolate and a treat before heading off to get some rest for our game the next day.

Sunday afternoon we kicked off our season against DCU Mercy. It was a tough game, but there were several positives to draw on. Although we didn’t end up on top, it was a good experience for our young team and we learned a lot. I am looking forward to getting back into training this week and getting better. I see great potential in our team down the road and am excited to watch us grow and mature as a team.

Well we made it to the championship game! Although we weren’t able to win just one more game (haven’t lost since October), it doesn’t take away from how successful the season was for us. I was able to create new friendships and experiences that I will be able to take with me forever. I couldn’t have ask for a better bunch of players to play with. I enjoyed every moment in practices and games with these guys. We were able to create a little bit of history as well by attaining Titans first ever Southern Conference National League Champions! Once again, thank you to all our coaches, players and supporters for a great season! Much love everyone!

Although all 13 Scholars only had a week together, it was truly sad to see the other Scholars go down South. We had more than a few good laughs throughout training and with late nights in the dorms. On our last day, Sunday, our lovely SCL mentor Aimee took us to her home in Island McGee. She laughed as we all gawked at the amazing green farm landscape and tried to snap pictures of the cows and sheep as if we had never seen them before. We could see Scotland from the beach down the road from her house. Then we went on a hike (Cave Hill) where once on top, you could see all of Belfast and Scotland. I’m pretty positive I will never get sick of the beautiful landscapes of this country.

 

On Monday, Ashley and I had our first Ulster Elks basketball practice. Although different from basketball in the States, I have to admit I how was sore from the over 100 burpees we did as part of conditioning. I’m looking forward to two preseason tournaments in September and to be part of #ElkNation.

 

We also have been working camps all week, one in East Belfast and one closer Jordanstown. After day 1 of the camp of over 50 kids ages 4-16, I was overwhelmed. Yet on day 2, I was happily surprised to hear the kids remembering my name and nagging me to push them higher on the swings. I also got a lesson on the best sweets (candy) I must get in the Spar (7-11) from a few young lads. It’s crazy to think that a conversation about the differences in candy, or pushing kids on swings can have such a positive effect. One kid in particular was extremely introverted on Day 1 and I tried to talk to him but he wasn’t interested. On Day 2, I approached him again, complimenting his Chelsea futbol getup and he smirked. By the end of the day I couldn’t get away. It’s reassuring that even though we are overwhelmed, we really are making a positive effect, even if its for three hours at a camp, the kids are smiling or laughing and that’s a success if you ask me.

It was a tearful goodbye last night. The eHoop boys and the sheHoop girls were all so supportive wanting to signing my cast and giving me their best wishes. By the end of the night my hands were full of cards, a balloon, chocolates, and gifts to remember my time here. It was extremely moving. Words cannot really explain how I felt last night, I guess in one word it would be “Loved”

I could not be more thankful to have spent my time with these young people. I came over to Ireland to work with at-risk youth and make a difference in there life but it turns out they have my an impact on mine. They have inspired me to keep following my dreams and they made me see that the little things are what matter, just to ask how someone’s day was or to know that is okay to laugh when you workout, they reminded me that life is simple and that all you need to do it smile and laugh.

I know when I get on that plane back to the States with my bum leg, I can go back knowing I was apart of something great, and that is more than I could ask for in this amazing experience  and I have the eHoops/sheHoops program and SCL to thank for that! 

I just finished my second week of coaching the Carlow Ladies Freshers team this week and have already been seeing great improvement overall. Some of the girls have never played basketball before so the first week I had to go over the basics. And by the basics I mean explaining what all of the lines on the court mean, how to properly shoot and dribble a basketball and the basic concepts of defense. One of my biggest challenges was trying to keep things interesting during the training session since some of the girls are more advanced then others. But one thing that I realized about myself that I have improved on is…..patience! I didn’t even realized this until one of my players (who has never played basketball before and English is not strong) came up to me after the training session and thanked me for continuously stopping to explain what to do and help her out during drills. It is interesting that sometimes the little things that you do can really help and benefit others without you even knowing it. It felt good knowing that people do appreciate the work the scholars are doing here in Ireland.

 

This past week of training the Freshers team, I have seen great improvement in each player. I feel like everyone is on the same page now in regards to the basics of basketball and how to properly play the sport. I was able to put in some offensive plays and zone defense this week. There is a lot more room for improvement over the next 4 training sessions before the tournament in November which we are all very excited for!

“I’ve always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don’t do things half-heartedly. Because I know if I do, then I can expect half-hearted results.” – Michael Jordan

 

Victory Scholar: Jessica Koci

Sport League: Atlantic 10

Present University: Institute of Technology Carlow

Alma Mater: La Salle University

Today has been the most beautiful, sunny, and warm day since my arrival. From the vantage point of the low-income housing estates in East Belfast today where we ran two summer camp sessions, I couldn’t help but lose myself from time to time, just staring up at the surrounding hills and their sprawling greenery. Sometimes its hard not to stop and stare at natural beauty, in people, places, and things.

 

The kids don’t allow it for long, though. 

 

Our sports mentors warned us that the children we work with are going to look at us like we’re celebrities, like everything we do is worth a round of applause (I won’t let them know that I find most of them just as captivating, because then I wouldn’t feel as cool). But they run around with their “wee” Northern-Irish accents (which are, indeed, much different from those of the South), all the boys with their modern, stylish haircuts, and they follow us around like we’re the interesting ones. 

 

Many of the kids I meet love watching me do weird yoga poses, and they have a great time trying to achieve the poses as well, laughing their way through their own successes and failures. I met my match yesterday in eight year-old Zoe, a dancer who was capable of mimicking almost every pose I challenged her with, plus many more that are out of my skill-range. She didn’t think she was very good at soccer (she’s becoming more and more my mini-me), so I braided her hair while the rest of the kids played.

 

Today, one of our sports mentors informed me that she was asking him over and over again when I’d arrive. Once I walked in, she ran towards me and jumped up and down, offering a tiny bag filled with what seemed like hundreds of little elastic rubber bands, and asked if I’d give her “a million little plaits.” I asked around, and found out she wanted corn-rows.

 

I’d been intriged by Zoe since the beginning…It isn’t every day that the quaint little blonde girl with glasses is the one in the group choosing things like “scull crushers” or “blood and guts” as team names during activities. Turns out she likes to watch mortal combat movies and she one day wants to fight for her country in the UK army. She has a grandfather that was in the Royal Navy, and survived, and she’s very proud of that. 

 

Zoe has a brother who attends the camp as well. He often gives her a hard time, and much to my surprise, she usually cries or concedes to him. Though he’s larger and older, given her spirit, I’d expect her to put up a fight. She confuses me in a good way. It’s like when you don’t know your judgements until you’re confronted by them…Young people are not just made of simple problems and simple emotions. I’ve known Zoe only two days, and I’m certain she’s more than that. It makes me wonder how many of these young people I meet are full of layers and complexities, the likes of which I would only expect from adults. 

 

It’s overwhelming, the idea that I could learn so much from every young person I’ll encounter on this journey with SCL. It took very little effort with Zoe, but in no time she was jumping up and down at the sight of me and asking me for my mailing address. She won’t be attending the last day of camp tomorrow because she has a dance class, so it’s very likely I may never see her again. Even though I know I’m not as cool as she thinks I am, I hope she always knows I’m someone she can reach out to. 

Hello Everybody! It’s been about 72 hours since I landed in Dublin, Ireland. My #VICTORY journey started off smoothly with a smooth airplane ride–great because I’m not much of an airplane person. As soon as I stepped off the plane, I realized that I just completed Victory #1 which lifted a weight off my shoulders. I made it to Ireland safely and in one piece!  It was at this point that I knew there was no turning back, I have moved to Ireland to begin the journey of a lifetime!

 

On our first day, all 13 of the Victory Scholars participated in team bonding games that were really fun! It made me feel like I was in elementary school again! The games were definitely a way to break the ice!  After playing some of these games, I felt a connection developing with the other scholars and I know this is just the beginning of a fun and entertaining year.

 

On day two, we started EHOOPS; I had an awesome experience! I was able to talk with some of the young people around the Belfast area to get a feeling for who they are and what it  like growing up in or around Belfast.  Getting to know them and listening to their stories about their experiences in life was an eye opener and reminded me to appreciate how much I have truly been blessed with in life. By the end of the conversation, we had discussed ways in which we could solve some of the problems that he was facing within his community. We concluded that adding more sporting events into the lives of the students within the Belfast area might help some of the kids stay out of trouble.

 

As Victory ScholarS, we have also been participating in sessions which provided us training on creative blogging, coaching, and managing challenging behavior.  I found them extremely informative and I know this training will guide me to success throughout this adventurous year in Ireland. I could talk for days about how unique things are in Ireland compared to America, but I’ll save that for another day! I’m so excited to be here!!

I had one of the best experiences so far in Ireland this past weekend: seeing Jay-Z in concert. Now, some of you may be thinking that that’s weird since that is someone I can see any other time in America, which is what I, too, was initially thinking before walking into The O2 in Dublin on Sunday night. But not only was the concert one of the best that I have been to, it really made me realize how proud I am of where I am from when he performed Empire State of Mind, a song about New York.

 

I am a New Yorker, born and raised. Although Irish people seem to love Americans in general, as soon as I tell any of them that I am from New York, I get the same wide-eyed, “wow, I want to go to New York”, and sometimes “why did you leave there to come here?” reaction. While I do catch myself missing things about NY while here in Ireland, like the bagels and pizza, the fast-paced lifestyle and how the city life never seems to sleep, I feel that I have adjusted so well to being here that I really have not missed home too much. Rather than comparing the drastic differences between home and Ireland, I enjoy the slower-pace, the friendly people, and the beauty that embraces this country.

 

With that being said, I did not expect to feel a bit emotional when Jay-Z began performing Empire State of Mind. Seeing people proudly waving their Irish flags, belting out the lyrics to a song about a place many of them have only seen through movies or photos while I excitedly start jumping up and down, grabbing the Victory Scholar Jared and yelling, “THAT’S WHERE I’M FROM!” is a moment I will not forget. I have fallen in love with living in Ireland, but I will always be appreciative of the place that helped shape me into the person I am today. Until next time, readers!

I waited for Khalid to de-board the plane (we began the journey in Newark) before successfully passing through customs. Walking down long and unfamiliar halls unsure what to expect around the next corner, then we saw a small, extremely energetic woman quickly approaching us and introducing herself as Aimee, whom I had known as a.shiels@sportchangeslife.com over the past few months.

Aimee asked if we had seen the other scholars, whom I did not even realize were on our same flight. We found Caroline then Ashley and were on our way. At this point I was buzzin’ (as they say here N. Ireland). I walked around the car to get in the passenger’s seat before realizing that I was on the wrong side of the car, where I am rather useless given that I have never driven on the left side of the road, right side of the car or with a stick shift.

We soon arrived at our beautiful new home and campus at the University of Ulster, Jordanstwon. After dropping the bags at our accommodation (another new term for our room), we went for a quick tour of campus. Next we had the opportunity to work our first camp on this side of the pond. I couldn’t have been more excited as we arrived in Ballyduff (Northeast section of Belfast).

The camp was a blast, although I could hardly understand a word the children were saying. I felt like I was back in Brazil trying to understand Portuguese, but this time the children were speaking the language I grew up speaking. When camp came to a close we returned to our flat (another word for apartment) for dinner before we departed for a second camp. Luckily, the SCL staff strategically kept us awake to avoid the potential jetlag.

This week I turned 24! It’s my favorite number but for some reason I still can’t shake the feeling that the retirement home is right around the corner. I wasn’t sure how or if I was going to be able to celebrate, but in the end it was all handled for me.  Everyone at Sport Changes Life reached out to me in one way or another, even making special posts on social media and giving me cards, cake, and balloons. My roommates all made me feel special by taking me out to town to celebrate, and even baked me some nice wee princess cupcakes to eat when I returned from class earlier in the day.

 

I got plenty of messages from friends and family back home as well. My family bought a cake and had a whole party in my honor, even facetiming me to sing happy birthday while my niece blew out the candles for me. It was nice to hear from everyone in America but it was even nicer to feel such at home here on a day that I’ve never spent outside my country before.

 

Even a few days past my birthday, the Maguire’s invited me over and surprised me by bringing out a cake and singing happy birthday to me.  It’s adorable that at the end of the song they say “hip hip, hooray!” three times in this country. :p Even though I’m not really one to make a huge deal out of birthdays, the way that my SCL family here made it feel so important was a gesture that meant a lot to me. I feel as though I really do have an extended family within the organization. Thanks everyone! 

 

 

I’ve been in Ireland now for three days… but it feels like a couple of weeks! I’ve have met all the other scholars, (there are thirteen this year!) though most of them will be traveling out of Belfast at the end of the week. I’m already upset at the thought, as we’ve all gotten along so well. Last night, most of us gathered in the common room of our accommodation here at the University of Ulster Jordanstown and were serenaded by Pat, who evidently has a knack for turning dirty rap songs into pleasant acoustic melodies.

 

We’ve been through hours of team building activites that bring me back to my elementary school gym class days, and we’ve been trained on teaching the fundamentals of agility, balance, and coordination to children. We’ve met with Gareth and Dierdre, who took a great deal of time to really explain to us the purpose of this organization, and Mark, otherwise known as “the philosopher”, who has trained us on the social media tactics we should use, and how to really take advantage in our integral roles within the movement that Sport Changes Life has become. It’s inspiring to see just how seriously the staff takes our training, and how thorough they are about making sure we understand our purpose here. It’s humbling to think that out of everyone they could have chosen, I am one of the thirteen Victory Scholars here to represent them.

 

I’ve been through a couple EHOOPS sessions already and the people I’ve met come from difficult walks of life, but have obvious spirit. Certainly, they make me rethink the things I’ve complained about in life. I’ve met guys from West Belfast, one who told me he’ll be playing in the “Homeless World Cup” in Chile this year. Some of our SHEHOOPERS taught me about the controversy that surrounds the “flag issue” in center city Belfast, where the Union flag was removed from City Hall 18 months ago, but riots sitll ensue to this day. That of course, was after an our of intense game of team-handball, where they were just as competitive as every SCL staff participant. 

 

I’m already in love with Northern Irish accents and phrases… I’ll have to get used to the weather, but it’s part of adapting to what’s sure to be a life-changing year, all around. My first basketball practice is on Monday. Looks like I’ll have to face the chill and rain and get some running in so I don’t get cut for being so out of shape. 🙂 Until next time… 

 

 

After saying goodbye to my parents and friends at the airport back in NC, I checked into my flight and looked over to the console next to me to see none other than Patrick Ewing! The NBA legend was standing right next to me, checking into his own flight. I took it as a sign for great things to come!

 

Fresh off the plane from Charlotte, NC, I arrived in the Dublin airport around 3 am EST.. but 8 am in Dublin. Needless to say, the jetlag for the first day was a tough thing to handle at first, but the opportunity to see my new home helped me stay awake for the day!  After picking up 7 more of the scholars at the airport, we headed up to Belfast to meet with the rest of the team. And I have to say.. it’s going to take me awhile to get used to riding in a car on the opposite side of the road! We’re currently staying at the University of Ulster Jordanstown for our week of training, and have really started to bond as a group. Through the first couple days of training, we’ve done loads of team activities, games and strategies to help us with coaching, learned more about the local community by visiting the Peace Wall, and participated in our first EHOOPS session. We even had a chance to visit the Maguire’s home and share a “wee bit” of their wi-fi!

 

One of the highlights of my first couple days has to be trying to explain where North Carolina is back in the US. On one occasion I tried to use Michael Jordan as a reference to North Carolina (since everyone obviously knows MJ) to one of the EHOOPERS, but as soon as he heard MJ’s name, he responded, “near the Chicago Bulls?!?!” Not quite.. but close enough!

 

I’m so excited to get the year started with SCL and begin the rest of my adventures as a Victory Scholar!

This past weekend we took a trip to Donegal for our third preseason tournament of the season, hoping it would cap off our third championship as well! When I first heard our schedule for the tournament I was in shock. We had three games on Saturday and then two on Sunday depending if we made the championship game or not. The last time I had to play three games in one day takes me all the way back to my AAU travel basketball days. I could remember how my body felt after those games and now I could only imagine how I would be feeling after this weekend, especially having seven guys! 

Under our Coach Connor O’Dornan (or Dorno) for the second straight week, we continued to play well and had three great victories on Saturday that would lead us up to the semifinal and championship game on Sunday. Our team had a slow start the first game but once we got some momentum we took off with it and won by a comfortable margin. The next two games we started off better and played well throughout. After those Saturday games my body was feeling as if it aged 20 years in 10 hours! and I knew it wouldn’t feel any better Sunday morning! Going into the Sunday games is just as big as a mental test as it is physical, I kept telling myself I felt fine and would be 100% going into every game. The semifinal game, Bryan Wilson came out strong in the first quarter to get us rolling and we ran away with a big victory from there. The championship game was against the hometown team Donegal, so we knew the home crowd was going to be into it. My whole life, my favorite games to play in were the away games, I felt there was no better feeling than playing well and beating an opponent on their home court in front of a cheering crowd! The game started off close in the first quarter but then our team started getting in a good rhythm and pulled away in the second quarter and maintained the lead throughout to become the Donegal Tournament Champs for the second year in a row!! It was a great team and coaching effort in every #victory that we had and it was a great way to end another great week! Now I’m off to take a long ice bath and rehab my aging body!

P.S. Coach Dorno continues to rack up his tournament titles as interim coach until he returns back from his injury! 

Cheers,

Brian

 

 

 

Hey everyone!  Just checking in from Galway.  I wanted to take the time to mention the D2 Lady Titans team I coach here for their efforts in Wednesday nights game.  It was probably the most exciting game we’ve had yet in terms of lead changes and competitiveness.  We came out strong and fought to win the first quarter.  The team went on to finish the half down 8pts. The third quarter was a struggle, up and down the score went, but the ladies stayed tough and responded well to everything thrown at them.  Changing the defense on the fly (with less than 4 minutes to go down by 7pts) the Titans forced turnovers and converted on the offensive end to make a 8-0 run to take the lead. I had never been more excited for them, jumping up and down on the sidelines after every steal and made basket, I was so proud.  In the last minute we suffered a bit of a melt down and gave away numerous (precious) chances to close out the game.  With under 10 seconds to go, the score level, we committed a turnover and then fouled the opposing team sending them to the free-throw line.  They made 1 out of 2 leaving us with a 1pt loss.  An absolute heartbreaker.  I really believe we deserved the win, but we lacked poise and composure down the stretch and paid for it in the end.  Great overall effort, a lot can be learned from it.  What an exciting game to be apart of.

DAY 3: I cannot decipher if I am tired from the all-nighter from the plane over here, or the hours we stayed awake listening to Pat play is guitar last night all squished in the kitchen together…or whether I am staying awake from excitement or a sugar overload of amazing pinballs (a little Irish candy-colorful sugar balls) I tried during training! The only thing I’m sure of is that my abs are sore from the excessive laughing.

    Dublin arrival: I managed to grab my two huge bags off of the belt, SWEATING because obviously my bag was over the weight limit. I had to take out some of my favorite sweaters, only to stuff them into my carry-on. Of course, once the carry-on was zipped it had no chance of fitting in the overhead…so basically there was no choice but to layer them on myself. Then the eight of us stuffed ourselves in the “Prom Van” to our journey to Belfast.
    
    Already I can tell this is going to be a great year- because this group will make it great. To be surrounded with people who have a very similar mindset as you is empowering and inspiring. I feel so fortunate to be where I am today, and there are many people who have helped me get here. I cannot wait to be one of the reasons a kid reaches a goal of theirs. Thanks to all the Sport Changes Life staff we’ve met this week who have welcomed us here at Belfast!

The other day my U16 girls that I have been coaching played one of their better games this season, and we even ended up getting the win (even though it was because the other team was disqualified, but hey, a win is a win!).  We scored 30 points, which may not seem like a lot to many of you, but for this team, it was a huge accomplishment.  All season I have been struggling to get the girls to shoot the ball on offense, let alone actually look at the basket when they catch the ball.  In the beginning of the season, it was like nobody on the team wanted to touch the ball; every player on the court would run away from the point guard.  But over the last couple weeks, I have seen an improvement and an increase in some of the players’ confidence. 

One girl in particular has improved immensely from the beginning of the season.  I remember the first game she played in: she looked like a deer in headlights when she was out on the court. But now, she gets open on offense, and every time she catches the ball, she looks at the basket.  She shoots her open shot, but also knows when to pass it to a teammate. Not only has her offense improved, but her defense is much more aggressive and when she gets a steal and a fast break, she goes up for the lay up strong. The best part about this player is that she always has a huge smile on her face after she’s scored a basket or done something positive on defense.  Although this group still needs a lot more work, it’s the little things like a smile on a player’s face that make me feel like I have taught these girls something and helped improved their game!

 

This past week, we added another American player to my Premier League team! With this being her first week in Ireland, and her going nonstop once she got off the plane from the US, I could relate to what she was feeling this past week. I automatically thought back to my first week in Belfast over a month and a half ago – adjusting to the time difference, struggling to find wi-fi in random places, and trying to get used to the Irish ways.

 

I even found myself giving her advice – like I’ve been here forever myself! It’s one thing having to go through the transition and adapting to a new environment yourself.. but having to witness someone else making that same transition after me has been very enlightening so far.

 

On Friday, my team had a great night together – bonding over a delicious curry dinner provided by Sarah, one of the organizers at the UL Huskies Club. Sarah was the first person I met when I stepped foot on Limerick’s campus, and she has been there to support our team every step of the way! And little did we know, the Munster Rugby match was being played at the same exact time literally down the street from Sarah’s house! At halftime, a bunch of us walked down to the match and ended up getting in for free – how’s that for an unplanned Friday night!

 

Saturday was another great day filled with coaching in the morning and our second regular season SuperLeague game that night. The younger girls finally start their own matches this coming weekend, and I’m excited to be on the sidelines with them! The 12u team has also been helping me out with my Irish accent; after training on Saturday, they helped correct my pronunciation mistakes (apparently I say “Ireland” like an American?). Hopefully by the end of the season I’ll have a real Irish accent!

 

We also won our first SuperLeague game of the season with another great team effort against a tough Killester team. Our next game this Saturday is against two fellow Scholars: Christine and Katie Ganser.. should be a good one!!

Saying goodbye to family and friends definitely wasn’t easy, but I was excited to start this new journey in Ireland. I was a wee bit nervous at first, not knowing what to expect, but seeing the other Scholars at the airport made everything easier. Upon arrival, it was off to Belfast, where we would meet the other Scholars and begin training with our new Sport Changes Life family.

 

Although a wee bit jet-lagged, we got some rest before our week began! Within the first few days we did some fun team building activities and took a mini tour through downtown Belfast, where we saw the Peace Wall and the two cranes that built the Titanic. It was awesome learning about the history of Northern Ireland and the Peace Wall.

 

During training, we learned about basic Skills 4 Sport and how to interact with the young kids. One night, we had our first SheHoops session, where we played a fun game of team handball and the Northern Irish girls taught us (the Americans) about the flags issue going on in Northern Ireland. Despite all the craic (aka fun) so far, the best was yet to come…Friday, we got to hang out with some kids and it was the highlight of my week! Within just a few minutes of meeting them, they were talking with us and asking questions. It was remarkable to see how quickly we built relationships with them. I hanging out with this one little girl and afterwards she gave me her loom band bracelet! She was so sweet, it just melted my heart; I hated to say goodbye. However, this experience just made me that much more excited to work with young kids this year! I’m so excited to see what this year has in store for me!!

 

Until next time…

 

Moving into Northern Ireland has been a constant eye opening experience. From meeting the Sport Changes Life staff, working at summer camps, meeting the other 12 Scholars, and being able to work with the EHOOPS and SHEHOOPS, I have already made fast friends and learned new things. My biggest goal while here is to learn as much from the people I meet as I can. There is a huge cultural learning curve.

 

In the states I am considered a really fast talker so it is a nice change that the Northern Irish speak very quickly and tend to understand me better than people in my own country. I would say my SCL teammate/mentor Aimee Shiels talks faster than anyone I have ever met. She has taught me many Northern Irish terms, shattered (tired), craic (fun), wee (little) to help me get acquainted with the Northern Irish life. The most influential experience of my week in Ireland so far has come from meeting the young people from East Belfast and West Belfast.

It has been an educational experience to learn about the areas they come from and what it is like for them on a daily basis. They remind me of so many of my friends and family from back home. I cannot wait to get to know them more and to invest in a true friendship with all the EHOOPS, SHEHOOPS, and summer camp young people.

Interacting and playing different games with the young people has allowed me to feel like a kid and have fun with the beginning of this journey so far. I look forward to meeting and interacting with more young people in the community as well as learning from everywhere I go and everyone I meet. For now it’s on to my next lesson in Ireland but I will forever remember my first few days of interacting with such phenomenal young people. 

Do I want more? YES! That concert was legendary, epic, and in the words of Jared, “Awesome!” Jay Z and Timabaland rocked the O2 Arena and we even got a chance to see Stephen so that was cool.  

 

Although our Under 12 team lost the game, I learned a lot about coaching. The girls did well in spots with defending, ball movement, and aggressiveness on offense. We have to get tougher and this week in practice will be filled with toughness drills. I learned to make the substitution rotation even. We can only substitute at the end of the quarters, rotating 5 in and 5 out. It makes it fair so all the girls are playing 2 quarters and getting an even amount of playing time.

 

We had one of our players foul out and another one was injured. We were almost forced to play 4 on 5, when the opposing coach calls a timeout and says “It’s fine with me if you put a fifth player out.” So of course I go to put in one of our best players and the other coach says “Oh no, not her, you cannot put in one of your best players.” I tried, but it was nice of her to let us do that because when she was playing 4 on 5 against us in the very beginning, we were trying to get our girls to find the open player each time.

 

While in Dublin, we beat DCU by 18 points and Diana and Katie came to my game. I could see Katie taking pictures as I was lining up on the free throw line or right when I was getting up from off the floor after scrambling over a jump ball; but if anyone asks, I was totally focused on the game.

 

I was so happy they could make it to the game and even happier when we won. It was a scrappy and intense game. I was diving on the floor for loose balls a lot toward the end because every possession was worth that much more once James told us that our next game could be decided on point spread when it comes to placement in the league. It was only our first game, so I know DCU and other teams will only get better. We have to continuously improve too, starting with another fitness test this week. Now, do I want more of that? No, but I know it’s for the best and I will do way better than last time.

 

Oh, by the way Boojum’s is strikingly close to my Mexican favorite, Chipotle, which was a pleasant surprise. Speaking of surprises, I’ll have a HUGE and unforgettable one for everyone this weekend too so stay tuned!!

 

(Special thanks to Shelby and Katie for giving us a place to stay!)

After a long flight from Philadelphia, I finally arrived in Dublin and met up with all of the other Victory Scholars. This was my first time ever traveling by myself AND my first time traveling to another country. Throughout the long flight, I was very excited to get off of the plane and see the beautiful greens lands of Ireland. After arriving in Dublin, we travelled to Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Once we settled into our new surroundings, we all went to an Italian restaurant for dinner! I am Italian and love Italian food, so I immediately started thinking about home. The food was delicious, but I have to admit that I am going to miss my mom’s homemade meatballs and home cooked meals.

 

Looking forward to my next adventure as a Scholar!

In my masters program, I’m taking all sorts of culture and internationally scoped classes. Learning that organizational culture is seen as the single greatest driver in long-term organizational performance, (referenced from someone important I should know…) I have been very scholarly in noticing this aspect more around me.

 

            The culture at Kubs Basketball Club (where Christine and I coach) includes a great amount of family orientation and consistency with their involvement. During the Friday through Sundays that Christine and I are with both young boys and girls groups, no matter who has training or a game that day, the others will be keeping score or on the sidelines supporting. At the girl’s game on Saturday, there was a 12-year-old boy who we see just about every day of every weekend. He loves to go on the court in-between drills or during time outs of a game and show off his dribbling skills…soccer, acrobatic, and on this particular day we witnessed his fearless climbing and hanging skills.

 

            One of our friends was visiting the club and did not know how talented (AKA daring and wild) this little boy was when our friend lifted him up to try and dunk. He hung on the rim showing off his muscles doing pull – ups for us, and was annoyed by his close spotters that according to him, he obviously did not need!

Before anyone knew it, the little bugger had squirmed up and taken a seat on the rim. He loved our reactions of both slight terror and worry, yet our enjoyment as we laughed at our free entertainment.

 

            Needless to say, safety comes first here at Sport Changes Life and our friend eventually bribed him to get down. The kids love to (literally) hang around the Kubs gym because it is a positive environment where kid’s individual abilities are discovered, and challenged for improvement in all areas. They learn how to work with others on a team, and have fun in this safe and supportive environment.

As the days ticked by and my departure date got closer and closer, it suddenly hit me that I would not be able to spend my Sundays on my brown couch. This slowly became the thing I was going to miss most about home (sorry mom and dad!). 

 

Now, let me briefly describe the brown couch, what I like to call the BC (BEE-see). Picture the softest, comfiest, most inviting couch you have ever sat on, and then multiply it by 10. I may sound obsessive, but if you ever get the chance come visit me in Boston next year and take a seat, you’ll understand exactly what I’m talking about. 

 

You can probably tell I was torn up about missing my BC. When I was invited to the Maguire’s home to watch a movie the second night of training in Belfast, I was overjoyed to be greated by a brown couch. This IBC (Irish brown couch) is very comparable to my couch at home, so everyone who was worried about it can take a deep breath. I will be okay!

 

As delighted as I was to find a new brown couch, I was even happier to be greeted so warmly by eveyone here. The Sport Changes Life staff have been incredibly welcoming. We went right up to Belfast for training to learn all about coaching and the SCL foundation. We were able to partcipate in an EHOOPS session on Wednesday night. It was great to meet some of the kids and see what they were all about! It has been really fun to get to know all the Scholars and exciting to know that we have the chance to inspire so many young kids this year.

 

Because of the hospitality I have experienced so far, I feel as if I have not skipped a beat through my move to Ireland. As much as I miss my family, I have been inducted into a larger one, and I am happy to say we all play for the Sport Changes Life team. I am looking forward to seeing what this year has in store for me and settling into my studies at Trinity College.

 

With the backing of my new brown couch and family, I am ready to fully jump in and spread #VICTORY! Let’s get this year started!

 

After a summer of anticipation, my journey to the North of Ireland has begun. Today is day 4, and there have been a few bumps in the road, but considering leaving home for 10 months in two suitcases for a totally unknown place, things are going great! When Sport Changes Life says they are your new family, they really mean it. Four days seems like four weeks with the amount of wee bits of craic (FUN) we have already with each other. 

 

The five UUJ Scholars (myself, Liddy, Ashley, Ronnie, & Ryan) were immediately thrown into a summer camp in Newtonabbey. The kids were full of energy to say the least and excited to hear our American accents. Although basketball isn’t one of their more popular sports, once we started kicking the futbol (soccer ball) around, they seemed to enjoy our company. Next we went to another summer camp in Woodburn (both camps are in towns in greater Belfast). It became clear qucikly that these camps are not the same as I am accustom to. The main objective of our sessions is to keep the kids busy, active, and having fun. Engaging in sport in this environment is more important than skill work. 

 

We also spent time with two different EHOOPS groups: one girls (SHEHOOPS) and one boys group from West Belfast. Ehoops programs are usually split in half, spending time playing sports and then time in the classroom. The difference between the groups was huge, and opened our eyes to the culture and identity within Northern Ireland. Patrick (SCL mentor and more) gave an interactive presentation to the girls group on the Flags (Flegs) of Northern Ireland and their relation to people’s cultural identity. It was amazing to hear from the girls and their personal experiences and perspectives. 

 

On Tuesday the rest of the scholars joined us, and despite jetlag, we started our Journey as Victory Scholars. The next days were filled with training, team building, craic (FUN), and surprsingly a lot of Subway and pizza. They promise we will get some traditional Irish food soon! (An Ulster Fry). 

 

We took a sporcle quiz to see how well we know British vs. US words/term. Chip=fries, crisps=chips jelly=jell-o and much more.  We got Aimee (our mini sports mentor and chauffeur extraordinaire) to try a PB&J for the first time ever. 

 

So far, so good Northern Ireland…until next time 🙂 

Duke vs. UNC, St. Joe’s vs. Villanova, the tortoise vs. the hare. History has proven these to be fantastic rivalries, but there is just something about Maree vs. Titans. Since I have arrived in Galway, all I have been reminded of is how big of a heated rivalry Titans vs the crosstown rivals from Oranmore. To quote one local lad, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t win a game all season, as long as you beat Maree!” 

Last week I was invited by some friends to go to play bingo (I know I’m developing into an 80 year old man over here). They played it up to be really fun and you could win some serious money, so I figured why not. We walked into the place about 10 minutes late and immediately everyones heads turned and stared at me. I thought to myself, relax everyone I thought 10 minutes late in Ireland meant I was on time! But then it hit me, I was at a Maree bingo fundraiser event. The girls I was with didn’t realize what they had done, but nonetheless we stayed and boy would it have been great to win some money from them. (Spoiler Alert: Bingo is not as exciting as these girls made it out to be) 

Flash forward to this past Saturday and our first game of the new season is against none other than the lads from Oranmore. Our gym is brand new, but doesn’t have any stands like most gyms in Ireland, so the crowd is literally right on top of you and they packed the place to capacity. I started off the game hotter than a summers day in Galway*, hitting three 3 pointers in a row to start. We held a 15 point lead in the second quarter but they just kept chipping away and made it a one point game at the half. By the fourth quarter, the body heat in the gym caused the floor to become like an ice rink and the ball near impossible to hold onto. We were down by 3 with five seconds to go and my teammate missed a shot at the buzzer to send it into overtime.Tremendous game and it was really amazing how much passion both the players and fans from both sides. We get to play them again in a few weeks in the first round of the National Cup Tournament, so revenge will certainly be on all our minds. It felt great to be back in a competitive environment again but that loss stung a little more than usual because there’s just something about Maree.