This weekend Ryan and I took the quick flight over to Manchester to see the Man City football team face off against Everton. I’ll never take for granted the convenience of travel that comes with staying in Ireland for a year.. as a “quick trip” to Manchester would never be a phrase I’d use coming out of Philly. We arrived early Saturday morning with the intent to explore the city before the game started at 5:30. From the airport, we played it by ear and jumped on the tram, not sure where or when we would get off. During our commute I googled “things to do in Manchester” and weighed our options. You might be able to say that I’m a procrastinator. 

 

We ended up getting off at a stop that looked particularly crowded and began walking around. The architecture is absolutely stunning in Manchester, as so many of the buildings are older and so rich in detail. Many of the buildings in city centre have that “castle-ish” look, and the streets are just buzzing with people at all times. We came across the town hall, which happened to have a Christmas Market wrapped around it, just like in Belfast. This one, however, was massive in comparison. Some of the beer tents contained second stories, there was a giant blow-up Santa hovering over the entire scene, and the shops extended throughout the surrounding streets with their holiday decorations and lights. I couldn’t believe we’d just stumbled upon it without even trying, but I’m so happy we did. It was uncomfortably crowded though, being that it was a Saturday, and we decided to see what else the city had to offer.

 

We stopped around the corner at the historic John Rylands Library (#1 attraction in my google search 😉 ) and took our time soaking in the various works of art and projects that are featured within the halls. It seemed so much like a museum, and it was 100% free. The inside had a special charm, largely due to the contrast of new and old, which seemed to be a theme. The library was originally built in the nineteenth century, and then had an addition put on almost 100 years later. As a result, there are parts of the library that take you from a shiny, new, modern looking room directly into a hall of historic stone, moldings, and stained glass. There are hand-written notes from the early 1900s, medieval manuscripts, and other European texts so old that they have to be bound and kept at a certain temperature for preservation. In the newer rooms, however, there are modern photographic exhibits from all over the world, highlighting the troubles of third world countries today. 

 

Later in the day, we checked into the hotel and relaxed a little before heading to the game. We were lucky enough to have midfield seats and we bought some gear from the store so we could better blend into the crowd of supporters. We also did our best to join in all the chants in fake English accents. It worked because City won 1-0 and Ryan’s favorite player, Yaya Toure, scored the PK. 

 

We enjoyed the rest of the night in town before getting to sleep and preparing to fly home Sunday afternoon. While I’ve never had much of a clue exactly what I want to do as a career in life, I’ve always known I want to see as much of the world as I can. This amazing opportunity I’ve gotten through Sport Changes Life has allowed me to immerse myself in a certain culture as well as put me in a position where I can easily make trips to other parts of the world as well, even if it is only briefly. I will miss Manchester City but it’s left its impression on me even if I was only there for a couple of days. My plan is to keep making every moment of my experience this year count, both in Belfast and everywhere else I am lucky enough to go. 

 

Victory Scholar: Ashley Montecchio

Present University: University of Ulster

Alma Mater: Rosemont College

 

The other morning as the kids came in and sprinted to the basketballs by the wall, one little girl lagged behind. Instead of going to the bag of basketballs to shoot with her classmates, she came up to me, looking eager to share something. She wanted to tell me about the new basketball she had gotten as a gift. Excited to hear about if she had been practicing with it, I asked her if she had a hoop, assuming the answer would be yes. Instead, she said, “No, but I’ve just been using the street signs to practice shooting. I’m pretty good, I hit them every time.” She said it with a completely straight face, but I couldn’t keep the smile hidden from my face.  She didn’t care that she did not have a hoop, she just wanted to practice some basketball! I love that she made the most out of what she had, without a second thought, whereas some other kids would complain that they did not have a hoop.  I’m not sure if the signs in Ireland are regulation height, but the thought of seeing her shooting a basketball at a stop sign makes me laugh every time!

 

Victory Scholar: Meghan McGuinness

Present University: Trinity College Dublin

US League Partner: MAAC

Club/Community Partner: Meteors Ladies Basketball

Alma Mater: Niagara University

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

On Monday of this past week, I was privileged enough to have had the chance to run a session at the Mid West School for the Deaf in Limerick. This school supports children who are unable to hear, and some of the students have additional disabilities that impede them from hearing as well, such as down syndrome, etc. To summarize what I gained from this experience in a few paragraphs would be an injustice. This is my first time in about 5 years working with children with disabilities.

 

I really couldn’t sum up the array of feelings that I felt. Firstly, upon walking into the school, two of the kids ran up to me, hugged me, and proceeded to introduce themselves….easily the warmest welcome I have received in a long time, anywhere. At ease with this amiable welcome, I started learning the kids’ names. What I found fascinating was that although there was an obvious barrier in that I could not speak directly to the kids (the teachers would occasionally translate what I or Barbara were saying via sign language), their levels of interest, curiosity, and engagement with us simply being there were extremely high.

 

Even when the teachers were not present to translate between the students and myself, there was still a massive connection driven by the positive energy that these kids were giving off. I left that school with the hugest smile on my face, so happy to have been able to soak in joy in its purest form. Through a few warm up games and a bit of football the happiness that emanated throughout those kids helped to remind me that our biggest obstacles to being happy are usually ourselves, our mindsets, our outlooks, and our attitudes. Positive energy really works.

 

I 100% look forward to working with that bunch of kids again. I can only imagine the difficulties that some of them have to go through. Nevertheless, they find a way to put smiles on their faces and the faces of others. That’s an amazing quality each of us can learn from.

 

Immediately following this session at Mid West, I had the privilege of speaking to 50 kids at St. Michael’s about racism and inclusion in sports for FARE (Football Against Racism in Europe). The kids were super receptive, and seemed really interested in what we were talking about. In an Irish demographic that is increasingly diverse, I feel that having this discussion based in sports with young people can have a massive effect on young people having negative experiences in school or their communities as a result of bullying or negative social behaviors.

 

I’ve got to say, I am really proud of how engaged the kids get into these discussions. It really makes me feel like the stuff we talk about will seriously help kids going through tough times socially, whether it is bullying or exclusion of any type as a result of being different. Reminds me of the anti-bullying campaign University of Dayton SAAC did for the Atlantic-10 Conference. It’s encouraging to know that changes are being made all over, whether in Dayton or Limerick. People are listening, so go spread positivity.

 

Victory Scholar: Jonathan Nelson

Sport League: ATLANTIC 10

Present University: University of Limerick

Alma Mater: Dayton University

 

Sarah and I split off from our other travel companions to spend a couple days exploring the beautiful city of Paris. Upon arrival, we searched unsuccessfully for a map and instead decided to “wing it” in typical Sarah-and-Katie fashion.

 

We wandered our way over to the Eiffel Tower, where we were amazed and awed by the structure, and where I was also scammed into buying a selfie-stick that didn’t actually work (silly tourist!). Nonetheless, Sarah and I fell in love with the Eiffel Tower, and vowed to get up extra early the next day to line up to go to the top of it. But before we tackled our fear of heights, we decided to tackle our fear of the slimy, otherwise known as the French delicacy, escargot.

 

At dinner on our first night in France, we were determined to try snails. They came out in their shells, soaked in a deep green sauce. They were accompanied with two small silver tools, which Sarah and I had to Google how to use. One served as a clamp for holding the shell, while the other was a tool to scrape the snail out. Sarah managed to swallow a whole snail, but I could only bring myself to try a small nibble of one. I really didn’t like the chewy texture, and couldn’t get over the fact that I was eating a snail, bleh! When I returned back to Ireland, my French teammate Marie was shocked I didn’t like snails because, “They are so good!” So maybe don’t take my word for it!

 

The next morning Sarah and I were up before sunrise and among the first to line up for the Eiffel Tower. It was a good thing we were because by the time the Tower actually opened, there were hundreds of people waiting behind us in a line that wound around and around the base of the tower. We were in one of the first groups to go up. We forgot to mentally prepare ourselves to take on the extreme height, so the elevator rides up—there were three!—were pretty unsettling. Sarah actually has a pretty serious fear of elevators, so she had a minor freak out on the way up, but once we made it to the top we had a good laugh about it. The view was definitely worth the wait, and worth the semi-terrifying elevator experience. Seeing Paris from the pinnacle of the Eiffel Tower is something that I will remember for the rest of my life.

 

I could go on about my time in France forever, but for fear of boring my readers, I’ll wrap it up with a short summary of the other things Sarah and I saw on our Parisian adventure. During the remainder of that day, we visited the Palace of Versailles, Sacre-Coeur Basilica, Notre Dame, Champs Elysees, the Arch De Triomphe, the Louvre (where we posed with Mona Lisa), the Pantheon, the vestiges of the Bastille, and more.

 

Needless to say, we were exhausted at the close of our trip, but we were also exalted at the amazing experience we were fortunate enough to have.

 

 

Victory Scholar: Katie Fox

Present University: Waterford IT

US League: NEC

Club/Community Partner: Waterford Wildcats

Alma Mater: St. Francis College

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

I arrived at the Hanwood 3G pitch in Tullycarnet, excited to lace up my new football boots. This Ehoops group consisted of some very talented footballers, as most of them play for the Tullycarnet club team. The 3G pitch we play on is not conducive to the trainers I had been using thus far and the Irish weather adds a relatively constant factor of wet slippery grounds as well.

We started to play and immediately I felt more confident in my game, and surprised some of the lads with my newfound ability to control and strike the ball. In the end, my team won a close match, and I probably had more goals and assists that game than I had the 8 prior weeks. No longer did I feel like I had never played football!

A week later and the result were the same. My boots came on and I was a changed footballer. It felt like I was in the movie Like Mike, just I was lacing up the shoes of a football great and gaining their skills. To be fair it would only be a small fraction of their skills, but it felt great!

 

Victory Scholar: Ryan Ansel

Sport League: Atlantic 10

Present University: University of Ulster

Alma Mater: Davidson University

Unfortunately, some time last week, I caught the bug that’s been going around these parts. (The Irish-Pneumonia I’ve been dreading). But by Friday morning, I felt just well enough to attend the American-themed Dinner Party that had been ‘circled’ on my calendar nearly since classes began. So with cough drops and Uniflu at close hand, I hopped a cab to the apartment of our gracious host, Bridget. I met two of the girls outside before venturing up the stairs. The table was set for five and a mixture of Motown, Harry Belafonte, and jazz played in the background as the rest of meal came together. Bridget prepared meatloaf from her family recipe and the pecan and apple crumble. Lisa and Becky provided the homemade mac ‘n’ cheese and green bean casserole; Gabby, the honey-glazed carrots; I provided the cornbread. I hadn’t considered myself missing home or even missing those foods but there was something very comforting about eating them with fellow nationals. Like a ‘food hug’ if you will. Lol When we were good and stuffed to gluttonous proportions, we cleaned and spruced before heading back into town.
We arrived to Town Hall Theatre to find our other colleagues already waiting. Music for Galway was putting on their Midwinter Festival–aptly named CAPTIVE: Music From The Abyss– where not only would we hear Prof. William Schabas, the former director of the Irish Center for Human Rights, speak but we would also be treated to live quartet performances. Though the subject matter of the evening (e.g captivity in general, Nelson Mandela’s detention, composers dying in concentration camp etc) was slightly dark, I just was thankful for the rare occasion to enjoy a night of enchanting music with friends. 

 

 

Victory Scholar: Marritta Gillcrease
Present University: NUI Galway
US League: MAAC
Club/Community Partner: Galway Titans
Alma Mater: Rider University
Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

 

As the basketball season nears midpoint, there are just some differences I am still getting use to. Many were highlighted in our most recent Ulster University college game in Dublin against DCU, which we sadly lost by 3. The style of play allowed by the referees is probably the most difficult thing to get use to. Last year the NCAA implemented a rule on hand checking and reaching fouls, causing defense to become much cleaner. Ireland does not follow these rules.

 

Contact is drastically overlooked, but only sometimes! I do not think I have seen an over the back call once, so boxing out is a rarity. Wooden floors in gyms are also extremely rare to find, where as double rims are common which is not the standard in the states. Travelling and walking also have very varying meaning from referee to referee. Rolling on the floor with the ballis accepted if the player doesn’t attempt to stand up.

 

During foul shots, the defensive team gets three players on the hash marks, while the offensive team only gets two. In college you are also one hash mark higher, giving a better angle to box out, in my mind giving the defense an advantage for the rebound, but here defense lines up on the lowest hash mark making the angle worse. One of my least favorite accepted practices occurs during foul shots. Refs are not strict at all and players can freely walk in and out of their spots while the shooter has the ball and is shooting their free throws. In the states this would be a lane violation and the shooter would receive another shot if they missed.

 

Although all these things are minor, and basketball is basketball universally, playing one way in America for fifteen years does highlight the funny little differences!

 

Victory Scholar: Caroline Murphy

Present University: University of Ulster

Alma Mater: Gettysburg College

 

I rang in the New Year in Zamora, Spain, and it was the strangest New Year’s Eve of my life.

 

Spain was the last stop on my little trip around Europe. I arrived on New Year’s Eve to visit my friend from college, Eilidh, who is playing professional basketball there. In addition, her dad and stepmom were visiting. The four of us met up with two of Eilidh’s teammates, one of whom was Spanish, and the other, Dutch. Our diverse group enhanced its diversity further by going to a Chinese buffet for dinner. Apparently in Spain, New Year’s Eve is an extremely family-oriented holiday. As such, most of the Spanish restaurants were closed and we were pretty much forced to have Chinese because nothing else was open. Lucky I love Chinese food, and that I love buffets even more!

 

After dinner it was nearly time to celebrate the New Year officially. The six of us walked through town back to Eilidh’s apartment so that we could watch the ball drop in Spain. On the way, Eilidh’s Spanish teammate, Marina, informed us all of the typical Spanish New Year’s tradition. Right after the ball drops on TV, a church bell rings twelve times—one for each of the months in the year. On each dong of the bell, it is the Spanish tradition to eat a grape, so that by the end of roughly thirty seconds, you are standing there with twelve grapes in your mouth. Even the TV announcers do this! Oh—and I forgot to mention, you also have to be standing on a chair throughout this process, and only when you have swallowed all your grapes can you step down. But wait there’s more! You must step down with your right foot first, and then take a drink of your champagne with your left hand. Then you say, “Feliz Año Nuevo!” (Happy New Year in Spanish) and give everyone in the room a kiss on the cheek.

 

This particularly detailed and somewhat bizarre tradition is supposed to ensure that you have good luck for each of the coming twelve months of the New Year. Even though it seems quite humorous, Marina took it very seriously. She was adamant that we make it back to Eilidh’s apartment in plenty of time to prepare our twelve grapes for the event! Yet she still understood the silliness of it all. When asked if her entire family actually followed this tradition, she said, “Yes, of course, all the women do.” So we asked what the men do while the women stand on chairs furiously shoving grapes in their mouths, to which she replied simply, “Laugh.”

 

I took away from the experience that it is less about the magical power of twelve grapes to ensure a lucky New Year, and more about starting off the New Year with the very real power of sharing a laugh with close family and friends.

 

 

Victory Scholar: Katie Fox

Present University: Waterford IT

US League: NEC

Club/Community Partner: Waterford Wildcats

Alma Mater: St. Francis College

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

 

To finish off an amazing 24 weeks with our SheHoops group from Newtownabbey we went to the Belfast Giant’s ice hockey game on Sunday. The girls were upset it would be our last time meeting, but the perk of meeting some of the players after the game, compliments of JoJo, kept them distracted! There is a surprising fan following for the Belfast Giants, the only ice hockey team in Northern Ireland. The stadium was pretty full on a Sunday night and the crowd was on their feet as the game went into overtime and penalty shots with the Giant’s securing the victory (they play with one less player on the ice than we do at home in the NHL). It was an awesome way to end our time with the girls. We reminisced about some of our fun times playing sport at Jordanstown, had a bit of banter, wound each other up and laughed the entire game.

 

An ehoop tradition is Four Star pizza to conclude each session and that last 20 minutes of the session was always full of laughs particularly with this group. Some of the girls went out and got little pizza slice necklaces for everyone! Just this little pizza necklace speaks for itself. These girls not only have grown since week one, but have made new friendships and relationships, made strides in their lives and wanted everyone to have a slice of pizza to remember our SheHoops family and the time we had together. It was amazing to see all the girls, the PSNI, and the SCL staff all have a slice of pizza around their neck as we concluded and celebrated an amazing accomplishment of our 24 SheHoops program completed.

 

Victory Scholar: Caroline Murphy

Present University: University of Ulster

Alma Mater: Gettysburg College

 

This past weekend, Eileen, our other American teammate/coach/friend, took us for a hike in the mountains. A quick 20 minute drive from the city centre and we were suddenly immersed in the country side with the bustling city seeming a lot further than 20 minutes away. 

 

It’s been awhile since I did a true “hike”; I’ve done plenty of hill walks or walks along the cliffs but did not realize they were not true hike hikes, the ones where you are climbing through rocks with legs burning.

This was a real hike, and of course, I showed up wearing Nike running sneakers. Thankfully, Eileen’s Uncle, who came along and was an experienced hiker, randomly had extra hiking boots; otherwise, Meg and I most definitely would have fallen to our deaths multiple times.

 

The hike ended up being really nice though; climbing through the rocks, wind trying to knock us down; it was an exciting treck to the top of the (much larger than anticipated) sugar loaf. When we finally did make it there, we took a nice break sitting in the edge of the mountain, relaxing with some tea and biscuits, all while taking in the view. 

 

The whole thing was extremely peaceful, hiking to the top of the mountain, relaxing with some tea, and enjoying some great conversation with even better people. And the rain even held off until the exact moment we made it back to our cars. Not a bad Saturday if I do say so myself 🙂

 

 

This Thanksgiving was certainly one to remember! It was the first in my life that wasn’t spent with my family back in America, and since it’s not really a holiday here, I didn’t expect much of a celebration. We were told there would be a dinner held at a club in town called Aether & Echo. My first visitor, Ryan, arrived on Wednesday and we decided to spend some time in the Christmas Market and then walk over to the club for dinner.

 

It was a beautiful night and it’s always fun to walk through city centre. Upon arriving, I saw all twelve of the other victory scholars talking in a big group. It was the first time all of us have been together again since the first week here in Ireland. Everyone looked so nice and it was great to be able to catch up with all of them and find out what their experiences have been at their respective universities.

           

Once upstairs, we were greeted by many of the SCL staff members as well as photographers and videographers. There was a raffle and a “hamper” to be won, as well as SCL decorations everywhere and even a live band. We had turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, macaroni & cheese, and vegetables for dinner. We were all given generous servings and were allowed to eat as much as we want, in true Thanksgiving style.

 

I was looking forward to dessert when I heard one of the staff members call for everyone’s attention. They had brought all of the Victory Scholars to an area in front of a TV and they said they had a surprise for us. Apparently, they had contacted our families back home and got them to make videos for us. I looked over to Ryan who told me he filmed the video of my family and edited it himself, and kept it a secret the whole time. I was the first one up, and I got to see my mom, dad, niece, and brother on the screen wishing me a happy thanksgiving and telling me how much they miss me.

 

Every year on Thanksgiving, my family seems to have some type of disaster, so my dad used my niece’s barbies to stage a reenactment of past Turkey-day mishaps, such as the oven door falling off and the turkey catching on fire. At the end, my brother is shown on the screen wishing me a happy thanksgiving and when my mom asks him if he has anything else he wants to say, he says no and leaves the room. I couldn’t stop laughing at the entire thing, and at the same time it was great to see my family in all their genuine weirdness wishing me a happy holiday.

 

It was definitely something I wasn’t expecting at all, and I’m grateful that SCL went to all the trouble to put it together for all of us. Some people were so touched they were even crying. It made the whole night feel a lot more intimate and it was also cool to see some of the people that my fellow scholars care so much about back home. I kinda feel like I met all their families.

           

After the videos, we had mini pumpkin pies for dessert, which were delicious, and we read off the winners to the raffle. We thanked everyone for the amazing night and then we hit the town to continue the celebration. I couldn’t be more thankful to SCL for organizing such a great event, and I can safely say this Thanksgiving was one for the books. 

 

Victory Scholar: Ashley Montecchio

Present University: University of Ulster

Alma Mater: Rosemont College

This past week, my marketing class had an overnight trip to the Glen of Aherlow in Tipperary. Originally, when I found out about the trip, my professors did not give many clues as to what we would be doing when we got there. To say the least, it was all a bit of a mystery.

 

During the trip we learned: to play African drums, about our personality through the MBTI personality test, stress reliving exercises through body control, as well as a Q and A session with an alumni from our marketing course that now works at Facebook. After the two days, it was safe to say that I never would have guessed that we would have been participating in a whole lot more than just marketing. 

 

Upon arrival, we immediately began our first seminar of the trip. We were greeted with dozens of African drums, with candles and incents lit, engulfing the room with a great aroma. Obviously very confused, I grabbed a drum and listened to our instructor as he taught us how to drum and play various African tribal beats and rhythms. To say the least, I was so far out of my element it wasn’t even funny. I thought maybe my background in playing in the high school band would help me… wishful thinking. I spent majority of the time slamming the drum off beat while looking around trying to figure out how to get back on beat. Regardless, it was hilariously fun, and all around, a very cool seminar! It was definitely something totally different that I had never gotten to do before.  

 

I also loved hearing from the alumni who now works at Facebook about his time in our course, as well as his journey from graduation to where he is now. Obviously there are a lot of expectations for our life after graduation. But hearing Dave’s story was great reassurance to know that it is okay to not have every part of your life mapped out. The biggest takeaway from his talk was to experience every opportunity available, while putting yourself out there into as many situations as possible.

 

After the two days were over, I was exhausted. All the seminars were great, but I loved just spending time with my classmates. Due to my busy basketball and coaching schedule, it has made it hard to make plans with my classmates. So being able to spend a couple of days with them was great. I loved hanging out with them and hope to have more opportunities to in this upcoming semester! 

 

Victory Scholar: Sarah Benedetti

Present University: University of Limerick

US League: NEC

Club/Community Partner: UL Huskies

Alma Mater: St. Francis College 

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

 

We begin to look forward to the American tradition of giving thanks, eating turkey, stuffing and watching NFL football! While I realized this Thanksgiving was going to be different and one I would always remember, I am forever thankful for the effort Sport Changes Life made to bring all of the scholars back to Belfast for the holiday. 

 

Jon and I arrived in Belfast on Thanksgiving Day along with fellow scholars Christine and Jen, and it hit me that this was my first time back in Belfast since those first weeks in August! We had all been getting accustomed to our respective lives in our own Master’s programs and local areas, and this was our first time reuniting with everyone. I had been looking forward to this moment literally all week, and knew we were going to be in for a fun time.

 

Thanksgiving dinner (complete with turkey, stuffing, mac and cheese, and pumpkin pie) was held at a nice restaurant in Belfast, and we were able to mix and mingle with the staff and supporters – expressing our gratitude and thankfulness to the ones who helped make our Victory Scholar opportunity possible. It’s so easy to forget and get sucked into the every day nuances of life, that you sometimes forget how blessed and fortunate you are! 

 

While I watched our surprise home videos sent from our friends and family in the US, I was reminded that I was still surrounded by a different family on Thanksgiving – my Sport Changes Life family. Needless to say, my Thanksgiving in Ireland was one I will never forget!

 

Victory Scholar: Kelsey Harris

Sport League: SOCON Sports 
League

Present University: University of Limerick

Alma Mater: Elon University

 

 

Kelly and I went to our first Belfast Giants Game last night and it was great. We had been waiting to go all year because three of our classmates in the sports management/management program are star players. They won 6-3 and they each recorded points in the match. Johan Ejdepalm recorded an assist early in the first quarter, James Desmarias recorded 2 key goals and Kris Beech recorded a goal.

They were all key players and the crowd went crazy when they scored it was beautiful to see. We knew them as older guys who could help us figure out the profitability ratios in finance but here they were taking over the ice in front of thousands of fans. Kelly and I went from classmates to proud fans last night. I look up to all three of these guys, they carry themselves with such poise, they are three family men and they are just sincere down to earth people.

I had always wanted to be a professional athlete since I was young and I wondered if that kind of attention would change me if it ever happened. It definitely hasn’t gotten to these three they treat everyone with respect and care. They set great examples of how a professional athlete can be a positive role model in society and they are definitely role models to me. If you get the chance I would recommend you catch a Giants Match soon they are on fire this season! Thanks for reading.

 

Victory Scholar: James Zuccaro

Present University: Ulster University

US League: Skyline Conference

Club/Community Partner: Ulster Elks

Alma Mater: College of Mount Saint Vincent

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

 

Last week our CEO Gareth picked us up from our accommodation at the University of Ulster and took us to Dublin to visit the American Embassy. I’d only been to Dublin once before this, and it was for a basketball game so all I really saw of the city was the inside of a gym. We departed bright and early from Belfast to make the trip down, which takes about two hours.

 

When we arrived, we had some extra time to walk around the streets a bit and sit down at a café. We weren’t there long before some of the other scholars from down South came in to join us. Jen and Christine from TCU, Caroline (who went to UUJ like me but now lives in Dublin), and Pat and Jess from Carlow. It’s been months since I’ve seen some of them so it was great to be reunited. We caught up on the walk over to the Embassy, and we wondered what our visit with the ambassador would be like.

 

As soon as we entered the embassy premises, we were asked to turn over our passports and backpacks and were told that no cameras were allowed. Once inside, we got the chance to sit down at a conference table and hear stories from the staff about what it’s like to work in an embassy. There were ‘chips ahoy’ on little plates as centerpieces, and it was one of those little touches that really made us all feel like we were actually in America.

 

One woman began to tell us stories about her experiences working at various embassies. She had actually studied abroad at TCU in Dublin and then took her internship at an embassy, where she eventually got her first job. She subsequently served two years at the embassy in Pakistan, which she volunteered for because she believed it was there that she’d be able to make the most difference.

 

Now that she’s back in Dublin, she can reflect on her experiences elsewhere, both good and bad, and she even plans to return to the more troubled countries soon. I wasn’t expecting to hear some of the things she talked about when it comes to working in an embassy, like how dangerous it can be at times, but I left completely inspired by her stories.

 

Not long into our conversation we were told that the ambassador was ready to see us. We took the elevator down to the main foyer and waited for his arrival. For someone that should probably be really intimidating, he was just a normal, nice guy. He joked with us about his boss, (Barrack Obama), being much more of a basketball fan than he is, and that he would see about getting the president to do a pick-up game with us.

 

We got a chance to talk to him about Sport Changes Life and what we are trying to do within the organization to make a difference in Ireland and Northern Ireland. We talked to him about our eHoops programs and the school visits that we make.  It was great to be able to share what we do with someone that has as much influence as he does, and see that he really believed in our cause as well. He told us that he really appreciates what we do and that the areas we work in really need our help, so it’s important that we are there.

 

Gareth told him that as Victory Scholars, we sometimes don’t realize the impact we have on the young people we work with. Caroline Stewart, who was a VS two years ago, agreed with him, and she said it took her a while to look back and realize how special she was to the kids she met. It made me think about my relationship with all of the young people I’ve been lucky enough to meet so far, and whether or not I’ve made a significant impact on them yet or not. The difficult part is they are making such a big impact on me, it is genuinely hard to see it the other way around. 

 

The entire visit to the embassy got me thinking about a lot of things, but mostly that I’m proud to be involved with this organization and even though it was nice to be back on American soil for a little, there’s no where else I’d rather be right now than Northern Ireland. 

 

Victory Scholar: Ashley Montecchio

Present University: University of Ulster

Alma Mater: Rosemont College

I returned to my Friday morning coaching session last week after a long Christmas break.  They greeted me back with huge smiles and ready to work as if they never had a break.  Before I left them in December, I gave them some basketball homework to practice at home. I had them work on ball handling and their shooting form.  They got an A+ on their homework grade since they came back eager to show me their hard work was paying off.  Their ball handling has impoved significantly and they have cut their shooting drill times by a few minutes.  I think the homework was effective in building their confidence with a basketball and gave them a more comfortable form. 

 

I think this session is really good for the girls and is an innovative way to start their school day.  The session takes place in their school’s gym from 8 am to 9 am and their school day starts at 9:15. I have calibrated their sessions so that they aren’t running too much and just working on basketball skills to keep them comfortable for school.  This session gets their body and mind active, awake, and ready for the school day.  

 

I’ve never been a morning person but the passion and drive of these young women makes it much easier for me to get up and coach them.  They are always attentive, lively, and extremely respectful.  They are another reason I’ve changed for the better and teach me more about myself and the world since I’ve been here.

 

 

Victory Scholar: Harrison Deyo

Present University: IT Carlow

US League: MAC

Club/Community Partner: IT Carlow Basketball

Alma Mater: Alvernia University

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

Thanksgiving is a holiday meant to be spent with family and friends to reflect on everything you are grateful for in life. Usually we are most thankful for good health, family, and the food on the table. Normally my family would start the day with the Macy’s parade on the TV, no breakfast in anticipation of the feast, all helping cook together, then food all day on the couch watching some good old American football sharing some laughs.

 

I think the first time I was a wee bit homesick was thinking about the comforts and traditions of Thanksgiving. But this year a new tradition was made in Belfast.

 

All the southern scholars travelled to Belfast to come together as the SCL family to share some laughs, good food, and celebrate our traditions. All the SCL staff made the effort to come help us celebrate a holiday that has no meaning to them. Close to 80 people all gathered to help celebrate OUR holiday, which on the 13 scholars care about.

 

That is SCL for you, Thanksgiving was important to us, so it became important to everyone and they knew how to make us feel at home. Each scholar got a surprise video from family and friends from home wishing us a happy Thanksgiving. There were mostly hysterical close ups of our parents, which gave us all some great laughs but also a few tears. I’m grateful to have had our own SCL Thanksgiving to remind me that although I wasn’t physically home, I have a new home and family in Ireland, which I couldn’t be more thankful for this year.

 

Victory Scholar: Caroline Murphy

Present University: University of Ulster

Alma Mater: Gettysburg College

Just when I thought I have experienced it all on the basketball court something new happens to prove me wrong. I recently had a particularly unique experience because it came when I was in the role of a coach. A part of the community involvement with Sport Changes Life, I am coaching a Galway under 15 boys team. After several practices with the team it was time for a game against across town rival Moycullen. In a back and forth bout, the game came down to the last 6 seconds, with a tie game, and the ball in our hands with a chance to win the game. One of our players had the ball and after being contained by Moycullen’s defense, passed the ball to a teammate with only seconds remaining. The player launched a deep shot only to have it drop in the net as time expired.

 

As players stormed the court to meet their teammates, the excitement and joy on their faces (and maybe most of all my own) reminded me of why people play and love sports, and especially the game of basketball. Sports really do provide something great that I have not experienced in any other aspect of my life.  Most of the time that I have been involved in sports I had the role of a player. However, having the role of coach was little different than what I have experienced as a player. The trill of competition drives both players and coaches to be their best, and to get the most out of each other, and this is why sports are so special. With my basketball career coming to an end sooner or later, it is good to know that the thrill of sport does not have to end when I hang up my basketball shoes. 

 

 

Victory Scholar: Cory Starkey 

Present University: NUI Galway

US League: Patriot League 

Club/community partner: Galway Titans 

Alma Mater: Bucknell University 

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland 

The holiday season, especially Thanksgiving, is time of the year that really makes you think of all you have to be thankful for. While, I am beyond thankful for all my family and loved ones back home who give me love and support, this year I am also thankful for my SCL family and all my friends here in Ireland, who have made my experience so far in Ireland amazing!

 

While, I definitely missed spending time with my family during this time, it was so great to be able to spend this holiday with my Sport Changes Life family in Ireland! It was an incredible night with great friends and some traditional Thanksgiving food. It was so nice to be able to reunite with the other American scholars and SCL community in Belfast for a Thanksgiving celebration. However, the highlight of the night came when Sport Changes Life surprised all the scholars with videos from our families back home. And I’m not going to lie…I definitely cried a little seeing and hearing my parents, and not to mention my little cousins who made an appearance 🙂 Thank you all…you’re amazing! Miss you and see you soon!!

 

Thank you Sport Changes Life for bringing a little bit of America to Ireland for and making my first Thanksgiving in Ireland a night to remember!

 

#Thankful #VICTORY

 

Victory Scholar: Nicole Krusen

Sport League: PATRIOT League

Present University: National University of Ireland Galway

Alma Mater: Loyola College

Throughout the years I have coached and trained many different basketball players with a wide range of ages and abilities. Despite that, coaching the OWLs (One World Ladies) is something that is completely new to me. Every Friday, I coach this wonderful group of Ladies that includes wide range of ages and abilities. This program provides an outreach to the community for many African refugees looking to get acclimated to the community. When we began this program in the fall many of these players had little understanding of the skills and rules required to play the game of basketball. It has been really enjoyable working with them every week to help develop these basic skills and understandings of the game and to more importantly have fun. It is great to see a group of people play basketball for the sole purpose of having fun. And because of this enjoyment of the game, the players have improved drastically. It is amazing to see how much progress has been made in this group with just an hour in each week. 

 

 

Victory Scholar: Cory Starkey 

Present University: NUI Galway

US League: Patriot League 

Club/community partner: Galway Titans 

Alma Mater: Bucknell University 

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland