As each day of my Irish experience passes by, I look forward more and more to the Wildcats Super League home matches. Not because of the fact that our team is playing well this season, but the club’s invaluable feeling of togetherness.

 

Saturday morning wildkitten coaching sessions get better and better each week. The girls and their parents no longer see me as an American but as a Wildcat player, a part of the club. Jokes, laughs and full on conversations now flow left and right making coaching much more at ease and fun. After our National Cup Quarter Final game against UL, many of those same parents and wildkittens at camp came up to Katie and I to congratulate us after the win. Taking pictures with our favorite angels and being goofy was the best part about the win. The love and kindness within the club goes beyond words.

 

What is also so great about the Wildcats club is the history that lies behind it. If you ever visit Mercy Secondary School, there are vast amounts of pictures and newspaper clippings posted on its wall displaying past wildcat players to current ones. Kelsey Harris, who plays for UL Huskies club team and is also a past Victory Scholar, even spotted an action picture of herself. The Wildcats view the sport of basketball as a unified community, respecting talented players that are just as passionate about the game as the club.

 

After every match, all Super League teams host sandwiches, biscuits and tea for all members from both clubs. The Wildcats club always offers to give Katie & I more food to take home even after stuffing our faces. Our Trinity and Limerick friends experienced the genuineness of our club when they too took some food back to their homes.

 

The love off the court is just as comforting as the love on the court. My teammates, coach, and manager are a big impact to my personal Irish experience and are a reflection of the club. Getting along with such amazing girls and their willingness to take care of Katie and I at all times is reassuring. From giving us lifts from games and training to cracking jokes, they are irreplaceable tokens and couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls.

 

The Wildcats are not stereotypical stringing individual teams into one club. The Wildcats are a family and I wouldn’t want to be a part of any other club. My heart is forever a wildcat.

 

Victory Scholar: Jazmen Boone

Present University: Waterford IT

US League: CAA

Club/Community Partner: Waterford Wildcats

Alma Mater: The College of William and Mary

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

Every Tuesday evening, members of the Wildcats club cook Katie and I dinner. Lately, John Hayes, our club manager, and his wife, Nelly, have been spoiling us scholars with tasty dinners, desserts and tea before returning back to our study habits in the dorm. But this week, Helena, our special friend and Wildcat teammate, and her family did us the honors this week.

 

Her dad cooked us lasagna, chips (“fries”), sweet corn, and garlic bread with a side of salad. The meal was mouth-watering to gaze at and was delicious. But tonight’s tradition was a little different than other Tuesday nights. Over the weekend I mentioned my birthday was coming up but didn’t really think anything of it. In the past, my birthday always fell on a game day or an exam day, so a big celebration was never on the agenda.

 

Once we finished dinner and enjoyed a lovely cup a tea, the kitchen lights turned off. I looked around dazed and confused until I spotted a tiny, lit candle in the middle of the dark room. Suddenly, Helena, her parents, and Katie started singing me happy birthday. Although my birthday is not until Friday, the pie and candle left a huge smile on my face blushing at the idea that they remembered. You would think there is no better feeling than relaxing in a home, but surrounding myself with more and more sincere people in the city of Waterford each and every day is a gift within itself.

 

Victory Scholar: Jazmen Boone

Present University: Waterford IT

US League: CAA

Club/Community Partner: Waterford Wildcats

Alma Mater: The College of William and Mary

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

Although I do not have class on Mondays, my afternoons are jam-packed with basketball. Last Monday I went from coaching to physical therapy to practice to another coaching session. I started at 4 and by the time I finished at 9, I was starving!

 

When I got home ate a sandwich, I kept thinking about one instance that occurred during my hectic day. As I walked into the gym for my first coaching session, one of the girls gave an excited little Yelp! and said, “Katie is here!” Because the previous week had only been my first time in coaching this group, she had forgotten that I would be there every Monday from then on. She and a couple of her friends tried to suppress their smiles as I said hello to them before we began. Hearing and seeing how excited they were to realize that I would be coaching them again made my day.

 

It also helped to put into perspective why I am in the Sport Changes Life program. I am here not only to study and play basketball, but also to make a difference in the lives of young people. If I can make young girls excited to play basketball—like someone once did for me when I was young—I can impact their lives in a positive way. The hour and a half or so of coaching sessions I do with them per week might be the only time when they get to play basketball while having access to someone who’s sole focus is to make it enjoyable for them. It might not seem like a big deal for me to learn their names or to give them high-fives when they do something well, but to them it might be the best part of their day. As such, each time I coach, I hope to be able to make every child feel special, have fun, and learn a little something about basketball. And now, especially after noticing the excitement of those few girls about me being there, I am even more determined to make my coaching sessions fun, no matter how busy my days are or how my stress levels are doing or even if I am hungry and thinking about what’s for dinner. After all, coaching is really all about the kids. So my goal every time I walk into a gym is to make sure that—whether there is an outburst or not—each and every kid is excited to be there with me. 

 

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

 

Christmas reminds me of tradition, warm feelings, and being around people you care about.  Thanks to my great friends from school and basketball, I was able to feel right at home and check all of these off my Christmas list.

 

Christmas tradition to me is listening to Christmas music, making tons of food and desserts, and decorating the house and tree.  Lil, Ciara, Kiran, Ian, and I made a traditional Irish Christmas dinner while blasting music and decorating their house and tree.

Then we sat around laughing and listening to Kiran on his new guitar, an early Christmas present to himself. Ciara and I also made homemade churros, which were risky but came out much better than expected.

 

Lastly, is being around people that you care about.  These 4 people have made my time in Ireland so much easier and enjoyable. We all love a good laugh, great food, and relaxing after a long week of school and basketball. I can’t thank them enough for making me feel at home although I’m 5,000 miles away. 

 

 

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

 

This past Saturday the UL Huskies Club organized a trip to Waterford for a day full of basketball and fun. The club hired a coach bus to bring the U12 and U14 UL Huskies to Waterford, where they played a friendly match against the Wildcats, then watched the premier league team compete against the Wildcats in the quarterfinal of the National Cup. 

 

As expected, the girls were incredibly excited and energetic the whole trip down to Waterford. In fact, I’m pretty sure they sang the entire way down. They sang every Christmas song, UL Huskies chant, and popular song on the radio. I think it’s safe to say the girls should stick to playing basketball 🙂

 

The games were great fun; the girls played hard and had a blast while doing it. In between games, Kelsey and myself hung out with the girls talking about anything and everything, ranging from how we pronounce McDonalds wrong to the number of selfies the girls had taken on the trip so far… it was over 300, in case you were wondering, It was great to hang out with the girls and get to know them in a setting other than at practice or on the bench during a game. 

 

After the two teams played their games, it was time for the premier league team to play. During the entire the game, the U14s and U12s cheered, danced, and supported us as much as they could. They single handedly changed the atmosphere of the gym, making us feel like we had the home court advantage; it was awesome!

 

Looking into the stands and seeing all the girls watching, motivated myself and the other girls even more. I wanted to play for them, to show them how great and fun the game of basketball is.  

 

The entire day was phenomenal. I had a blast hanging with all the girls and hope that there will be another day planned to do something similar.

 

Thank you to Sarah Deegan, Phil Egan, and the rest of UL Huskies Basketball Club for organizing such a fun day!

 

PS- Thanks Rachel for the selfie stick! We absolutely nailed the picture!   

 

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

 

Before coming to Ireland, I asked as many people as I could about what I should see and do while I am there. Without a doubt, the most popular answer I received was the Cliffs of Moher. Having never really heard of the Cliffs before this, I was wondering why they were so popular.

 

Gillian, Lorna, and I decided that before the Super League basketball season started, we would go see the Cliffs and check them off my Ireland bucket list. (Shout out to Lorna by the way for driving us all the way up and back!)

 

Immediately upon getting to the Cliffs, we were faced with a steep hill, in order to get to the top to overlook the entire land mass. Naturally, during the ascent we complained about how steep it was and how it felt as if it were never ending. Once we got to the top, we all went speechless.

 

The view is indescribable; something that even a photograph couldn’t do justice. That’s when the tourist mindset set in. I started taking pictures of EVERYTHING! Asking Gillian and Lorna to take a million pictures.

 

What really made me stick out as a tourist though, was the selfie stick. Yes, I brought the selfie stick, how could I not? In fact, it ended up taking the best pictures, definitely worth the tourist harassment I got from Gillian and Lorna. 🙂

 

3 hours of walking and 63 pictures later, we had completed the Cliffs of Moher trail. After finishing the hike, it is safe to say that it is one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen. 

 

After today, I know exactly why everyone had suggested I visit the Cliffs during my stay in Ireland. 

 

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

 

Christmas is easily one of the best times of year! The beautiful decorations, the festive songs, and spending time with friends and family are some of the many things that make it great. Obviously, I am spending this holiday season in a new place, with new friends, but nonetheless, it’s still awesome.

 

Although it is different, it is definitely not a bad thing. By being in Ireland for the holiday season, I am privileged to experience how other people, in a culture other than my own, celebrate the most wonderful time of year! And let me tell you… it’s pretty great!

 

After the National Cup Game, I decided to spend the night in Waterford with my fellow scholars, Katie and Jazmen, and of course the #bornagainscholar Kelsey. As an added bonus, we got to hang with the Wildcats team at their Christmas party. Since it was a Christmas party, it obviously met we had to wear Christmas sweaters; so original, right? But as no surprise, everyone had awesome sweaters! I thought I was going to be pretty cool for having a light up one, but then after walking into the room, I realized everyone had the same idea. We all looked like walking Christmas trees. What could be better?

 

The next day, we briefly went around Winterval, Waterford’s version of a Christmas market. It was such a cute set up, with street vendors, pretty lights and decorations, and so many things to do! It really was beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and I could not be happier about it. It made me so excited for my upcoming trip with a few of the other scholars to see the Christmas markets in Germany!

 

It was a lot of fun to be back together with Katie and Jazmen, even though it’s beginning to happen every other weekend 🙂 Regardless, it was a great evening. But to me, one of the best parts was how welcoming the Wildcats team was toward their opposition in a match that concluded just a few hours ago. It’s a recurring theme I’m seeing in Ireland, the premier league really is a basketball community that is competitive on the court, but once you step outside those lines, everyone is incredibly friendly and welcoming.

 

 

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

 

Today, I had my last day of class for the semester at Trinity. This means I’m halfway done with my time here in Ireland, which is absolutely insane to think about. I decided to take this time and reflect on my first semester and how everything has progressed.

 

Trinity outreach program:

The kids I coach have gone from knowing nothing about basketball to being obsessed with coming in and showing me how they’ve been practicing their follow through, their jump stop, or their between the legs dribble. I look forward to the days I get to coach because I love seeing them come in so excited to play basketball and so energetic. They’ve given me a new outlook on life, as each time I get the opportunity to be with them, I try to think about how I can have a positive effect on their day and eventually their life.

 

Basketball:

Meteors: I went from being nervous about being on a new team and wondering what the team would be like to being welcomed with open arms and surrounded by laughs at all times, along with having a coach who genuinely wants the best for us. We have high expectations for ourselves, and I have had a blast with the competition and physicality of the games played here.

Trinity: In contrast to college basketball in America, the college teams here in Ireland are strictly just for fun. Being surrounded by girls who purely play to get to know people and enjoy the game of basketball is so much fun. It has made me develop a new appreciation for the game that I love.

 

Schoolwork:

Although I still have finals left and this may have been one of the most stressful weeks of my life (maybe got a total of 6 hours of sleep?!), it’s insane to think about how much I’ve learned in just a few months. I’ve met so many people from all different places, and working with them has taught me even more. Only halfway done with my course, I already feel like my knowledge of business can be applied to my work in the future.

 

Me:

Looking back, I really have grown so much as a person since my arrival in August. Even the smallest, seemingly unimportant things, have affected me. Believe it or not, I’ve never had to do my own grocery shopping! In college, I had an unlimited meal plan and at home that job usually went to my parents. Living on my own now (with Emily of course) has left me to do food shopping, cook, clean, etc. for myself. With the risk that I now sound like a lazy bum, this has given me a new appreciation for all that my parents have done for me, as well as made me even more independent. Being in another country has made me appreciate home, family, and friends more than I ever have before. On the other hand, it has given me the chance to develop new relationships that make me forget about missing those at home. It has forced me to come out of my comfort zone, meet new people, and learn new things. I can even say I’m comfortable using public transportation now!

I have had to manage my time and priorities more than I ever have, with added responsibilities and the important job of being a mentor and role model. Overall, I feel like I’ve changed for the better, with new and exciting things, events, and people giving me new energy and life. I love the mission I am trying to accomplish here along with the other Victory Scholars and all of Sport Changes Life, and I can’t wait to see what is coming in the second half of my time here.

 

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

Without a doubt, tonight was the most Irish night I’ve had while being in this country.

 

Sarah Deegan (who I now call my Irish mother) graciously invited Gillian, Ellen (a friend and UL Huskies team manager), and myself over to watch Ireland play against Romania in the Rugby World Cup. For starters, I don’t know a thing about rugby, which made watching the game very interesting and probably a bit annoying for everyone else. Naturally, I fired off a million questions attempting to grasp the concept of the game, as I was not too sure what was going on. Even after the conclusion of the game, I can’t tell you much about the sport, other than the fact that Ireland won! Which so I have been told, is all that matters! 😉

 

After the game finished, we all sat down and ate a very delicious Irish stew dinner that Sarah had cooked up for us. As I have been told, it is a very traditional Irish dish; one that I loved! For dessert, she prepared a wonderful strawberry and raspberry pavlova. To say the least, Sarah really spoiled me with such a great home cooked meal; everything was amazing!

 

The night did not end there though. After dinner and the game, we spur of the moment decided to go see the new movie Everest that was playing in the “luxury” cinema. Luxury meaning we got to sit in extra comfy seats that came with more legroom… definitely wasn’t necessary, but a nice perk.

 

As for the actual movie, I am no critic, but I can definitely say it was a phenomenal movie; one that everyone should see!

 

Comfy seats, and a great movie, what more could you ask for?

 

And for all the Americans reading this, the drink and popcorn portions are just as large as they are in the states!  I was shocked to see such large sizes; for a moment, it brought me back to our overpriced and excessive portioned theaters!  

 

Without a doubt, it was a wonderful Sunday night. After the traditional Irish dinner and Irish rugby game, I felt as though I really got a taste of the Irish culture.

 

Thank you to my Irish mother for welcoming me into her home!

 

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

 

 

With project and paper due dates, and final exams looming ever closer, I have been fairly inundated with college work. Over the final 28 days of the fall semester, I have 5 papers due, 1 project due, 1 presentation to give, and 5 final exams to take. Its safe to say my life has been flooded with schoolwork! I wake up early before class to get a few hours of work in here; I stay up late after practice or coaching to get in a few hours there. I imagine that most Masters students undergo this same feeling of drowning in their schoolwork from time to time throughout the year.

 

And yet, we continue to work through it. We fight to keep our heads above water. Why? I had an epiphany yesterday that I think answers this question perfectly. It happened when I was walking to the library through the pouring rain. Ireland is known for its incessantly rainy weather, but yesterday was something else. It rained nonstop, the gray sky refusing to relent. It rained so much that the road leading to WIT became completely flooded until it was un-drivable. As the droplets and the wind whipped my face, I failed to notice the puddle right in front of me.

 

Splash!

 

With my toes now swimming in my sock, I grew more and more irritated. It seemed to me like the rain and my course load were beating down on me without mercy. That, coupled with my now sopping foot, threatened to overwhelm me.

 

But then I began to think about all the good that the rain does. One only has to look out the window to see the amazing patchwork of green landscapes that beautify Ireland. Without the rain, that beauty could not exist. Likewise, the brain cannot be brilliant without the constant drizzle of work and even the occasional lashing downpour of assignments. Just as beauty in nature must know rain, brilliance in mind must be exercised.

 

It took my stumbling into a puddle to regain my perspective. I realized that I must always embrace the rain, because in the end, it is rain that allows the brain to bloom.

 

 

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

Before I came to Ireland, I thought I knew what tea was. I would drink it occasionally, especially when my mom used to make me a cup of hot tea before I went to high school in the mornings. So I figured I had a pretty good handle on what it was. The Irish have made me realize how wrong I was.

 

A number of my Irish friends have critiqued my methods of making tea. I thought it was a pretty straightforward process; I didn’t realize how many mistakes one could make with something so simple as tea. My roommate Maidy was aghast when she saw me adding in sugar and milk before taking out the teabag. My teammate Helena informed me further that I actually have to take the tea bag out, add the sugar, stir it until it is fully dissolved, and only then add the milk. Aimee from Sport Changes Life even instructed me to stir her tea three times to the left and once to the right (I think she was kidding, but then again with tea you never know).

 

Not only have I been making tea wrong my entire life, but I’ve also been drinking it incorrectly. Whereas I used to drink tea only in the morning, the Irish drink it throughout the day. There’s morning tea, mid-morning tea, afternoon tea, after dinner tea, and before bed tea. Basically, you can and should drink tea at any and all times. You also might have a snack with your tea. This could be a cookie (or as the Irish call it, a “biscuit”) or a bar of chocolate, to name a couple of examples. This snack is often dipped into the tea, which I don’t really like to do because it makes the snack soggy and gets crumbs into the tea, but I’ll let the Irish do their thing. Despite this, I can feel myself assimilating to the Irish ways.

 

I now drink probably between three and six cups of tea a day. I not only crave it in the morning, but at all hours of the day. Often, I’ll eat a digestive (a cookie that is sort of like a graham cracker but is half covered in chocolate) alongside my tea. I even think my tea-making skills are improving.

 

I never expected tea to become such an important part of my day. After coming to Ireland, I’m sure that I’ll never look at tea the same way again.

 

 

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

At WIT, I am studying to receive my postgraduate degree in Global Financial Information Systems. This course program enables its students to build analytical and financial skills, learn different aspects about organizations, and familiarizes students with software programs. I chose this field of study because my undergraduate degree at William and Mary, which was a major in Economics and a minor in Process Management and Consulting, reflected this program the best. Not only does the course encourage students to develop skills in preparation for the business world, but it puts students in a position to learn other facets and experiences of business through the Seminar Series class.

 

Every Friday, the WIT postgraduate business program hosts a speaker to come in and discuss their careers ranging from different fields of business. The discussions are not simply facts about the business; they cover topics about entrepreneurships, innovation challenges, importance to constantly reflect on your business actions, and learning tips from their personal journey. The Seminar Series module (class) is exceptional in relation to the idea that it is perfectly fine to not have all of the answers at every moment. Business is ultimately a learning process: learning what to do to be successful, how to remain competitive, learning how to be well rounded or what skills to acquire for growth, etc.  More importantly, the program diversifies its students to become experts in their field of passion as well as learn applicable skills about other business fields.

 

It is comforting to get an education from a respectable business program where learning is more than tests and papers. WIT is unique from the simple fact that they want students to learn from people and businesses, not strictly textbooks and articles, and excited to be a part of such a great academic institution. 

 

 

Victory Scholar: Jazmen Boone

Present University: Waterford IT

US League: CAA

Club/Community Partner: Waterford Wildcats

Alma Mater: The College of William and Mary

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

 

 

Ever “read”, more like pretend to read, a textbook for over an hour and not retain a single piece of information? Or how about stare at your computer longingly without writing down a complete sentence after thirty minutes? Yeah, the infinite amount of schoolwork can definitely do that to you, especially after a few hours in of studying. In a crisis like that, study breaks are handy.

 

Academically, basketball has always been my biggest stress reliever. Ever since high school, I always looked forward to practice to prevent my brain from going into overdrive. Currently at WIT, classes are coming to an end and finals begin next week. Wrapping my head around a semester-long of information and turning in lengthy reports all at once can get very hectic and demanding. The high-intense workload even forced Foxy and I to set up our own nightly homework sessions together as we continue to juggle between coaching, practices and college work.

 

Luckily, basketball is my savior from constantly trapping myself in the library and at home. Training three nights a week with WIT and Wildcats along with social basketball on Thursdays is my ideal study break. The basketball gym has always been my sanctuary to break free from my personal life demands allowing me to get out and to get active. Claiming alone time of shooting hoops or sharing laughs and jokes with my teammates at practice, as a study break seems like a crime because I enjoy it way too much. What is different from the past and my time here in Ireland is that playing basketball is not my only kind of study break. Coaching for the Wildcats club and coaching the children at Saint Saviour’s National School for WIT is an added bonus to escape the mentally draining schoolwork. You see playing basketball as well as being around basketball is like a dream come true.

 

Sport has changed my life in so many ways. Basketball has been and will always recharge my battery from stress or problems. It is mind-blowing to say that my first semester here at WIT is almost done. Either way, the combination of studying continuously and completing assignments with my “study breaks” will allow me to knock the final exams out of the ballpark. 

 

Victory Scholar: Jazmen Boone

Present University: Waterford IT

US League: CAA

Club/Community Partner: Waterford Wildcats

Alma Mater: The College of William and Mary

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

What’s not to love about Thanksgiving?! One Thursday out of the year when you get to hang out with your family and eat amazing food…yeah nothing really comes to mind.

But those traditions alone are not why I would call Thanksgiving my favorite holiday.  Showing gratitude is sincerely the best part of the holiday for me, and that aspect of Thanksgiving can be practiced anywhere- including here in Belfast.

Sport Changes Life was gracious enough to host a Turkey dinner last week for the whole SCL organization. I think I can speak for all of the scholars in saying that there was certainly plenty of gratitude to go around. There’s a lot for us to be thankful for, including all the opportunities us Scholars have here in Ireland.

A highlight of the night was watching video messages for all the scholars’ families at home. Marc said it best when introducing the videos by saying that they showed how each scholars’ personality is truly a reflection of their family. After watching the messages, all of our quirks and qualities that make us all unique from one another suddenly made perfect sense.

Showing gratitude and reflecting on what we have is something that we should all make a habit of. There’s a sense of joy and positivity about life that comes from acknowledging everything that we have instead of dwelling on what we don’t. With that said, it wasn’t just the macaroni and cheese on Thursday night that had me in a good mood. It was the time spent with my new SCL family and reflecting on just how much I have to be thankful for that put a smile on my face.

 

Victory Scholar: Clare Sullivan

Present University: Ulster University

US League Partner: Patriot League

Club/Community Partner: Ulster Elks

Alma Mater: The College of the Holy Cross

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland 

 

When it’s a sunny day in Ireland, you have to take advantage of it. So after practice on a sunny Sunday morning, a few of my teammates and I decided to drive down (or should I say they were nice enough to drive me) to Dunmore, a beautiful little fishing town in Waterford. There, my teammates Helena and Sinead acted as tour guides for Jazmen and I, walking along the cliffs overlooking the sea.

 

It was an absolutely gorgeous day—one of those days where you can’t imagine the sky being gray and rainy like it usually is in Ireland. As such, Jazmen and I made our Irish counterparts stop and take pictures nearly every step along the way. I hope we didn’t annoy them too much with our touristy tendencies! If we did, maybe they were getting back at us when they tried to convince us that the land in the distance was England, a bit further on Wales, and all the way at the top Scotland…(Don’t worry, my geography isn’t that bad; I didn’t fall for it).

 

Overall, it was so nice to be able to go out to Dunmore with my new friends. The stresses of daily life bog everyone down from time to time, but spending time with a few good friends on a sunny day is enough to make anyone feel lighthearted and carefree. 

 

 

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

 

 

This past Saturday I got my first win as a coach.  My Under 16 boys team won their first game of the season.  Our first win of the season came on the road with a game winning shot.  The game was close in score from beginning to end.  The boys gave their maximum effort the entire game.  I was really proud of the way they have been developing as a team. All of the hard work and time they have invested in practice is really starting to show in their development as a team and individual players. 

Coaching the boys has been an awesome experience for me.  I have enjoyed watching them get better after every practice.  The one thing I try to focus on as a coach is just giving the players what I received from all of the great coaches I have had.  I have been blessed to play for coaches who genuinely cared about the game and focused on helping players become the best individual players they could.  There is so much joy in giving back what was given to you.  I look forward to our next game and gaining win number two. “To God Be The Glory”

 

Victory Scholar: Jonathan McNair

Present University: Ulster University

US League: East Coast Conference

Club/Community Partner Ulster Elks/ Andersonstown Tigers

Alma Mater: St Thomas Aquinas College

Sponsored By: Teamwear Ireland 

This thanksgiving dinner was another that I didn’t spend with my immediate family, but with my extended family here in Ireland.  It was a really good night filled with laughs, good music, good food, and a memory I will never forget.  Although I REALLY missed my mother’s Thanksgiving cooking and spending times with my family and friends it was fun experiencing thanksgiving in Ireland and being around such an awesome group of people.  We laughed, shared our stories and experiences playing with our different teams, and sang along with the live band as they played all night. 

The most memorable moment of the night for me was a surprise video from my mother organized by the great people who make the Sports Changes Life foundation special.  The video showed my mother wishing me a happy thanksgiving and reminding me that “during this season of thanksgiving it is important that we give thanks for the things we do have and not to focus on things we don’t have”.   It was really nice to receive that message on thanksgiving. I instantly wanted to be home that much more to give my mom a hug and eat her amazing food.  I am truly thankful for my mother and all that she has done and continues to do for me.  I want to send a special thanks to my mother’s friends and coworkers Mrs. Simone and Mrs. Shirley for assisting my mom with the video. “To God Be The Glory”

 

When we came home from a coaching session one evening last week, Jazmen and I were greeted with the smell of bacon cooking. Our two Irish roommates, who share our four-person dorm with us, had decided to treat us to a traditional Irish fry for dinner. Maidy and Caoimhe (I dare my American readers to try to guess how that Irish name is pronounced) are undergraduate students at WIT who have been lovely roommates to us. They have made it their mission to educate us yanks on Irish culture, beginning with the fry.

 

An Irish fry consists of fried eggs, bacon, sausage, rashers, beans, toast, and white and black pudding. Oh, and tea of course, but that is a given; tea is served with everything during all hours of the day and night. A lover of food, I devoured basically everything on my plate, except for my black pudding. For those who don’t know, black pudding is similar in appearance to a sausage patty you might find in America. However, it is not sausage. It is actually made of pig’s blood, and the fact that I knew this made me very skeptical of trying it out. I did manage to have a of it, but knowing what it was put me off it despite the fact that it actually tasted alright.

 

Everything else in the fry tasted amazing and Jazmen and I were so thankful to not only experience a little bit of Irish culture, but also to be living with two of the nicest Irish girls we have met since being here. For our next lessons, Maidy has given us a list of Irish songs to learn and Caoimhe puts on her favorite Irish soaps every night. Living with them, I have no doubt that us yanks will be well cultured by the end of the year!

 

 

 

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

 

 

With Thanksgiving just passed, it seemed fitting to write a blog about what I am thankful for. After all, I did not make it to where I am today without a tremendous amount of help and I have countless people to thank.

 

First, I have to thank my parents. They are two of the most genuinely good people I have ever known. My mom is one of the most giving people in the world. If I ever needed anything growing up, my mom would do everything in her power to ensure that I had it—as long as it didn’t interfere with a Cleveland Cavaliers game (only kidding Mom! For those who don’t know, my mom is their number one fan). My goofy dad has also been an incredible role model for me growing up. He has worked so hard to make sure that my siblings and I would have a good life.

 

I am especially thankful that my mom and dad introduced me to my first love: basketball. They have supported my from my very first practice at age eight to my career here in Ireland. I will never be able to thank them enough for the countless hours they spent coaching me, driving me to and from games and practices, and cheering me on. They are truly my greatest supporters, and it is because of them that I’ve had the opportunity to be successful, not only in basketball, but in life. So thank you Mom and Dad, for giving me the greatest gift I have ever received: the gift of a good life.

 

If I am going to thank my parents, I can’t leave out the rest of my family. From my siblings, cousins, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, I have never felt anything but unconditional love. My family members have always been there to support me. They are my biggest fans and my best friends. I am so thankful to have them in my life. I miss you all very much, and I was thinking of you even more than usual during Thanksgiving. I hope you said an extra “Thank you for the food,” for me!

 

Lastly, I have to thank the others who have made an impact on my life. To my teachers, professors, and lecturers from Twinsburg, Brooklyn, and Waterford, thank you for teaching me how to learn. To my coaches and teammates that I’ve had the pleasure to play with throughout the years, thank you for sharing in my dreams. To my friends, thank you for filling my life with laughter. And finally, to the people at Sport Changes Life and to my new friends in Waterford, thank you for this opportunity, and for making my transition to living in Ireland one of the easiest, most exciting, and most fulfilling events in my life.

 

Thank you all!

 

 

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 don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” out of my head.

 

For Thanksgiving, Sport Changes Life brought all the Victory Scholars to Belfast for a little reunion over a delicious, specially made Thanksgiving dinner. It was our first time having everyone together since our first two weeks in Ireland, and it did not disappoint. Although some of us hadn’t seen each other in months, it felt like we’d never left each other. Our bond was especially evident the day after Thanksgiving.

 

That Friday, all of the Scholars were brought to the Sport Changes Life headquarters for a photo-shoot and interviews. These took a lot longer than planned, so us scholars got a little stir crazy and decided to make a music video to pass the time. One minute we were all sitting in the hallway waiting our turn for pictures, and the next we were up dancing around like fools. It was hilarious to see everyone bust a move. Nearly all of the scholars got into it, and everyone was throwing out idea after idea to make our music video dream a reality. By the time we finished, I had about 50 of the most random video clips ever on my phone. I couldn’t wait to see the final product, so I edited the video together that night when we got to the hotel. The scholars did such a great job choreographing the video that it made it incredibly easy to put together. The outcome was priceless! If you haven’t seen it yet, you can view it through this link:

 

Sorry!

 

I hope everyone enjoys our music video as much as we enjoyed making it, although I don’t know if that’s possible because we had so much fun. And even though “Sorry” is now permanently stuck in my head since I’ve probably listened to it a million times between recording the various video clips, editing the videos together, and watching the final cut over and over, I don’t think I will ever get sick hearing the song. It will always hold a special meaning to me, reminding me of the day I spent having way too much fun dancing like a clown with my little American family in Ireland. For that, I’ll never say sorry.

 

 

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

 

Gareth Maguire, founder of Sport Changes Life, emphasized that this year will be a BIG YEAR for the program. I am confident that the program’s new partnership with Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) in Waterford, Ireland is an important part to the success of the BIG YEAR. As the program’s first Waterford Victory Scholar, there are high expectations and it is my role to achieve the BIG YEAR’S goals. A Waterford Victory Scholar embodies the life of a true ambassador: an ambassador for the Waterford community, an ambassador for the Waterford Wildcats basketball club, and an ambassador as a postgraduate student for WIT.

 

Currently, I am committed to five hours of coaching, five and a half hours of club basketball, not including scheduled games and individual workouts, and a semester of thirty module (“credit”) hours for my postgraduate degree. My life may seem like an extremely busy schedule for some people, but in my opinion that is nowhere near the potential of a proper Waterford Victory Scholar. Although the last couple of weeks have been fun sharing my passion of basketball with young girls through coaching, there are a numerous of other ways to affect the life of a young kid besides the medium of sport. For example, I have yet to engage in community volunteering projects, like mentoring youth from the less privileged areas of Waterford. One area is located right next to WIT so teaching these kids that WIT can offer an education that grants them a promising lifestyle is one of my duties.

 

The opportunities are endless here in Waterford through academics, sport and the community. Victory Scholars are in a respectable position to touch lives and make a difference in each of those aspects. It’s an honor to be a Waterford victory scholar because my actions will contribute to Sport Changes Life’s BIG YEAR…

 

 

Victory Scholar: Jazmen Boone

Present University: Waterford IT

US League: CAA

Club/Community Partner: Waterford Wildcats

Alma Mater: The College of William and Mary

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

 

 

 

Although I could not be at home this Thanksgiving, there was one commonality between the holiday in the States and in Ireland… and that would be a little bit of chaos. However, it wasn’t the wonderful event that Sport Changes Life organized that was chaotic, it was the time leading up to it. After all, what’s a holiday without a little bit of chaos?

 

After arriving in Belfast, and realizing I was technically in a different country with a currency other than the Euro, I needed to take money out of the ATM. Usually a pretty simple task, right? Not this time…

 

I put my debit card into the ATM and selected the amount of money I wanted to withdraw, when the machine started beeping uncontrollably; as if it were about to explode. I look to Kelsey, Rita, and Cory with a terrified look on my face, only to see them mirroring the face back at me.

 

After a solid minute of beeping, the ATM finally stopped, unfortunately eating my card, and the money that was suppose to come out with it. I think it’s safe to say, I was not the only hungry one this Thanksgiving…

 

Instantly, I began panicking, none of us had ever seen something like this happen before! Once we realized my card was gone for good, we took off in a dead sprint, running down the streets of Belfast, as Rita shouted, “We’re in crisis!” as we attempted to find the nearest bank branch that could hopefully help me. Unfortunately, there was no such luck; my card was forever going to sit in the belly of that ATM.    

 

At this point, instead of stressing and panicking, I looked at Rita, Cory, and Kelsey, and the lit up streets of Belfast all decorated for Christmas. I was in a beautiful city with some really great people that just ran all over the city to try and help me. I couldn’t help but laugh and smile at the situation. I was not going to let this little bit of chaos affect the great Thanksgiving event with my Sport Changes Life family; instead, it only made me even more thankful for all the wonderful scholars I have with me on this yearlong journey.

 

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

 

 

One of the many memories I have of playing college basketball was my family coming to games to support. For those who don’t know, my family is far from quiet; it was always hard for them to come to games unnoticed and without making a scene. It’s hard not to make a scene when your family is large enough to field their own team.

 

During warm ups before the game, I would always be able to tell when my family, especially my brothers, made it to the game. They were usually the group that entered with signs in hand, blue painted faces, sporting St. Francis t-shirts, and of course, their signature, wearing fluorescent basketball shorts in below freezing temperatures. Although some could find this entrance a bit embarrassing, I absolutely loved it. The biggest smile would always come across my face knowing that my family had once again gone all out to support my teammates and I.

 

Oddly enough, this past Saturday at our Premier League game, a group of boys walked into the gym dribbling a ball, while wearing basketball shorts. Even though I knew it wasn’t my family, I couldn’t help but smile at the memories and nostalgia it brought back. It brought back all those college memories of my brothers making a scene, stumbling over each other, making sure everyone knew that the Benedettis had entered the gym. It made me even more excited to play the game for all that it reminded me of. It’s funny how something as simple as a group of guys entering the gym could bring out such fond memories.

 

I can’t lie; I do miss the Benedetti fan section at games, all decked out in the team gear, cheering louder than anyone in the gym. They are by far the best, most supportive (and entertaining) fans in the world! Maybe it’ll happen again while I’m over here playing in Ireland… what do you think Mom and Dad? How hard could it be to travel with 5 boys to a foreign country? 🙂 

 

 

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