If there is one person who knows my every tendency and move on a basketball court it would be Katie Fox. As I’m sure everyone knows by now, Katie was my roommate, teammate, and point guard at St. Francis for the past 4 years. We would joke around saying we had a roommate connection on the court; always knowing where each other were on the floor, and knowing exactly when and where to pass the ball. After winning an NEC Championship in our final year, I’d say the roommate connection treated us pretty well.

But you could only guess how difficult that makes coming over to Ireland and having to play against each other. Today, Waterford Institute of Technology played University of Limerick; it was the first game Katie and I had ever played against each other. I knew the game would be challenging, but that doesn’t even begin to describe it…

Naturally, Katie guarded me the entire game, ensuring that I did not leave her sight. For those who haven’t seen Katie play, the only way to describe her is as the Energizer Bunny; she just never stops. She made every move that I wanted to do so difficult. There was a bit of abuse coming from both of us… some trash talking, knocking each other to the floor, a few fouls here and there; but instead of getting frustrated, there was nothing but smiles and laughs.

Although we are no longer at St. Francis, the roommate connection is still there… we still knew each other’s every move, which made the game that much more fun. As much as I would love to play with Katie again, playing against her is the next best thing; and I am so glad Sport Changes Life made that possible.

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

This weekend I got to attend the 50th anniversary of the Meteors Ladies Basketball Club. It was so amazing to get to talk to all of the past players and even see the club’s uniforms throughout the years! Our current captain got to cut the cake with the captain from 50 years ago, which is something that probably does not happen often. All of us came together and danced the night away.. All the way until the hotel employees had to kick us out 🙂 I feel so lucky to be a part of a club with such great traditions and such good people involved. They have been so welcoming to Emily Leer and I and I couldn’t be more thankful for it!

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

Sometimes I find little life lessons disguised as ordinary moments. On my class residential trip to Castle Ward and Strangford last week, I happened to find one standing on a mountain bike in the woods. Eddie, mountain biker and adventurer extraordinaire, was explaining to me and my other mountain bike-novice classmates how not to wipe out and/or take a tumble down the rocky mountain pass. I was admittedly a little nervous about careening downhill on a piece of metal, so I was hanging onto his every word. I was looking at the intimidating path and imagining myself crashing into a tree on my bike George of the Jungle style.

The most valuable piece of advice that Eddie gave us in his spiel was to always look ahead down the next bend in the path and not at the rocks and roots directly in front of us. Focusing on the path’s obstacles would only distract us. Needless to say, the bike goes where our attention goes, and next thing you know, you’re running right into them!

His advice gave me confidence, and next thing I knew I was flying down the hill without worrying about every bump in the road. And biking down the rest of the trails, I couldn’t help but think that it’s not a bad way to approach not just the trail, but really any challenge one may face. Risks, fears, failures are all an inevitable part of life. In fact they’re not just a part of life, but they are a part of success. It can be really easy to be intimidated or discouraged by life’s shortcomings, but they don’t deserve our attention.  Success is a state of mind, and getting hung up on life’s ‘rocks and roots’ or negativity will not get us to where we want to be in life, wherever it may be. So from now on, my eyes are where I want to be down the next bend, and not on the rocks and roots along the way.

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 

With everything going on in the world, our news feeds on all forms of social media are filled with sad stories, stereotypes, hate, terrorist attacks, etc. You can try to stay off of it and not read about all of the horrific incidents, but at some point it gets to you. And it has definitely been getting to me. To me, it is sad that we have come so far in this world only to be taking steps back. Animosity is being spread instead of compassion and humanity. Innocent people are being killed. Now I definitely won’t be going into my political views and all of that, but I came across something that made me a little more optimistic. It’s a quote from Fred Rogers that reads, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'” 

For a place that rains so much, Ireland is full of really, really happy people. Their friendliness comes out in ways that I don’t even think they realize. For instance, they have these little phrases that they use every day that embody this positivity I have come to associate with the Irish.

“Everything is grand.” I hear this countless times every day. It doesn’t even matter what the person is referring to. I could ask my classmates how they are liking college so far: “Oh it’s grand.” I could ask my teammates how work is going: “Oh it’s grand.” I think I could even set fire to my dormitory and my roommates would tell me, “Don’t worry about it; it will be grand.” The Irish have a way of putting a positive spin on things. Their grand attitude about life is so refreshing!

“Thanks a million.” Whenever anyone thanks me for something, it’s never “thanks” or “thank you,” it’s “thanks a million,” and it is just the cutest little phrase ever. I mean how good does that make you feel?! But wait, it gets better. If you do something really noteworthy, you might even earn one of these:

“You’re a star.” I accidentally walked off with one of my classmate’s notebooks, and I messaged him promising to give it back to him as soon as possible. His response: “You’re a star.” Really? For stealing your notebook and deciding to give it back? I mean I hadn’t even given it to him yet, so I really didn’t think I deserved “star” status. But hearing that simple little phrase made my day.

The Irish can even make swearing seem friendly. During my very first class of my very first day of college, my professor swore lightheartedly a few times throughout the lecture. Due to the high number of international students in the class, he decided to explain himself. He told us that the Irish do not swear for lack of a better vocabulary, but instead because they possessed “a linguistic richness.” Due to the fact that he had the entire class chuckling throughout the lecture, I can’t help but to agree with him.

I’m looking forward to the months to come, where I can continue to enjoy the linguistically rich catchphrases of the Irish. I will probably come back to America a happier person for it, telling all my star friends and family how grand Ireland was, and thanking them a million for asking.

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

My time in Belfast so far has been spent handling a lot of new. New perspectives, new experiences and all the adjustments that come with living somewhere completely, well, new. With that said, what I’ve been missing most about home is the familiarity that comes with spending time with my good friends. Not being able to see them every day at school or practice has honestly had me feeling like a part of me is missing. So it was an absolute treat when I was able to catch up with some of my Holy Cross family here in Ireland.

Since back in August, my former Holy Cross team mate Christine Ganser and I hoped to meet up while she was here for her November graduation from Trinity College in Dublin. Luckily enough, the stars aligned and UUJ played Trinity the night before the graduation, making it easy for me to attend. Another one of our former HC team mates Alex also made it to Dublin for the festivities. She was able to make the trip from where she’s playing basketball in England. It was awesome for all of us to hang out in Dublin together and to see first hand all the craic that Alex and I only heard stories about during Christine’s time here last year.

A highlight of the weekend was dinner on the last night of Christine’s and Alex’s visit. I tagged along with current and former Meteors Christine, Meg and Emily to Mauve’s house for dinner. Mauve is involved in the Meteors Basketball club in Dublin and was nice enough to host all of us. The amazing smells alone, which filled the kitchen while we waited to eat, were worth the trip. As we all sat around the table chatting before dinner, another HCWBB alumnae arrived. Just like that, we had a serious Sader reunion on our hands.

Before dinner I barely knew Eileen, who also played for Coach Gibbons at HC and later the Meteors here in Ireland. But that didn’t matter. The four of us talked about playing basketball in Worcester over dinner like old pals. The connection as Crusaders was instant. The bond that comes from wearing the same jersey, especially a purple one, runs deep. I’ll always know I’ll have my HC family to fall back on, and it was so refreshing to enjoy time with them worlds away from the Woo after so much new the past few months.

It was the first time Alex, Christine and I have hung out since we were in school together, but it was if we never left the Hill. There were points over the course of the weekend when I reflected on just how lucky I am to have such an amazing group of people that I can call my HC family. It was sad to say goodbye, but I know I’ll see them again soon and pick up right where we left off, just as best friends and team mates do.

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 

Every Thursday night, I coach my 12 and under girls for an hour and a half. Tony, the head coach, will give me some of the girls to take down the other end of the court and give them a private session. This practice, I gave our post players some pointers to use in their basketball repertoire, such as a drop step, up and under, reverse layups, and other footwork techniques. When they conquered each task, their faces lit up in awe; as if they were impressed they could learn such a move. One of the girls even promised me she was going to try it in their upcoming game this Saturday.

Hearing things like this as a coach is self-assuring that I am doing something right. Teaching the game I love and have it give life to young, willing players is what I strive for. Also, it gave me a trip down memory lane. I had already mastered these moves by their age all because of one special person: my dad. I even told the girls a tip my dad constantly preached to me at their age: learning post moves is the best thing for you in basketball because you can easily adjust yourself into a guard. Footwork is something a lot of players struggle with and what people fail to realize is that grasping the footwork embedded into post moves makes you much more versatile.

Because of my Thursday coaching experience, I dedicate this blog to my dad. The man that has molded me into the player I am today. The man I could talk about basketball for hours on in with. The same man that would force me to watch constant film on my AAU games since I was 9 years old to learn from my game mistakes and progress as a player. Someone I would watch NBA games with to study the footwork and mannerisms of the best players in the world right in our living room. Tips and pointers that most girls in college never picked up on, I learned because I was blessed with such an amazing role model.

You would think a guy so in love with the game played college basketball himself. You see not everyone is able to get the opportunity to do what they love and fulfill their dreams, and the crazy thing about sport is you don’t have to be the most athletic or talented to know the game whole fully. Yet his love and passion for the game has been channeled to me and will most likely continue on to my younger sisters. The opportunities he didn’t have as a young fellow motivates him to give such opportunities to his children. Basketball still runs in my family ‘til this day as my dad continues to coach, where my one sister, Asia, loves the game because my dad and I love it so much.

So thank you dad for everything. For being my best friend that I can talk to about anything. For being the worlds best coach and being my biggest supporter. And, for loving the game. Because of you, I can make a difference in young lives here in Ireland. Love you always and forever.

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

Earlier this week Gillian, Lorna, and myself decided we would start going to the gym regularly together. With ambitious goals and plans in mind, we went to the gym early one evening. Not paying much attention to what time we were going at, we got changed in the locker room and off we went.

After taking one step into the gym, we walked right back out. The gym was absolutely packed. The University of Limerick fitness center is pretty big, but at this point in time it was looking pretty small. Every single fitness machine was taken. There were lines for the different weight lifting apparatuses. It was madness.

Within seconds of seeing that, we instantly turned around and left without even saying a single word to each other. Boot camp could wait another day. So instead of going for a run, or doing a workout that didn’t require the weight room, we went and got food; obviously the most logical option after not being able to work out.

The moral of this story is don’t go to the gym at 5 pm on a weekday. Clearly everyone had the same idea we did. Although, I can’t say any of us were too upset that our alternative plan involved getting food.

Although we had that one minor setback, every other day this week we have gone to the gym together. It makes it so much easier to work out with friends alongside with you, knowing they are struggling just as much as you are. 🙂 

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

The Heath Golf Club is home to my first golf course played in Ireland. It was a perfect fall day as the sun was out and not too cold. I played with coach and a friend of his, and one of my teammates. We won’t talk about who won but let’s just say it wasn’t the young lads day. 

I will never forget this experience because of two things.  One is the amount I laughed throughout the day and the other is the sheep. 

I got more of a workout from laughing than I did from playing golf. The quick hitting, witty, and hilarious jokes and comments fly from all angles and “It’s all about a bit of craic”.  Golfing with Irish folks isn’t for you if you can’t have some fun, laugh, and take a joke.

The other reason this day will forever be ingrained in my memory is the sheep.  About 10 yards off the 2nd tee box were 3 grazing sheep.  I thought this was the coolest, most random thing I’ve seen in a while.  Little did I know there were more to come. Much more. The 3rd hole was feeding ground to about 50-60 sheep! Some were a few feet off the tee box, some were in the fairway, and some were making obnoxious noises like opposing fans during a free throw. Luckily none of them got hit.

I am glad I got the opportunity to get out on an Irish course and have some laughs with some great people. I’ll be sure to visit the sheep in the spring and get some revenge on the old heads as well.

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 weekend marked the first weekend my Super League team didn’t have a game. So naturally, I wanted to make the most of my free weekend and go visit a new part of Ireland. The most suggested place to visit by all my friends in Limerick was Galway. Thankfully, fellow scholars, Rita and Cory, offered up their homes to myself, Kelsey (the #BornAgainScholar), Katie, and Jazmen. I hadn’t seen Rita or Cory since the very beginning when we were all up in Belfast; it was so nice to finally see them again!

Within minutes of being in the city, I realized why everyone suggested visiting it! Galway is absolutely beautiful! It is such a cute little city with so much to see and do.

Unfortunately, the weather was not the greatest for our weekend away. I don’t know if Ireland gets hurricanes, but the lashing rain and forceful winds felt like a hurricane to me. That being said, it didn’t keep us from exploring… it just made it a little bit more interesting. Between the wind, the dumping rain, and having to dodge the occasional umbrella, there was no shortage of laughs. Once, Cory tried to jump over a massive puddle that had formed from all the monsoon-ing. When he leapt, a ton of his change flew out of his pocket and splashed into the puddle. He scrambled to collect it all, and we were all cracking up as he shouted, “No, where’s the 2 euro one?!”

After almost being washed away, we arrived back at Rita’s to get warm and dry off. Even though we were inside, you could still hear the massive gusts of wind outside. The gusts were so strong that Rita’s door to her balcony continuously blew open. At first the random door opening on its own was a bit concerning, but after the seventh time, it had become normal.

Between the near failed puddle jumps and mysterious door openings, we decided to rename Storm Abigail to Hurricane Galway. That is why this scholar reunion and blog post deserves the title, Hurricane Galway. 

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

The college basketball team I played for in the United States was called the NC State Wolfpack, so I was pretty surprised at first when I would walk around campus in Limerick and see the word “Wolfpack” everywhere. Before I came to Limerick, I did not realize the University was called the Wolves and that they called themselves the Wolfpack. It’s amazing how a simple word such as “Wolfpack” made me feel comfortable and immediately at home but it also made me think about a few other things.

High schoolers take into consideration different aspects when deciding which college to attend. For instance, they might take a campus tour, research which majors are offered, and talk to current or former students at that college and see how their experience went. And if you’re an athlete getting recruited to play a sport, you take “official visits” and play pick-up with the team and the coaches try to sell you on picking their school. However, I did none of these things for the University of Limerick.

I researched the Victory Scholar program and talked with former Scholars so I knew the program was something I wanted to do. But as for picking which university to attend, that was in the hands of Sport Changes Life. I accepted my position into the Victory Scholar program before I was placed at a University, and it could not have worked out any better.

Gareth and Deirdre have done an amazing job of picking which universities to have partnerships with. If you take one step onto the University of Limerick’s campus then you will fall in with the place. It has beautiful scenery with a river running through the middle of campus and uniquely designed buildings that catch your eye. Besides the campus, the business school offers the exact Masters program that I wanted to complete and the professors are amazing (which I talked about in my previous blog). My teammates on the basketball team have accepted me from Day 1 and are my best friends here. They are always encouraging me on the court and inviting me to hang out off the court. The coach is extremely intelligent and he loves for his teams to shoot the ball (which is great cause I am a shooter.) He and our team manager have helped me get settled in Limerick and are there if I need anything. For my coaching, the players are very coachable and fun to be around. Their parents have been extremely nice in making me feel welcomed and giving me rides to and from practice (and for getting me food from Subway!).

I am extremely happy to call UL my home and the only thing I am disappointed about is that my time here is only a year and not longer!

Victory Scholar: Staats Battle

Present University: University of Limerick

US League: ACC

Club/Community Partner: UL Huskies

Alma Mater: North Carolina State University

Sponsored by: Team Ireland

For those that have seen the movie, P.S. I Love You, there is a scene in the movie where Gerard Butler sings the Irish song, Galway Girl, to his lover, Hilary Swank. This movie is probably one of my all-time favorites but at the time I had no idea what Galway Girl meant until I came to Ireland. Galway is a beautiful city in Ireland where Victory Scholars, Rita Gillcrease and Cory Starkey, are living for the year. If you don’t know Katie Fox and I by now, we take every second we can to travel and Galway was next on our list.

Right after coaching, Katie and I bused up to Galway to meet Cory and Rita along with Limerick Scholar, Sarah Benedetti, and last year’s Limerick Scholar, Kelsey Harris. What Katie and I failed to realize is that Galway is a lot farther from Waterford than we thought and suffered from a five-hour bus ride. But that small detail did not discourage us from a great weekend in Galway reuniting with our fellow Americans.

The gentleman Cory is, he picked his Waterford girls up from the bus station and took us back. The walk was interesting enough. Clearly, Katie and I have been spoiled in Waterford. Galway was raining extremely hard and had strong winds almost taking out poor little Katie with its hurricane-like weather.  As soon as we arrived to Rita and Cory’s apartment to meet up with everyone, the reunion started to hit off. There were tons of laughter and excitement as we talked for long hours catching up. Even better, Rita, who is a phenomenal cook, made all of us dinner combining barbeque chicken, corn, rice and pasta on a plate of deliciousness….talk about what such great hosts Rita and Cory are!! Later that evening, we explored Galway’s streets and hit up a local nightclub. You can bet a reunion is a guarantee of good craic (fun) as the night started to wind down.

The next following day, Rita gave us a brief tour of Galway since Cory couldn’t join us due to coaching obligations. Galway’s medieval buildings and cobblestone streets were a lot prettier to see in the daylight despite its cloudy weather. Us girls stopped at a nearby café shop to grab food before busing back. It was sad departing Galway so soon, yet this mini Galway trip definitely outweighed the long bus ride back special thanks to Rita and Cory :). 

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

A few of the young guys on my U16 team that I am coaching have been asking me questions about ways that they can improve as basketball players.  I have been giving them all tips on ways that they can become better individually outside of practice.  I have always been a strong believer in hard work and investing in yourself to make your dreams come true.  People who may be connected to your dreams and personal development become more inclined to help you achieve your goals when they see that you are deeply invested.  I recently held a voluntary Sunday practice for my boys and I was really encouraged to see all of the boys that took the initiative to show up.   The practice was very successful the boys came and gave a strong effort from beginning to end. 

I encourage anyone who is looking for help with accomplishing their goals and furthering their personal development to just pour everything they have into their dreams and allow God to push the right people in your life who will take notice and provide help.  Even if you fail or things don’t go exactly as you planned you can avoid regret knowing that you did everything in your power to accomplish your dreams.  Give yourself a chance to make your dreams come true by giving your all. “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 

One thing I’ve learned about Ireland thus far: everything closes SO early! To say the least, I’ve learned this one the hard way. From trying to get groceries from the shop, to take out at a restaurant on campus, I’ve walked up to empty buildings with no one in sight.

Unfortunately, I can’t say that it went any different last night at the Limerick City Culture Night. My awesome UL Huskies teammates, Lorna, Orlaith, and Avril and I had plans to take a boat cruise across the Shannon River, to explore St. Johns Castle, as well as to see what else Culture Night had to offer.

Can you see where this is going? Yup, you guessed it; everything was finished by the time we arrived. Who would have thought that Culture Night would end by 7:30?

Fortunately, one exhibit of Culture Night was still up and running when we arrived in Limerick City Centre, the Hunt Museum. Although this museum was not on the top of our lists of things to do, it was open, and that was good enough for us! Thanks to the Hunt Museum, we didn’t leave Limerick City without a little bit of historic culture.

Although almost all our plans for Culture Night flopped, we still made the most of it. After the museum, we went to a cute restaurant on the water where a traditional Irish band was playing. We ate dinner, listened to great music, shared laughs, and just enjoyed each other’s company.  

Once again the early nights in Ireland foiled my plans, but the alternative plan ended up being even better! I had so much fun with the girls and cannot wait to see what adventures this next year has in store for us. 

The Limerick City Culture Night gave us lemons, so naturally, we made even better lemonade. 🙂 

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

It is nearly 5pm. Jazmen (Boonie) and I have been sitting in the kitchen for hours on end doing our college work together. I think I have had four cups of tea so far to keep me going, and Boonie has had a few herself. Outside we can hear the wind and rain lashing at the windows. It sounds pretty miserable right?

Well, it’s actually not so bad. It’s amazing what good company can do to improve your mood. Boonie and I are basically the same person when it comes to schoolwork: stress-headed perfectionists. I love that we can sit for hours together doing our work and joking about how long of a way we have to go still. It’s so good to know that someone is in the same exact boat as me, and that we will work our way through it together.

Being in Waterford with Boonie has given me a sense of comfort that I wasn’t expecting. We do basically everything together, so when we are separated for long periods of time by our class or coaching schedules, I am surprised by how happy I am to see her again when she comes walking through the door.

I guess I shouldn’t be so surprised though; Sport Changes Life has done a wonderful job of selecting genuinely good people to be a part of the program. I do feel lucky though, because Boonie is definitely one of the very best!

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

One of the girls that I coach for “freshers” (the freshmen team for the Americans) came into practice wearing a University of Connecticut sweatshirt. It was the first time in months that I had seen anything from Connecticut. I couldn’t help but smile and feel a sense of pride that someone was wearing something from good ole Connecticut.

The “home-town proud” feeling was amplified at the next practice. The same girl came in wearing a St. Joes University Basketball Camp T-Shirt. I thought to myself, what are the odds? That’s the basketball camp that my brothers do every year, it’s where one of my best friends went to University, it’s 20 minutes away from my house. I couldn’t help but think of all the associations and memories I have with that school and that town, that instantly came flooding back when I saw that shirt. It’s crazy how something as little as a t-shirt had such a big impact.   

I asked the girl about the camp and her thoughts of West Hartford and Connecticut as a whole. She said, “It was class!” In other words, she loved it. No one visits Connecticut. That’s why it was so cool to hear that someone from Limerick, Ireland visited little Connecticut, more specifically even smaller West Hartford.

Although seeing that t-shirt could have easily made me homesick, it did the opposite. It provided me with a sense of comfort. Yes, it made me think of home; but it made me happy knowing that I was making connections with people that appreciated my home as much as I appreciated theirs. 

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

As Emily Leer and I finally settled into our nice little apartment on Trinity’s campus, we decided to go for a walk. While walking around the campus, we realized how strange it is that this major tourist attraction, filled with people from all over the world snapping pictures and taking tours, is now our school. We walked in the front gate and jokingly mumbled to the tourists, “Honey, I’m home!” They were obviously too busy admiring the beautiful architecture of the buildings, the cobblestone streets, and the greenest grass you’ll ever see. 

Coaching encompasses a lot of things: strategizing, teaching, motivating, and so on. A lot of the coaching that I’ve been involved with here is heavy on the teaching component. There have been times when this is a real challenge. I didn’t realize how much of my basketball knowledge I took for granted until I tried to share it with others in a comprehensible way. There have been several times when Harrison and I issue what we think are simple directions, then look at each other in amused surprise when the players start doing something totally different from what we planned. These misunderstandings are often based on assumption. I assume that there are certain things I can take for granted, when actually every step needs to be fully explained. This lesson was recently reinforced off the court.

I take my teaching hat off when I leave the gym, but Harrison made me wear it in the apartment the other day. He asked for help making a cup of tea. I gave what I thought were clear instructions, but actually was making assumptions. “What about that thing you said the other day? That word I didn’t know?” Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that you need to let the tea steep for a couple of minutes before taking the tea bag out and drinking it.  

I assumed that this was a given, but actually his question explained another behavior I had been confused by. Being the considerate roommate he always is, he had previously seen a cup of hot tea sitting on the kitchen counter and brought it into my room, thinking I had forgotten it. I thanked him for his thoughtfulness, but said it was still steeping and I had meant to leave it there. 

But I can’t call myself a tea expert yet! Even teachers have a lot to learn. This past weekend I was schooled by a teammate in some of the nuances of tea brewing. Since then, I have been diligently steeping it in a metal pot, but only after scalding it first with some of the boiling water! 

I also need to be honest and admit that making tea is the only kitchen-related activity I have had to teach Harrison. Dinner preparation, on the other hand, is for him a stream of questions – how should I chop onions or tomatoes? does he thinks the meat is done cooking? have I put enough oil on the pan? and if maybe he can just do it because I clearly don’t know what I’m doing? 

Victory Scholar: Lillian McCabe

Present University: IT Carlow

US League: Atlantic 10

Club/Community Partner: ITC Basketball

Alma Mater: Davidson College

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

Whats up guys?

All I can say is WOW! I’ve been extremely busy since we last spoke. As you might remember, I was heading off to Nottingham, England to compete for Northern Ireland Universities in the Bristish Universities tournament. Before heading over, I did not know what to expect. I went off of what I heard from guys on my team who had played in the tournament in previous years. Everything ran along the lines of it will be great competition and a great experience. The tournament lived up to the hype, as it was likely the best competition I played against since my stay in Ireland. We competed against Scotland, England and Wales. Both Scotland and England dominated us because of our lack of size, but nonetheless we gave a brillant effort. Myself nor my teammates were satisfied with a “brillant effort” and knew we had to leave the tournament with a win against Wales. As I would guess, most of you have heard about the 62 point performance I had against Wales, which was by far my best game EVER (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciFOdwNMXnU )! The best part about that moment for me was the support and excitement from my teammates who had every bit to do with those 62 points. Thank you again for that experience guys!

As I said, it’s been a busy week. With me missing an entire week of classes and meetings last week due to being in England, I had to play catch up soon as I got off our 12 hour journey home through the night! I had two presentations for Monday and one for Tuesday. Both were successful and I can say I am glad they are behind me! With one week to go in semester 2, I have a few assignments to turn in followed by exams.

There were two groups that I missed for a few weeks while being away, both my ehoops boys and my Junior Elks girls. These are two groups of kids that I have been working closely with for some time. Being away, knowing that I couldn’t be at training was killing me! Both groups have made tremendous strides in their own respective ways. This week I got to catch back up with them and we are working towards even greater performances. With the Junior Elks now that the season is over, we played games during training just for some fun that was needed. We will begin assessing individual performances from the season and identify training programs that will be useful over the summer. The ehoops boys have also demonstrated improvements in their character by listening and being respectful towards others. 

Lastly, I also got to participate in an All Star game this weekend. The entire event was great, from the atmosphere to the talent. Fortunately, my team came out on top which always adds to experience. You can visit The Courtside Collective’s facebook page for more info and pics from the day.

Another busy week down, looking forward to what this week holds!

Talk soon,
Darryl

It is not about what we have in life, but who we have in life. The relationships, love, and experiences we share with others help make our one opportunity at life timeless. Some of those important people in my life are my family, whom I love each and every one of them unconditionally and blessed to be surrounded by such great people. My Aunt Nik Nik, and her long-time best friend, Terri, came all the way from America to Ireland to visit me.

Their visit was short lived as it lasted only five days, and I only got to see them three out of the five days due to Monday class. When they arrived to Waterford on Friday, we went to the Waterford Crystal Factory. Learning the apprenticeship and precision efforts to create an exquisite piece of crystal was astounding.  As the tour came to an end, we grabbed dinner at The Reg, which became their new favorite restaurant for Irish reasons.

On Saturday, they both came to my Super League game against the Meteors, and their exuberance throughout the game filled the entire gym. Afterwards, the Wildcats were hosting a fundraiser at a greyhound stadium where people can bet money on dog races, which is a unique atmosphere that isn’t offered in America. Even better, we encountered an Irish man in a kilt playing Irish music with his pipe, and at that point I didn’t think my time with them could get any better…until Sunday.

From Sunday to Tuesday they were staying in Dublin to explore Ireland’s big city before departing back to the States. I rode up with them to Dublin and one of Ireland’s main tourist attractions, The Guinness Factory, was on our agenda despite the mixed reviews. Neither one of us had anticipated to be there for over four hours! The Factory offered so many interesting facts about Guinness: its history, its ingredients, equipment needed to make it, how it is made, who makes it, and its advertising techniques.  After three hours, we still didn’t get our free pint of Guinness! Finally, we went to the seventh floor to get our A+ Guinness pour and relished it overlooking the massive city of Dublin. A delicious dinner and good conversations ended my day trip in Dublin. The time spent and conversations made saying goodbye tough but I am already looking forward to who will visit me next…

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 up guys?

Hope everyone enjoyed a great Easter with family and friends! As promised, I am coming to you with the results from Varsities…. and we won!! It was a great experience to be part of the 3 day event that took place at the University of Limerick. The journey started at 5am in the morning on Friday packed with myself and 4 other teammates in a tiny car. Considering we had a 4 hour journey before our game, we played quite well. Each and every game was a total team effort, which is the main reason we won the tournament. The weekend involved much more than playing basketball. It was a chance to meet players from all the other universities in Ireland with social events in the evenings. Victory scholars Tim and Will also competed in the tournament and it was great to chance up with them. Getting a chance to chat with them was great just to see how different our experiences have been with them in Galway and myself in Belfast. Even with the differences, the overarching theme was the differences we are making in the communities.

Speaking of making a difference in the community, this past week at eHoops I got to speak to the kids about the Trayvon Martin situation. I told them that it was a very serious problem and that the perception of young kids is not always great. Trayvon Martin could of been them. It’s important for them to know that there are problems not only in Northern Ireland, but is a global issue. The picture below is a sign of solidarity and unification among all young people.

The U14 girls will be competing in All-Irelands tournament this weekend, which hosts all the teams that have won their respective leagues. It will be great competition for our girls and they are up for it! We have trained hard since winning the league championship to tweak our game and improve our skills. Wish us luck as we compete this weekend!

As mentioned last week, I am currently on a two week Easter break. Although classes resume on Monday, I will be away to Nottingham, England to compete in the British Universities and Colleges Sports event. A team representing Northern Ireland will compete against Wales, Scotland and England. From what I’ve heard, the teams are very strong and will be a highly competitive tournament. I am looking forward to the challenge, as is the rest of the team.

With the semester of classes quickly coming to an end, there has been a dense amount of coursework. I have 4 presentations due the week I get back from England, which means I need to have them done before I head over. Having said this, time management has been essential in me meeting with group members and completing assignments. Let’s just say that I am ready for this semester to be over! 

Look forward to talking next week!

Darryl

On the day before my departure to Ireland, my mom presented me with a very thoughtful gift: packs of instant coffee. She knew that my first two weeks on this side of the pond would be rather hectic and she worried that my routine of a morning cup would be interrupted. “We know they’ll have hot water for tea over there, so you will be able to use these packs to hold you over until you can brew a pot each morning,” she reassured me.

During my first days in Ireland, I resorted to some desperate measures to try to improve my instant coffee: squirrelling away packs of sugar from gas stations, collecting small creamers, boiling water from a bottle instead of the tap. Each morning, as I downed my … lacking coffee, I counted down the days until I could drink my perfect cup (I’m really into my coffee, if you haven’t caught onto that yet). I wasn’t used to the itinerant lifestyle, and was looking forward to settling into my own place.

Now that I am finally settled in my wonderful new apartment in downtown Carlow, bags unpacked and books shelved, I relish the act of retiring those instant coffee packs. I’m excited for the next time I’ll need them, when I am travelling and exploring new places. But for now I am enjoying my daily cup of home-brewed coffee. 

Victory Scholar: Lillian McCabe

Present University: IT Carlow

US League: Atlantic 10

Club/Community Partner: ITC Basketball

Alma Mater: Davidson College

Sponsored by: Teamwear Ireland

What’s up?

An upfront apology, but I will be talking all basketball in this week’s post!

This has been a great week for the Ulster Elks basketball club. Firstly, the U14 girls won their final last Sunday against a strong Donagh team to become league champions for the second year in a row. From the start, the girls were very amped up to play and as a coach I had to deliver a pregame message that would strike a balance. I told the girls, while it is acceptable to get psyched up and have butterflies before the championship game, it is also important to realize this is just another game. If we continued to play we have throughout the undefeated season, we will be fine. The game was sloppy, with more than usual amount of silly turnovers which were mostly due to nerves. Brilliant play by our youngest player allowed us to open up the game in the beginning of the fourth quarter. She made all the smart plays down the stretch with steals, rebounds, and passes that led to easy points for us. Deservingly so, she received MVP of the game!

Also more exciting news, the Ulster Elks senior men’s team capped off the season with a championship! The semi-final game against Kilkeel Knights and the final against Dungannon Cavs were both played yesterday. Both teams were all-Lithuanian, bringing drums, horns and a load of supporters making for a great atmosphere. Against Kilkeel, we struggled to finish layups and defend shooters. We found ourselves down 11 going into the fourth quarter. The intensity level was raised and the Knights folded under the pressure allowing us to capitalize on a few turnovers and a technical foul. Our team showed resilience and character during the huge comeback that would not of been there earlier in the season. The championship game was won because of ability to learn from our mistakes in the previous game, turning those negatives into positives. We knew we would have to play our best against a Dungannon that split regular season games with us. A total team effort was displayed that defined our entire season. 

Both the U14 girls and senior men’s team will compete in one more tournament. For the U14 girls, it will be the All-Irelands, where the girls will get to compete against the winners of all the different leagues around Ireland. The senior men’s will compete in a similar tournament at the end of the month.

Looking forward to this upcoming weekend, as the college team will compete at varsities. Universities from across Ireland will be represents in the tournament. Current Victory Scholars, Will and Tim, will be in participating with NUIG. Updates and results will be posted next week!

Later,
Darryl