What encouraged you to seek a scholarship in the United States?
I always had a great interest in obtaining a scholarship to an American university. I’d heard only positives from peoples experiences in America, the particular element that caught my attention was that so many professional goalkeepers were produced in America, and I note Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Marcus Hahnemann and Tim Howard as four great goalkeepers all who progressed through the college system here. I spoke to several of my coaches both here and in Ireland and they all agreed that America was a sensible move for a few years for me to mature both on and off the pitch. My ambition in life is to play football at the highest level that I can. I feel that this journey will facilitate my goals and will assist me in every way possible. I see it as being four years which ultimately will shape who I am going to become as a man.
Has your perception of America and Americans changed since you started living over there?
Having travelled to America on many occasions, I felt that I had a fair idea of American culture. I knew it was always going to be different from home but it wasn’t alien to me, at least I had a rough guideline of what I was setting myself up for! I had only seen the college systems online and had never seen one in person. They looked amazing from the pictures, but sometimes you have to see things in person to really appreciate it. My perception of the Americans in general hasn’t changed much however I have found proof that Californians live the life and are an extremely relaxed group of people. The West Coast people from my impression of the few I have encountered here in San Diego, don’t really know how to slow down and enjoy life. They are always looking for what is next and living their lives at a fast pace. From my own experiences so far, I have felt that the Americans are very accommodating and welcoming to foreign students. I have yet to receive bad treatment or feel unwelcome in any way, and this has been a massive factor in my settling into the environment here.
We hear so much about the funding of sports in America is this reflected in the facilities you have seen and how do they compare to Ireland?
In my opinion the facilities in America and Ireland are on completely different levels. University of San Diego is a small private institution which caters for a mere 7,000 students. Our cross town rivals San Diego State however host a breathtaking 70,000 students. Our facilities are smaller compared to theirs for obvious reasons however our facilities still provide us with all the necessary equipment and tools to compete at the highest level. Our baseball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and women’s volleyball teams are all nationally ranked and for a small private university this is a remarkable achievement. Most of the Division 1 schools (top level) have stadiums to host 60-80,000 people per home game.
Comparing the facilities from college set ups to the professional leagues in all sports at home is somewhat embarrassing to be honest. Our private stadium seats nearly 8,000 people and is equally as nice as most grounds in the League of Ireland. The sports scene even at college level, in terms of facilities is years ahead of home and this is largely down to the lack of investment in Ireland into the sports scene.
What are the differences between studying here and over there, have you found that you have had to adapt hugely on certain subjects or topics like History?
The system is different here in several ways. For starters, all universities must carry out a core group of classes before the student may begin to study their major. For example, I currently find myself studying The Vietnam War, world religions, introduction to communications and American dialects. All freshmen and sophomores have to complete 10 core module classes per year before they can begin to study their intended major. I have found it sort of difficult to adapt to the change in History topics, however the professors are more than helpful with any issues I may have. For the majority of subjects, the information required is fairly standard to be honest.
Is the attitude towards sports in the U.S. more conducive to churning out world class athletes than here?
My main problem with attitudes at home, is that anyone with goals or aspirations that may seem far stretched is looked upon as wasting their time. I found this with my goal of becoming a professional footballer. I felt that from an early enough age, it was viewed as stupid to want to achieve something so ‘unachievable’. In my opinion anything is attainable, you just have to work hard enough to get there. At home I feel there is not the drive, will power or determination among 99% of the population to achieve these goals and dreams that people may have. Unless the dream is gift wrapped and handed to them, it seems to be seen as something that will never happen, and this is just accepted as the norm. I have set my goals from an early age, I have worked hard to get to where I am, and I will continue to work even harder to get to where I want to be. In the US, already I can feel the determination and will to succeed among all the athletes. Training starts at 6.30 am many mornings and I laugh to think how people would react to getting told to train this early. There is a different level of professionalism here and the people around you understand and appreciate your goals instead of laughing in your face. This is where I have wanted to be for a long time and I will be using this opportunity for all it is worth. It is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am not prepared to let it slip past me without giving it my best shot. The way I see it is ‘’If you aren’t going to go all the way, why go at all.’’
How much of a factor has the weather been for example having to adapt to the heat?
Training in the heat is a drastic change from the swirling wind and rain in chilly Dundalk! It is a pleasant change all the same!
For the first few weeks of pre-season, we trained at the beach several times a week and for me this was the closest feeling to death I have ever experienced! The heat of the ever present blistering sun beating down on me while we carried out pre season fitness training was an unforgettable experience to say the least. The end of the session couldn’t come soon enough, but when it did come, the swim in the sea was well worth the wait.
I found it difficult enough to adapt to the heat in the beginning, but a few weeks down the line and I feel that it has no effect on me and doesn’t hamper my performance in any way. Now I feel like I can train hard in the San Diego sunshine, improve as a goalkeeper and work on my tan, what more could I ask for! I am happier knowing I may be a little hot training, than knowing I am going to be freezing cold and soaking wet that’s for sure!
Training outdoors regularly must be extremely beneficial?
Training outdoors is always going to be beneficial in my opinion particularly when it is in lovely sunshine. We train every day and I am yet to experience bad weather. We have trained at the beach and I feel that training outdoors in nice weather sets you up better to enjoy the session more.
You have the feel good factor and I feel that I can train better when I am happy and I’ll always be happy so long as the sun is out.
It is better for your health and well being to be outside training hard and I see it as a win-win situation here.
As a sports scholarship student there is obviously pressure to excel at your particular sport, is this pressure helpful?
There is a certain pressure put on the athletes to perform to the best of their ability. We train hard every day, bond well as a team and get good r
esults. There is a great relationship between the coaching staff and the players, I feel that this is half the battle to get a team to perform well.
If there is a bad performance, we analyse what has gone wrong and we just work on it the next week in training. We have video analysis weekly and pinpoint key areas to work on so if there is a weakness, we work on it. The coaches never pressure us into performing well, but as I mentioned already, there is a level of professionalism around here and the players know what we have to do and will do anything to do it right.
I like playing under pressure anyway, so I never feel any serious focus on me to perform well either in training or in a game.
I love the game and enjoy playing it every time. I can’t see how I could feel pressure doing something I love!
Do you feel more emphasis is placed on your sporting performance than your academic performance?
There is equal emphasis placed on both academic and sporting performance. We must meet a minimal 2.5 GPA (C+) or we are deemed ineligible to play and must sit out until we meet the academic requirement. As all the wise people say here ‘’You are a student before you are an athlete.’’ I have to admit, I am not too fond of this statement!
We are provided with personal teachers and a supervised study hall in which we must record 6 hours of study time per week. I want to make sure I don’t fall behind in class and have made sure that I have been present for 19 hours of study hall time at least for the last two months.
I have achieved good grades and am happy with how I am performing in both the classroom and the pitch.
Has the experience lived up to what you expected?
Living in San Diego was not exactly something that I dreaded to be honest. I felt that leaving home was always going to be difficult but I saw it as an opportunity to do something different and to assist me in achieving my goals and aspirations. I see it as a small sacrifice for something that could hopefully one day come good. The experience has lived up to all of my expectations. Spending time at the beach on weekends, adapting to the American environment, and living my life day by day trying to reach my end goal. It is all what I hoped for and I have no regrets at all. This is the place for me.
Would you recommend this path to other young sports’ students and what advice would you give them?
Absolutely. For any athlete who is serious about making a living in a particular sport and wanting the best chance at doing so, I strongly advise America as the place to be. I feel home here and feel like every athlete around me wants a real shot at making it as a pro. This is the environment you would want to be in. It is competitive and everyone is focused, determined and driven. I would advise them to decide early and make sure they pick the right university for them and keep concentrated and focused towards their main goal in tough times.
