Issue link: http://digitaleditions.uberflip.com/i/1273037
GFP HEC CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS 44 | SUMMER 2020 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie WHAT DOES YOUR JOB AS A SPORTS SCIENTIST INVOLVE? I work with Stats Sports. We're a Newry- based company. I am a Sports Scientist and an Account Manager with them. They are a GPS tracking company that works with all the major sports teams: Mayo, Dublin, Donegal, Brazil FA – I look after them – Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal, Liverpool, all the US soccer, South African rugby, English Rugby, IRFU, Munster Rugby, Juventus, China FA...all the big names. I am also the Sports Scientist for the FAI national women's team. I travel with them as part of the backroom staff. I have been with them just over a year. Our first trip was to California, which was two days after we got knocked out of the 2019 championship by Mayo. We are trying to qualify for the Euros in 2022 for the first time. We will be going to Germany in September, Ukraine in October and then face Germany at home in December. We are top of the group right now, so all going well in the last three games that'd be amazing. HOW HAS COVID-19 AFFECTED YOUR WORK? When I am in camp with the Ireland team or off seeing to other clients there is a lot of travelling involved with work. I was actually in China in January and got home before all this Covid-19 happened. I flew home on 18 January, not a clue what the coronavirus was. I was in Guangzhou for ten days setting their first team up with the equipment. The last trip I was on was in March when the Ireland women's team played in Montenegro behind closed doors. We were in isolation for 14 days after that and I have been working from home in Donegal since then. HOW DO YOU BECOME A SPORT SCIENTIST? I studied Sports Science in UL and I loved it there. I was really lucky with the GAA set up down there under DJ Collins. Fiona McHale came in as part of the management then too and we won two O'Connor Cups in my time, although we lost the final in my last year. They were some of my best days playing football down there and I made such good friends from it. After I finished I took some time off and went to America for a while, but then I spotted a graduate programme with Stats Sports. I applied for that and was lucky enough to get the job. It was straight into the deep end with the work and after a month or two I was away on my first trips. HOW HAVE YOU MANAGED TO BLEND WORK AND FOOTBALL? We have our regular clients and I have Brazil FA, the whole federation, and the FAI. I have some English, Spanish and Scandinavian clients too, so there is a lot of travel involved, especially when we sign up a new client. It can be mental sometimes. I won't lie. Being based in Donegal again, it's only now I realise how crazy the last few years have been. Maxi has been brilliant with Donegal, he is very understanding. Often times I have to go away on trips at short notice, but thankfully I haven't missed any championship games so far, but I was away for the Cork game in the Lidl league this year though. I am living in Belfast but last season I was able to train in Donegal midweek and travel home again every weekend. It means that you are on the road 24-7, but if you are organised it is possible. My boss in work is very helpful too. Some days I might go in to the office an hour early so I can leave in time to make Donegal for training. Often times I'd meet the team en route to a game too, but it is all possible. If I didn't enjoy playing for Donegal so much I wouldn't be doing it. The hardest thing is getting your recovery in. If you are travelling over and back to Donegal you are in the car the whole time. But thank God I haven't missed any of the big days yet. WHAT ARE THE PROs AND CONs OF YOUR JOB? Working with the players and management in the FAI, means you link in with the top women's players in the county as well as elite doctors and physios. You get to see some of the best sports facilities in the world. They are unreal athletes and are playing full time professional sport. That's class to see. Last year I was in so many places: I've been to the States three times, China, Azerbaijan, all round Europe. I am so lucky and I love my job. It is tough going but I wouldn't change it for anything. There is a lot of travelling involved and maybe it's not something you could do your whole life. I like living in Belfast too. I have always lived away from home, from Limerick to America and on to Belfast. But it's nice being home at the minute. HOW WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE PLAYING FOOTBALL IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS? After I came home from America I lived in Dundalk first and I ended up playing my club football in Down with Bredagh. We won the Down championship last year but we were beaten by Donaghmoyne in the Ulster championship. They have been very good to me since I moved to Belfast and I have loved playing with them. With Donegal I was really enjoining my football this year. Because I was moved on to the FAI job, it meant I could play the full league campaign other than that one game. I really didn't think we'd be seeing any football at all in the second half of 2020, so to have that to look forward to now is just brilliant. I can't wait to get back. GUESS WHAT I DO KATE KEANEY