'We didn’t even have a hall... we’ve come a long way': Cork team set their sights on games in Spain

There were huge celebrations in Carrigtwohill Community College recently after the Under-19 girls’ basketball team swept to victory at the All-Ireland Cup Championship.

This success has opened new doors for a team that just a few years ago was playing at the lowest level of school basketball, but now have their sights set on the World Student Games this autumn.

The knock-out championship competition wasn’t all smooth sailing, as coach Sarah Whelan – a history teacher at the school – explains.

“They had a really tough semi-final match. They were down 15 points with three minutes to go and came back to win by a point with a couple of seconds left.”

This incredible comeback brought them to the final at the National Basketball Arena in Dublin, where they played Coláiste Dún an Rí - a strong side from Cavan.

“We had a great victory,” recalled Sarah, who coaches the team alongside fellow teacher Lauren Murphy.

“Dún an Rí were the favourites going in, but we won by 15 in the end. It was a tight game up until about half-time, but then we pulled away in the third quarter.”

Winning the cup was a remarkable achievement for the Carrigtwohill girls for two reasons.

Firstly, the team are younger than a lot of others in the U-19 circuit – the majority of players are third, fourth and fifth years, whereas many of their competitors are mostly sixth-year students.

Secondly, the team has worked its way up from the bottom leagues of schools’ basketball over the last five years, culminating in their recent win at B-level.

The girls are now heading to compete at the highest rank – A-level – in September. It’s been predominantly the same team since the start.

“When they were in first year, they were at D-level basketball,” explained Sarah, “and they had to win each age group to go up. So they’ve progressed through four different levels to get to the highest level of schools’ basketball in Ireland.”

Lucy Walsh and Rachel Barrett are both fifth-year students at the school. Lucy captains the team and is also a member of the Ireland underage international squad. The girls have been friends since they were three and have done everything together from a young age.

“My family is very basketball-oriented,” says Lucy, “and both Rachel and I joined basketball in Cobh when we were really young – about four”.

Rachel, on the other hand, hails from a GAA family, but her love for basketball has grown over the years. “I’ve done it since first year with the school, and it’s just always been there.”

Basketball has also been a big part of coach Sarah’s life. She cites her own mother, who played in the ’80s and ’90s, as her inspiration.

“She was my coach growing up. I grew up in Waterford and played basketball down there for Wildcats. I’ve always played.

“I played in college in Cork, and I still play for Fr Mathew’s (in Bishopstown). So I’ve always been involved. It’s been great to start coaching, and the girls were my first step into that.”

It’s been a transformational coaching journey for Sarah, who recalls how the team started training in the early days of the school, which was founded just nine years ago.

“When the girls were in D- and C-levels – so they were in first and second year – we were in the prefabs. We actually didn’t have a hall, so we were training outside!

“It could be raining, but the girls were out training every Wednesday.

“It’s only since last year that we had the hall. It’s made a massive difference.”

From training outside in the rain to winning a cup final at the National Basketball Arena, the progress made by the team is phenomenal.

Their eyes are now fixed on their biggest challenges yet – not just the A-level championship, but the World Student Games in Spain in November.

“The games committee got in touch with us in December,” explains Sarah. The team were invited to compete at the prestigious games due to their recent national success.

“We’re going for the under-19 girls. There are teams from all over Europe, Dubai and Africa going – teams who have won their version of what we’ve won. It’s a massive opportunity.”

The cost of getting to Valencia for the tournament, however, is prohibitive. The team needs to raise around €12,000 to cover flights, accommodation and other costs for the 12 players to attend. Fundraising initiatives are currently underway, and the girls have already raised nearly €5,000.

“It’s a massive contribution,” says Sarah, “but that’s mainly from school fundraisers. We ran a pie-a-teacher-in-the-face competition and more things like bake sales.”

The girls are also embarking on a sponsored walk, with the team trekking a combined 15,000 kilometres before the end of the school year – the distance between Cork and Valencia.

Outside of school initiatives, the team is finding it difficult raise the rest of the funds needed to compete in Spain. They’re hopeful that local businesses and the community will start to rally round, and have set up an iDonate link to help because, as Sarah stresses, the coaches “don’t want the girls to be massively out of pocket” after all their hard work leading to this opportunity of a lifetime.

The significance of playing at the World Student Games is not taken lightly by the team.

“We started at such a low level,” says Lucy, “and now we are competing at such a high level. It’s an honour to represent our school like that. And not only our school – it’s Ireland”.

The girls have come a long way from their days of training in the rain in the schoolyard, as Sarah reflects. “I think about the days when we were training outside, and now we’re going to be playing in world class facilities in Spain, where professional basketball players play. For the team to finish up playing there, it’s really cool”.

Player Rachel agrees, reflecting on the strong bonds formed by the girls as they’ve played together over the years.

“We’ve all grown up together. It’ll be our final year in school, and it’s such a big thing to look forward to.

“It’s like celebrating the last six years of being a team!”

• To donate to the Carrigtwohill Community College Under-19 Girls Basketball Team’s fundraiser for their journey to the World Student Games in November, see https://www.idonate.ie/crowdfunder/cccu19basketball