FROM Cobh to California, former Springfield Ramblers player Luke Quinn is loving life as he pursues his dream of becoming a professional footballer.

The 22-year-old defender set out for the States back in August 2021, a daunting move away from family and friends but one he believes was the correct decision.

Quinn played with local side Springfield for most of his career to date but had a brief spell at the League of Ireland level with Cobh Ramblers U17s. It didn’t work out as well as he imagined, Quinn decided a change was needed and a new challenge that took him to the States.

“I felt I had to move on from Ireland to help me make it back on track in trying to play pro,” said Quinn. "I wanted to do this while at the same time, receiving a proper education. Covid hit at a time when I first came interested so while it halted my immediate move, it gave me an opportunity to work hard and save up so I was financially in a good position to make the move back in August of last year.

“2022 has been full of ups and downs to say the least, with a lot of unforgettable memories. I am nothing but grateful for all the memories that I have had from the last 16 months while being out here in America.

NEW WORLD

“While having the chance to explore California during the season and in the off-season I have found to love the place as it feels like a completely new world compared to back at home. So while I miss friends and family, I’m getting to do what I love, all while seeing parts of the world I never would have seen if it weren’t for football.”

Living in Quincy, California, attending Feather River junior college, Quinn has adapted to his new life living with friends but now looks forward to moving to senior college in the summer which will mean a lot of new challenges for him.

“My plan for 2023 is to finish with my degree from Feather River College and to move onto a four-year college in hopes of gaining my Bachelors in Sports Psychology along with competing at a very high standard of football.

“I am in Feather River College in a very small town in Northern California called Quincy. We play in the GVC Conference which is a junior college level. I am currently majoring in Sports and Exercise Science which I love and this season was a memorable one as we had our first back-to-back conference season in 15 years and I won overall defender of the league while being put up for nomination for all-American Scholar.

“I live in the dorms on campus. Few California junior colleges have facilities like these. I live with another Irish lad from west Meath, Figo Cheuk and it’s great having another Irish lad around because you just get along better with people from back home.

“It’s great to be able to live with other players from the team while having your own space to have that sense of independence also. These are all new changes for me from back at home but I feel I have adapted well.

“The biggest challenge was leaving my family and finding confidence in myself once I arrived. 

I was crippled with anxiety for the first two months and if it wasn’t for my coach Arturo at the time and his wife Cindy Cairel, I would have been back in Ireland a long time ago.

“They really opened my eyes to the possibilities that could happen for me and supported me as if I was their own son, I can’t thank them enough for all they have done while being away from home. The support I got from my family also made life so much easier with all their help.

“I plan on returning back to Ireland next summer as I have a lot of plans made for the next few months which is going to decide on where I am going to end up next on my adventure. I am so grateful for the opportunities that have been created from hard work and dedication that I have been putting in over the years and I know there’s a lot more awaiting me so it is exciting times ahead.

“Anything is possible once you set your mind to it. The hardest thing for me was just getting started on a new challenge but the move has already given me so much in life, lifelong lessons that I am grateful for.”