O'Sullivan loving his new role in helping to develop young athletes in Cork

BALLINCOLLIG and Irish senior men’s International basketball player Adrian O’Sullivan has a very busy life on and off the court.

On the court, he trains every morning, getting some shots up along to keep his eye in, and then he trains with his club three times a week. 

Since he started work with Shane Marshall at More&Co Gym in Frankfield last April doing strength and conditioning and personal training for all athletes, his workload and basketball activities are keeping him very busy.

O’Sullivan always had a general interest in physical health, in order to help him perform on the basketball court, and he understands it’s extremely important to live a healthy lifestyle both physically and mentally.

Something he tells his clients all the time. 

He did a masters degree in public health in UCC, however, when he was away playing professionally in Spain he always knew that when he returned home he was going complete a course in strength and conditioning.

“I always found great pleasure and genuine satisfaction in helping others in various sports and when this opportunity came up it was too good too turn down,” Adrian said.

“I started working for Shane Marshall in More&Co Gym back in April 2023 and I honestly think it came at the perfect time for Shane and myself, as his health and fitness business was changing from a CrossFit structure to more athletic development and rehabilitation. 

"We now work alongside one another on a daily basis and are located in Frankfield, Grange.

“We’re open from 6am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and on Saturday mornings as well, however, to be honest, I’m there the majority of the time. 

"Outside of online training, I deal with small group personal training classes and one and one sessions from 6 to 12am and I’m back in from 3pm onwards. 

"It sounds worse than it is to be honest, but I’m well used to the early mornings now and I just set up my week based around my own basketball training as best I can.

“There’s been plenty of clients for various reasons, but the majority have been young athletes from the ages of 13 to 17 and a lot of those are in our youth athletic development classes. 

"We also have young basketball players from clubs such as Ballincollig, Blue Demons and Neptune. 

"We work some local soccer players, hurlers, footballers along with swimmers, so the fitness programs varies from athlete to athlete.

“I’m loving everything at the moment, however, there is always room for improvement and I am delighted with how everything is all going for me. 

"There’s also a lot of learning everyday, but I am a firm believer in enjoying what you do. 

"The area is quite saturated, but I think I have found my niche in working with youth athletes and helping them with their overall sporting performance, regardless of their sport.

“My plans for the future would be to improve the standard of coaching as the weeks go by as well as helping as many young individuals as I possibly can. 

"These days, there is a lot of pressure on young people to have to perform a certain way and many may struggle to cope with those pressures. 

"I see myself helping them gain confidence in their ability through hard work regardless of their level of their sport. 

"At the moment we are in the process of hiring new staff which is a great sign, so we can build a team who can inspire the next generation and help them achieve their goals, and that can never be a bad thing."

Adrian looks back on a great year and he is very thankful to his family and friends for all the encouragement, help and advice, that has been invaluable to get him into the position he is today.

“I had a very close family friend once tell me to “do what you love and find a way to get paid when doing it,” and I try to live that every day. 

"My advice would be like anything in life, you must work hard and if it’s something you genuinely want, then take the risk. 

"Don’t be afraid to ask for advice and if things doesn’t work out it is always a good idea to try different methods, so try to find a solution that will suit the athlete. 

"You must have a plan and understand that that plan may alter slightly, however don’t ever go into a situation blind.

“Shane has been in this industry for over 15 years and when I walked through the doors of More&Co, I honestly think he saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself in this industry. 

"He has been an incredible sounding board and a genuine friend. 

"His hard work is admirable and our journey working together to create an athletic development and rehabilitation hub is really enjoyable,” Adrian added.