[title size=”1″]First up… Ciara O’Gorman[/title]
By way of introduction, over the summer months we are pulling together some short pieces around the Fastpicth & Slowpitch teams. Asking all players to fill out answers to the light hearted questions below. To kick it all off, we’ve started with Ciara O’Gorman and here’s what she had to say –
When did you start Softball?
I started back in 2012, this will be my 4th season playing.
Why Softball??
A girl I played badminton with mentioned she used to play and with my cricketing background I might enjoy it. So I Google’d softball and emailed the first club I found, fell in love with the game and that was it!
Have you played any other sports?
I’ve played cricket for nearly 16 years now, badminton for 6 and a bit of golf here and there!
What club do you play for?
I play for Kiely’s Kegs based in Ballsbridge
Do you have any pre match routines?
When you have an hour to get to games – running to the Dart/Bus is the pre-match warm up! 🙂
When was your first international game?
I represented an Irish development team at the World Series tournament in London in September 2012.
Do you aspire to be Irish Captain?
I would be silly if I didn’t, I think it would be an honour, but these things take time and experience which I’m getting plenty of each year!
What can we do to continue to getting people interested in Softball?
There are so many ways to get people interested, and Softball Ireland, Softball Leinster, Ulster and Munster do trojan work. I think that schools are a great way to get kids/teenagers interested – how many of us played rounders in school??
Colleges in particular have been important for softball, UCD and UL being two prime examples of this, so many players in the Leinster League have come from colleges.
Are you sponsored?
Unfortunately not, every player pays their own way to tournaments etc, with the help of team fundraising!
What’s your international Goal?
To play at a European Championships, and come home with a medal around my neck!
Who is your favourite female player?
There are too many players to pick just one in Slowpitch, and that’s not me avoiding the question – it’s the truth, I’ve been lucky to play with and against some amazing female softballers!
For fastpitch, I would have to say Jennie Finch from the USA, a fierce competitor and someone who put in the hard work and reaped the rewards, not everyone can say the have an Olympic gold medal!
Who is your favourite male player?
As with the female players, it’s so hard to pinpoint just one person, I’ve learned a lot from the male players I’ve played with!
Which countries have you played Softball in? Where was your favourite?
So far I have only traveled to the UK, but the different tournaments have been eye openers to what I have to do to get to the top level.
Slowpitch or Fastpitch? Which do you prefer?
Something tells me I’d get in trouble with either answer – so I’ll take the diplomatic route and say that I love both because they are so different in ways which keeps you on your toes! Slowpitch is what I am used to and what I’ve loved playing for nearly 4 years, and the excitement behind the beginning of the fastpitch programme is infectious!