Roisín Murphy serving it up on court in Pennsylvania

LANDING a scholarship offer from a top university in the United States is a big move which can have life-changing consequences for any young person.

Castlebar’s Roisín Murphy never doubted that this was the right decision for her and I’m glad to report that she is making steady progress having completed the first of her four-year degree course in sports physio.

Tennis was the sport that opened the door to Mercyhurst University in Pennsylvania for 19-year-old Roisín, who was home recently on a summer break.

Castlebar Tennis Club, where Roisín started playing tennis from the age of 10 was the venue for our meeting on a glorious afternoon, and a fitting one too given the support she has received from the coaching staff there over the years in the pursuit of her tennis career, support she has always appreciated.

The sun was shining brightly but even brighter were the eyes of Roisín, who was excited to be home to see her family and her friends and enjoy a welcome break from college life.

However, it's back to reality inside the next week as she packs the bags once more to return for her second year at the well known US university, which brings students from all over the world on scholarships to its campus which is renowned for many sports, including tennis.

When you factor in a Covid-19 pandemic, which sent Ireland into lockdown and restricted Roisín from developing her sport to the extent which would have liked, and the death of her mum, Fiona, which occurred in January of 2021, it wasn’t the easiest of journeys, but this is a bright young lady whose energy and inspiration comes from her tennis racket and her sheer determination to succeed.

From once Roisín had completed her Leaving Certificate at St. Joseph's Secondary School, Castlebar, she knew not just where she going, but where she wanted to be.

"I knew very shortly after arriving in Mercyhurst University that I had made the right choice. Not once did it enter my mind that I had made a wrong decision.

"I really think it suits the kind of life I like and want. At no time did I think I can’t handle this," was her reply when I asked had she had any regrets about the path she had chosen.

It was a help that she had family connections on the east coast in the US and they were there to welcome her as travelled alone when she first made the journey.

"Dad (Brendan) was supposed to accompany me on my first trip to the college but he didn’t get past the airport due to Covid-19 restrictions so it was a little scary traveling alone, but it was great to be met by relations who are living in New York, New Jersey and Maine when I landed."

It didn’t take Roisín long to settle in.

"I met the team straight away and all the other freshers, which included five men and women, and it just clicked straight away," she said.

She adopted well to the routine of rising at 6 a.m. and facing into two hours of training before breakfast.

It is then off to classes for a few hours and the later in the evening it's back in the gym doing physical training, including cardio and conditioning, in a building where the tennis teams mix with all the other athletes in the college. They are all in their different training schedules for their particular sport.

So far it has been a good start for the Castlebar girl, who finished top of her doubles team and has maintained her mid-table spot on the singles team which comprises of six players.

Said Roisín: "The fall season involves playing in tournaments as individuals when you play for yourself and then the following semester in spring you play as a team, and that’s when it gets really tough."

FLYING COLOURS

Tennis is similar to basketball in terms of the competition structure, with regional games which qualify teams for the conference stage and then onto the national finals if you make the cut.

Explains Roisín: "The fall is really the pre-season which gets you ready for the more challenging spring semester, with the summer season the third phase when the competitions reach the national finals."

Roisín’s team came through the regionals with flying colours and did well at the conference level, her team coming up just short to qualify for the national finals.

"We won our regionals and qualified for the second phase, which is the conference stage, but only two qualify and we just lost by one game, so it wasn’t a bad effort for our first year," she said.

Had they made the regionals they would have qualified for the summer series, which would involve a lot of tournaments between Pennsylvania and all the surrounding states, but that would have meant there would have been no home to Ireland this year.

While only going into her second year, Roisín is thinking and planning far ahead to her graduation year when she hopes to walk away with a degree in sports physio, which could see her work as an athletic coach with teams or individuals depending on what she decides to do, and, more importantly, where she wants to go.

"My long-term plan is to come back to Ireland to do a masters in sports physiotherapy after I get my sports physio degree," said Roisin

She added: "I’d like maybe to take a gap year and spend some time playing tournaments in the US as that is where the money is at. It is very difficult to make any money in Ireland, especially if you go away to college and haven’t been playing on the circuit."

For the moment making money is the last thing on her mind. The first year is a bit like any fresher coming to college – the pressure is not on. But the next three years will decide where Roisín is going to be in five years' time.

"The tennis side has been harder in the first year than the studying to be honest, but I know that will change this year as it will get tougher."

And there is no slacking when you are playing for the team, as a team captain and a team coach are monitoring the progress of each player. Any slacking off or loss of form results in demotion from the team pecking order. At the moment, Roisín is doing just fine.

It's not all training, tennis and study either as there is also some time to chill and enjoy the sites.

"Yeah, we do get the odd weekend off and I have been able to take in the wonderful sites, such as Niagara Falls and Orlando, and even take a bit of shopping.

"It has been a truly wonderful experience and I feel so lucky to be where I am, and I’m really looking forward to going back to start my second year," said Roisín, a former winner of a Connaught Telegraph Young Sports Star Award.