Interview #14 - Conor Casey

Hey Casey, all well?

Everything’s grand. Mercifully free of college and looking for a big boy job now.

 

Congrats on making the team! How have you found the training and fitness over the last nine months?

I’ve loved the fitness so far, it’s a nice change from the usual jamming it into one day and do nothing for the other 6. Training has been excellent; playing with so many high caliber players has been unbelievable and I can’t wait to see how we do at Windmill and Toronto.

 

All the guys on the squad put their preference in the mixed team this year, that's not saying they would have been picked for sure on the Open team, but what made you personally go with the mixed team?

That’s a tough one. Initially I had no intention of playing for any team this year. I turned up at the trials as a means of testing myself. It wasn’t until I had chat with the girlfriend that we decided we could put off leaving the country (for Canada funnily enough). I’d been very impressed with the set up at the Mixed trial, couple that with the quality of players, the attitude of the team and that was a winning combination. Also, I’ve very much enjoyed the past 3 years of Ian French as UCD coach and I really enjoy playing with Liam and Emer!

 

Tell us how you got involved in Ultimate.

I first got involved with Gonzaga in 2005 where I was coached by Alan Doyle, we must have played one tournament a year (whacking day) back then, nothing like it is now. At one point I was coached by both Doyler and Marko. I didn’t really understand the significance of that back then. So yeah… I’ve been playing for a loooong time.

 

Wow, I didn't know you were playing THAT long! You played Juniors in 2009, one of two vice captains as I recall!, how does this squad compare to your first venture in the green jersey?

On the button, myself and Dave Ferguson were the two vice-captains. I’d like to take this chance to say we’ll be putting forward a bid for captaincy this year. Liam and Emer who? ;)
Well the quality of play is one. The experience we’ve gained playing different styles, playing in Tours and playing further abroad too. Compared to back then, everyone is so confident in their own ability. As a part of the juniors we had lots of desire but were lacking in some basic skills. We gave it our all and had a blast though. All in all, a very successful first outing at junior level but I’m looking to really push how the world see Irish Ultimate now.

 

What are your best memories from EYUC way back then?

It’s actually a blur right now. I remember a strong sense of pain and discomfort but also knowing that it was an honour to play for my country. I also remember getting my one and only assist for an Irish team, I’m definitely looking to improve upon that one.
We had some good memories though. Staying close to Italy for a long part of that game before they pulled away, winning Ireland’s first game in the Junior division against Poland and nearly pulling out a victory against a GB 2 team who had trounced us a few days earlier.

 

Since Juniors in '09 you've been a big part of your college team, UCD, and you are soon to graduate (don't go!). Tell us about the club when you started playing with them and the transformation it's gone through, if any, in recent years.
Tell me about it. I don’t want to leave! I’ve been playing with UCD since 2008. It’s where I learned everything I know and I’ve seen so much change since I first joined. I don’t remember much about my first year, I was pretty flaky for going to training and I spent most of my time on the 2^nd team. The summer after I came back from EYUC 09 was when I actually had an impact on the team. We’d always had a shortage of handlers so I was brought right into the first team. Ciaran Fagan was captain that year, he’s the person who inspired me to really commit to UCD and run for captain. UCD has really changed in the 5 years I’ve been there. From myself to Liamo and onto Alf, the focus was on getting numbers to training and working hard. In those years at UCD we worked hard to remove a bad image which had gathered. The club now has an excellent ethos and work ethic and I like to think we’ve changed our image immeasurably.

 

Who are the players you have enjoyed playing with most in your time there?

There are so many. Padraig McMorrow and Enda Naughton were amazing to play with. Their presence alone could win most games. In more recent times it’s been such a pleasure playing with Liamo, Emer, Robbie Brennan, Ian French and yourself Hogi. So many good players came through while I was there and it was just an excellent time to play with UCD.

 

As far as club ultimate goes, you have moved around a good bit. Who have you played with in the past and what's the story with your club situation now? 

Ah yeah, doesn’t look too good for me. I’ve played with Johnny Chimpo, OCS, Ranelagh and Dublin Ultimate. Currently I’m signed up with Jabba to train for the Open season. I had to cancel on Ranelagh before training even began so I could focus on finishing off my Masters. I was approached by Jabba and it made sense to train with the man who’ll be coaching me all summer. After this summer I really have no idea what I’ll do. I might have to make a new club to play with ;)

 

Mixed Tour 1 was almost two months ago at this stage! How did you find it? What were the main things you learned from the weekend?

Personally, I had a very interesting time working out the bugs in the O-line.  It’s tough bringing together so many styles and meshing them so we never turn but then again, I’ve never been so confident playing for a team. I learned that everyone on this team absolutely deserves to be here, I trust them to make the plays when it’s needed.

The biggest thing I learned was confidence, I’ve learned that I never feel like we will lose a game when playing with this team.

 

What are you most looking forward to about Toronto?

Seems stupid, but I’m looking to getting that first up the line disc. It eases game nerves like nothing else. Hopefully that leads to a first huck too :D

 

 

And who do you want to play most?

Hmm, always fun to play GB, though it’ll be seriously good fun to play against the North American teams. I’d like to see their style of play and see how I hold up.

 

Finally, make a funny.

A man sent ten different puns to his friend with the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. No pun in ten did!

 

Cheers Case, good luck with the rest of the campaign!

Thanks Hogi, you too.

Interview #13 - Keith Mernagh

Hey Keith, what's the craic?

Nothing much just setting up the website for Dublin Summer League 2013 (anyone reading this sign up NOW), sure when i'm not sleeping I'm doing something Frisbee related.

Congrats on making the team, but as one of the senior players on the team it was probably a little bit expected, no?

Well I've been playing mixed Ultimate my whole 'Ultimate life' with Jabba, even when i was playing open with Jabba in the early years we had girls on our team. I got injured a week before the trails so i was kind of devastated. Luckily with my past experience I was able to convince the selectors I was worth picking. I also slept with a few of them but I'm not sure if that hindered or helped me.  

In Florence in 2010, you played in the Open division and were one of the more junior players on the team. How did that week go for you?

Well lets just say we all started somewhere. Florence was my first experience at international level and I was a small fish in a big pond. I was a tall, skinny and shy enough guy. Oh how that has changed, now I'm a tall, skinny and far from shy guy. I was surrounded by some of the best players in the world. I still remember all the mistakes I made in Florence. That's sort of the personality I have, I can't let go of some mistakes but I feel that makes me more ambitious than most. I have to right those wrongs and just get better. For example I didn't layout for a score against Australia Open, which will not be the case this year if we play Australia Mixed. 

I only really got into the swing of things in the last 2 days of the tournament when other players legs were worn more than mine. All in all it's an experience I'll never forget. 

And only 2-3 weeks later you were playing at WJUC in Germany! How did the two tournaments compare? And how did your role differ, if at all?

From being a D-line player who would sometimes get the disc to being one of the main cutters in the junior team was a big change along with the weather not being 40 degrees. The team we're a great bunch who were not afraid to give me a "messin". The week was great fun and we ended up beating two teams Israel and Czech Republic. The big match we had was against U.S.A. You could see clearly from the warm up that the Americans were terrified of us, they were in some 'state' alright. They knew we were going to be tough and I could tell from the 7 foot 52 inches captains sweaty forehead that he was scared. 

The game began and USA got a lucky first point. We followed by Mr Cool Collect Conor Hogan doing his casual 50 yard hammer to Tuffy in the endzone - EASY!!!! America were so scared throughout the game. Conor Hogan later in the game got another hammer score. It all seemed too easy. We then felt bad for America as they had come so far so we decided to let up on the gas. The game ended 17-2 to America but we won the mental battle. We drank our Lucozade like Kings that night. 

On a side note, this is the only team where Ian French has not coached me.

Yoink!

They were good times alright! The year after you played in the Mixed division in Slovenia and had a pretty successful week. Looking back on that tournament, what were the highlights for both the team and for you personally?

James Finn and Fiona Mernagh hucking to me all week was a joy. The whole experience from the first training weekend to the very last was very interesting and exciting. The mixed team in Slovenia and the one I'm currently on have a lot of great similarities. We are both fighters, there are great personalities on the team and we going to kick some ass and shock some countries. The only difference is that GB aren't beating us this time. We're making sure of that.

Another great part of that week was I got nominated MVP of every game we played that week. I didn't win a single one but i didn't mind.

In April, the Irish U23 Mixed team went to Tour in Cardiff and racked up some pretty good results. What were the main lessons you banked for the rest of the season?

I learnt that this team has the ability to put it to any team. We're a team that will never give up and fight till the end. Personally I learnt that our O-line is good enough to walk it in and I don't need to huck it to Oisin Murphy all the time, even though it's one hell of a play. Sorry Emer, you can't stop us and I can take you too Liam, come at me. But seriously the O-line has such athletes on the team I don't see how we can't put it to any team in Canada.

Another lesson I learnt was that I'm better at Pool than David Ferguson, suck it!  

And what a valuable lesson that is! The team's last warm up tournament, Windmill Windup, is in two weeks. What are you most looking forward to about this?

Ah windmill, what a tournament. It's the best Ultimate tournament in the world for the craic... Or so I’ve been told. The last time i was Windmill was with an Ireland team so i couldn't exactly go overboard, the same can be said for this one too. I promise myself that I will go to windmill one year and make sure it's not serious at all. However, this tournament is also great for developing the team. This tournament will be a huge eye opener for the coaches as well as the players. If something in the team needs changing this will be the tournament that will open up those changes. 

I can't wait to camp on the cold hard ground <3

White? Pasty? Hiding from the sun? He's definitely Irish 

You enjoy your ground Keith, the rest of us have tents! Having had a look at the teams in your division (http://www.windmillwindup.com/2013/teams/), are there any teams you're excited about seeing there or perhaps playing against?

It has to be Germany U23 Mixed, Germany are well known for their high intensity but also their amazing spirit of the game. I love playing against Germany because it brings out the best of myself on the field. Spirit is something I always have to work on when moments get intense. So it would be great to play Germany for an example on how to do both. 

Last weekend saw the Irish U23 Mixed team host All-Ireland Mixed Nationals and your club team Jabba the Huck came out on top for the second year in a row. How did this year's victory compare to last year's victory?

This was a great weekend. Last year was our first national victory for Jabba so even though we won this title again, I don't think any victory will be better than that for a while. However to win it again is a great feeling and it gives you great belief in your club and team mates. 

What's next this season for Jabba?

To win Women and Open nationals. I won't give too much away in fact I won't give anything away but other clubs better keep an eye out for us. 

Who do you want to play most in Toronto?

Columbia and USA. I love watching Columbia and I can't wait to play against a team of speedy handlers and cutters who rarely throw away. As for USA? Well they'll remember Deco, Hogi and myself from juniors and might die from fear. 

You're known to be a bit of a joker, as our readers can tell from our chat so far, so finish up with one last joke!

There's nothing better than making people smile and laugh so I'll try and come up with something...

So in that case here are two:

• Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis.
• When an actress saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she'd dye.

Oh and I feel i said Team a lot in this so here ya go 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?'v=pGFGD5pj03M

Cheers bud, best of luck from here on out.

Interview #12 - Caoimhe Quigley

Hey Caoimhe, all well? Relaxing after the exams no doubt...

Hi there, I'm getting back up to speed after exams now, no rest for the wicked and all that. 

Congrats on getting on the team, tell us how the whole experience has been for you since the trials last year.

Thanks. I've never played for Ireland in the mixed division before, so this season has really been a new experience for me. I really enjoyed the trial; it was nice to play some ultimate at that intense level. I'm really adjusting to the mixed division this season and I'm hoping I can do a good job. I've already learned that you need to be way louder as a girl on a mixed team to play alongside the lads!

You're currently the main handler for the Trinity College women's team, a team with a lot of history and prestige. How did you get involved in the team initially?

I first signed up because a friend of mine had played on the junior open team the previous summer and kept saying how much fun it was and how amazing the tournament had been, so I promised I'd sign up come Fresher's week. I think Heather Barry was a role model as captain that year, she was amazing on the pitch and so enthusiastic the rest of the time, I think she played a really big part in me continuing to play.

This season didn't go to plan with UCC stepping up their game big time to take the Ladies IVs titles in Indoors and Outdoors. What do you think will need to change for next year?

UCC deserve a lot of respect and congratulations for their victory this year, they put so much work in over the last few years working to become such a huge force in ultimate this year. I think they really deserved to win and I hope that next year we can up our game to match them in terms of recruitment, fitness and discipline and take back the trophy.

This will be your second time playing at the U23 level, having played in the Women's division in Florence. How did that week pan out for you personally?

Florence was a tough week emotionally for me, my grandmother passed away on the evening of the opening ceremony and I really had to push myself to make sure I was 100% focused when it came to game time. It was hard, and I had to remind myself of how proud she was that I was going to wear an Ireland jersey and I tried to play for her. I really learned that week that there will always be other stuff going on, but when it comes to game time, you need to prove why you're on the team.

What was/were the main thing(s) you took away from that season?

I think I learned an awful lot during that season, having only been playing a few months when the team started training. Doyler was a fantastic coach, I'm glad we could win a few matches for him. I don't think I could fully appreciate just how much I learned during that season at the time, but I think the main thing I took from that season was knowing that I had the chance to be a great player if I put the work in. 

You took these lessons and applied them with immediate impact, evidently, making the Women's team that went to EUC in Slovenia. How did you find the step up in competition from U23 to Senior level?

There was definitely a big step up in skill level from U23 to the senior women's team, honestly I surprised myself when I made the team! I think having trained with quite a few of the other squad members throughout the year on LMS it became slightly less intimidating. It was a season to try and explore my potential as a player. Being one of the younger members of the team I really just tried not to let the team down and to use the experience to learn as much as I could from playing with such a talented team at such a high level.

That Women's team was full of talent and featured a lot of players from LMS, your current club. Is there anyone on either squad that you look up to and want to play more like?

There are a lot of great players on both squads, I could bore you listing most of the teams in this paragraph saying how wonderful they are, so I'll keep it to three. Liz is a dominating handler, I admire how she beasts her way through zones. She was incredibly reliable throughout the EUC season and as a cutter I found her presence on the pitch really reassuring. Yvonne is a fantastic handler and it was a shame she was injured when we beat GB on our first day in EUC. Luckily she's also an LMS player, so she can still inspire me at training. And last but by no means least, our captain that season Laura is phenomenal. She is such a great athlete and skilled ultimate player. She was absolutely an inspiration during the EUC season on and off the pitch. 

Outside of Ultimate you have the reputation for being an unreal baker. Can the team expect a Irish themed cake to rival that of your past creations? Or would that just be wishful thinking...?

Haha, thanks! I really enjoy baking and I have to say the thought had crossed my mind to make a cake for the team! I'm not sure when for, but I've had a few ideas, maybe something inspired by the jerseys this year. It would be pretty fun to make a cake for team Ireland.

With Windmill in 4 weeks and Toronto not long after that, who do you look forward to playing the most in the upcoming tournaments?

I'm particularly looking forward to Windmill Windup because the last time I was supposed to go the girls beat GB and I missed it sadly. I always look forward to playing GB, because the games are so hard fought and closely contested. I'm looking forward to playing the North American teams, for their great athleticism and skill, and Japan because they have such a unique style of play that's very different to what teams usually play in Europe. 

Lastly, tell us a joke.

 -Knock knock.

-Who's there?

-Listen I'm terrible at jokes, can I just make you a cake instead? 

Yeah... Maybe stick to the ultimate and baking. Thanks for your time and best of luck in the next 10 weeks!

Interview #11 - Alan Fitzpatrick

Hey Al, what's the craic? All done with the exams?

Story, yeah just finished up there, great to be finished. Been a mad busy year.

First off, congrats on making the team. You're the youngest male on the squad but have more experience than most with three years of Juniors experience under your belt. How has your role in this squad changed, if at all?

Ah yeah I was delighted to make the team. This squad is very different to any juniors one I've played on before. I'm surrounded by very talented players, everyone know's what they are expected to bring to the team and we can all rely on each other to do our jobs. For me it's getting Ds on opposition deep receivers and then playing sexy D line offence. 

Tell us about the last three years at Juniors: The highs. The lows. The injuries! The captaincies.

Juniors has been huge for me. There are highs and lows from every year but the stand out high has to be beating Sweden in front of a crowd of Irish supporters last August in Dublin. I sometimes go back and look at the footage or photos from that game, and I get goosebumps every time. 

Poland in 2011 was a bit of a low I suppose. We didn't get any results, but still had a great fun week. Getting injured in game 5 in Germany in 2010 was sickening too. I've always believed that these "Lows" can been seen as skipping stones or stumbling blocks, if you get me. If you let them, they can ruin your season. If you see them as challenges they can make you a better player. It's all mental attitude. 

You've just finished a term as captain of your college team, UCD. How did the season go?

This year was pretty challenging. It takes up a huge amount of time being captain, if it wasn't for my secretary Killian Roche I don't know if Chili-o would still exist!

It was great at the same time though, a huge honour. We tried new things and got some great results. We beat the top 3 teams UCC, Trinity and UL at different stages in the year but unfortunately didn't pull it out at IVs when it mattered. Winning Colours was great, but IVs will always be the big one.

And with a large number of players returning next year what do you think should be the focus for 2013/14?

To win IVs. I think this should always be the focus, there's not point in aiming for 2nd place. It being my final year as well I see it as my last shot at winning an IVs medal. There's also rumours going around about some other college superstars coming to UCD for postgrad degrees next year, so we may have a few tricks up our sleeves come September.

Also recruitment and player development. We did well this year but have to keep improving if we want to be at the top in the coming years. 

You're playing your club ultimate these days with Ranelagh, the reigning All-Ireland Champions, and recently just qualified for EUCR-S (European Club Regionals for those not in the know). Tell us about the qualification process for the qualifying tournament!

In order to qualify we had to prove ourselves by playing Pelt and Rebel. This involved a trip to Limerick a couple of months ago and then a home match against Rebel last month. I was delighted to be selected for the Ranelagh squad to play Rebel and thankfully our hard work since January paid off. We won both matches and now will travel to European qualifiers in August. 

What is next for Ranelagh this season in preparation for EUCR?

Well our next tournament is Tour 1 in London at the end of this month. We'll get to play the top teams from GB and hopefully some from Europe too. I can't wait! Then its tours 2 and 3 before Euro Qualifiers in August. Training every Monday and Wednesday in Gonzaga as always. 

You've played with and against a ton of great players in your career, who are your favourite players to play with? And who did you enjoy playing against the most?

In UCD the likes of Liamo and Wetcrotch; can always rely on them to take down the swill I throw far too often and make big plays on D.

With Ranelagh its great to learn from the older heads; Nialler, Keith Hodgson, Britboy and the likes. They know their stuff and are more than willing to pass their knowledge onto us young lads.

Having said that, its difficult to single players out to be honest I just like playing frisbee, and constantly trying to be the best at it, doesn't really matter who its with. 

As far as opposition I just enjoy playing against the best players around. It makes you improve your own game a lot. Cian Quinn at Ranelagh practice and Donal Murray for UCC/Rebel stand out for me. 

Former Irish teammate, Matthew Feely, wants to know how the craic compares to the Juniors teams you've played on before? I would imagine it's more fun now that he's not around...

Yeah the last few years of juniors has been serious craic. A serious bunch of LADs. I'm delighted to say that the mixed team is no different. The likes of Oisin and Keith are gas, as well as Aoife B. Also if you ever get Sarah Cummins and Jen Cooper on their own together they're proper insane, in a good way of course. 

And sure Feely will be in Toronto anyway, we'll still be having the bants. 

Windmill is just four weeks away. What are you looking forward to most about this famous tournament?

Playing lots of competitive games is going to be awesome. Tour was great and Windmill is going to be even better. Also it's my first Windmill so just taking in everything and experiencing the famous tournament will be great. 

Outside Ultimate you're a pretty decent singer/musician, will you be bringing the guitar to Toronto for your banter in the evenings? Should we expect any more covers like last year's hit "A Thousand Miles"?

Ah I dunno about that now. Can't afford to bring the guitar, I'm broke as it is. As far as upcoming world class music videos I won't say too much. I'm actually sworn to secrecy about upcoming projects, but let's just say that a certain T. Swift may be involved. 

I'd say the young teen fan base can't wait for your next cover. Who do you want to play most at Worlds?

GB. Love playing them, we're catching up every year, and it won't be long until we beat them. In fact I reckon we will beat GB this year if we come up against them in Toronto, and there's no reason we shouldn't be the top European team at worlds. We're bloody good. 

Finally: Make us laugh!

A man goes to the doctor for his annual check-up, and the doctor tells him, "You need to stop masturbating."

The man asks, "Why?"

The doctor replies, "Because I'm trying to examine you"

A classic! Cheers bud, enjoy the rest of the season and best of luck!