Soccer coach David is making waves in California

The collegiate soccer landcape in the USA is fiercely competitive and professional in all but name and Ard easmuinn man David nolan is at the forefront of talented young coaches who are helping the next generation make their mark on the world stage. Last year he became head coach of the Claremont-Mudd Scrips women’s soccer programme and in his debut season he helped his side advance to the conference championship game and finished the year with an impressive 9-6-6 record. he also earned the La Sierra Golden eagle Award for being the top male athlete as well as earning his bacherlor’s degree in marketing from La Sierra in 2013.

David’s USA adventure began when he was visiting his brother who lived in California and he decided to try out for a few college teams. he was offered an athletic scholarship at California Baptist University, where he played collegiate soccer for two seasons before moving to La Sierra University where he spent two more seasons playing soccer as well as becoming team captain.

According to David his love of the game began in Dundalk as a kid when he played under Tommy hanratty at St Dominics.

“I grew up in Ard easmuinn. Played most of my youth with St. Dominics and last few years with Rangers. After schoolboys I played MDL with Glenmuir and DDL with hill Celtic. Growing up, Tommy hanratty at St. Dominics created a great environment that really grew the love of the sport for me. At hill

Celtic, Kevin Lynch and Andy Agnew’s (RIP) man management was fantastic, they made you feel like a giant every time you stepped on the field. Looking back now as a full-time coach It makes me appreciate them even more as they did it all on a volunteer basis, for the love of the game.

“Like every young fella from town, it was always a dream to get to the highest level. But you get to a stage when you know it’s just not going to happen. But I knew I wanted to continue to play for as long as possible at a high level.

“I attended Colaiste Ide (Football association course) in Dublin in the hope to get over to America on a scholarship to play football. During the same time, I got myself an apprenticeship in town and settled for that. It was a year later and I knew this wasn’t for me. My brother was living in California at the time and I went to visit him and tryout for a few college teams while I was there. The school I attended CBU offered me a athletic scholarship and 3 months later I made the move. Col- lege sports are massive in the States, so playing in a professional like environment was very enjoyable.

“When I was at CBU, the head coach at the time encouraged me to do my coaching license and get into coaching the youth game over there to earn some extra money. Within six months of being in the States I was coaching an U12 girls’ team in the local town I lived. I got the bug straight away. As a coach now I’m always looking at the top coaches in the world, their ideas from tactics, individual roles and set pieces. Klopp and Simeone would be two coaches I feel that have changed the game with their ideas, so it’s always nice to dig deep into their philosophy. As a full-time coach here, we have the luxury of watching football all the time. So, finding good ideas then making it your own to suit your team is definitely a common trend in the game.

“Like most coaches, I encourage a possession style game to disorganize the opposition. But within the league my team plays in, each team brings unique challenges. So it’s always good to be able to adapt. The college game over here is a very professional set up. It almost has a feel of the lower leagues of MLS. So, with that comes pressure. I’m in a results-based industry. Which for me is great as it motivates me daily to prepare my team for success.

“International coaches are very common in the states, especially english lads. I think I felt more pressure of higher expectation than being an outsider. They see you as a person who grew up in the game compared to America where Soccer would be seen as the 4th or 5th sport of the country. It’s great to see so many more Americans and even better, young female Americans getting into coaching. In my time in the states the game has grown massively, not just in num- bers but in the quality of the coaching, be it internationals or local Americans. The success of the US women’s soccer team has been a big force in the rise of the game,” explains David.

“My college, Claremont McKenna-MuddScripps(CMS) plays in the SCIAC conference. We are one of the Top D3 conference in the nation. There are 10 schools in the conference. I coach the women’s team at the college. I’m starting my second season in charge in August. In my first year we made the playoffs for the first time in 7 years. Beyond that we made the finals of playoffs. So, there was clear growth within the first year. We;re hoping to continue the momentum going into year two. CMS is a very prestigious academic school. We attract some of the smartest students in the country. This definity helps with recruiting “My wife Maddison is from California, so we have one Christmas in California and the next in Dundalk. As a true California girl, she’s not a fan of the rain, so always prefers our summer trips to Dundalk. We are very settled in California, I’m in a job I love and unfortunately don’t see too many fulltime coaching opportunities at home. For now, getting home 1 or 2 times a year is good. The hope is to eventually own a place in Dundalk and in California,” concluded David.

Publicly funded IVF to be available from September

LOCAL Fianna Fáil Senator, erin McGreehan, has welcomed an announcement from her party colleague and Minister for health, Stephen Donnelly, detailing the access criteria and the fertility services that will be publicly funded from September.

eligible patients will be entitled to one full cycle of IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) or ICSI (Intracytoplasmic sperm injection) treatment, initially provided in hSe-approved private clinics of their choice ahead of the opening next year of the first public National Advanced AhR (Assisted human Reproduction) Centre.

To be eligible for publicly funded treatment, couples must be resident in Ireland and referred to a Regional Fertility hub through their GP. They must be in a relationship for at least one year, have no children from this relationship. Patients with known clinical causes of infertility and patients where there is no known clinical cause will be eligible for treatment. Women up to the age of 40 and men up to the age of 59 will be considered eligible.

Senator McGreehan said, “Fianna Fáil’s commitment to introduce a publicly funded model of care for fertility treatment is soon to become a reality for the thousands of couples experiencing infertility.

“In Ireland, as many as one in six couples will experience fertility issues affecting both men and women equally and I warmly welcome news today, that from September, Assisted human Reproduction treatment will be publicly funded for the first time in the State. This has been promised by successive health Ministers, but I am proud to say it is now finally being delivered by Fianna Fáíl Minister for health, Stephen Donnelly.

“Fianna Fáil in Government acknowledge that people who are desperate to have a child are the most vulnerable and hugely open to exploitation. They are facing mental, physical and relationship challenges and on top of it all, huge financial barriers. It has been a key priority of mine and my colleagues to address this issue and I’m delighted that Minister Donnelly has committed to doing so.

“It represents a transforma- tive step toward reproductive equality where the dream of parenthood becomes a reality for every aspiring parent, irrespective of their financial status.

“I understand that work is continuing on the Assisted human Reproduction Bill which will allow Government to improve accessibility to AhR treatments, while at the same time embedding safe and appropriate clinical practice and ensuring the cost-effective use of public resources.

“I look forward this Bill progressing and ultimately seeing AhR services being expanded to wider categories so that we can help more people to fulfil their wish of starting a family.”

Three in a row for speed king Israel Olatunde

DUnDALK’S sprint king Israel Olatunde was at his imperious best in Santry over the weekend as he retained his national senior 100m title in a time of 10.50. The UCD athlete didn’t get off to the best of starts and was made to work with clubmate Bori Akinola leading the race early on. however, Olatunde’s devastating finish proved too much for the rest of the field to handle as he stormed clear over the last twenty metres to claim a third national title in a row.

Akinola would ultimately settle for silver in 10.58, with recent European U23 star Garbriel Kehinde (ennis Track) racing his way to bronze in 10.70.

It’s been a great year thus far for Israel with the former Marist student named as the UCD Sportsperson of the Year at a glittering ceremony earlier this year. Last year he made history when he became the first Irish runner to compete in a european 100m final. In that final he just missed out on a medal although he had the consolation of breaking Paul hession’s fifteen year old national record with a time of 10.17.

There was also success at the n ational Track and Field Championships for Kate O’Connor who earned two national medals over the weekend.

Kate claimed Silver in the 100m hurdles on Saturday and wrapped up a great weekend today with Bronze in the Long Jump.

Israel Olatunde continues to dominate the national sprinting scene with the Dundalkman picking up his third consecutive 100m national title last weekend.

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Trishaw wheelchair friendly bike launch

LOUTh W.A.T.C.h (Walking

And Tandem Cycling for health) Club have arranged a launch to promote the new Trishaw wheelchair friendly bike. The launch will take place in Market Square at 10:30 am next Wednesday, 9th August.

The Trishaw wheelchair friendly bike is the first of it’s kind in County Louth and will provide access for wheelchair users to cycling, nature, and overall movement around around the county.

Independent councillor Maeve Yore has been a huge supporter of the project and speaking this week she said she was delighted to have been able to contribute and help transform the lives of wheelchair users around County Louth.

“I’m delighted to be able to contribute with some of my councillor allocation funds towards the purchase of the 1st

Wheelchair Trishaw in Louth organised by Louth Watch Club I have no doubt the trishaw will transform lives of people in wheelchairs in Our Wee County. This trishaw follows on and builds on the success of the three trishaws I brought to Louth with the help of Louth Age Friendly Chairperson Rodd Bond and Jason Devine formerly of DKIT four years ago,” stated Maeve “Well Done Paul, Benny, Paul, Marian, Maureen, Margaret, Anthony & all involved in Louth Watch Club and all the other community groups who contributed also in making this happen,” she added.

The Louth W.A.T.C.h club helps promote activity through walking and Tandem cycling most weekends around the northeast and beyond. They achieve this by recruiting and training sighted volunteers with the relevant skills required.

Louth W.A.T.C.H. Club will launch their Trishaw Wheelchair Bike in Market Square at 10.30am next Wednesday.