AISLING SULLIVAN - INTERNATIONAL SUPERSTAR!!!

Killester Website: Hey Aisling, thanks for taking the time out to speak with us. So let's clear something up, its A - I - S - L - I - N - G right? Should people get used to that name? Will they be hearing it a lot?
Aisling Sullivan: Hey.. No probably! Yeah so I'm really picky when it comes to my name, who isn't??! it's not spelt with a H..just the L and its not O Sullivan just Sullivan. But to save a lot of hassle you can call me Ash. I think people are already used to it by now..probably sick of it..haha!! Maybe they'll hear it a lot..hopefully all good too!

KW: So how was your summer? You finished your leaving, that must have been some relief? How did you get on? Anything interesting happen over the summer?
A.S: My summer was brilliant although the weather didnt help it. Aw the leaving cert that feels like so long ago now. It was a big relief to be finished it..I finally got my life back after all the studying:) but hey it still didnt stop me going to the beachcomber on a saturday nite after the games. And I certainly wont miss having to bring my books down on the bus when we travel to Glanmire. On a serious note I got on really well, I got what I wanted so all the hard work really paid off..usually the case. My summer was pretty interesting. Had a nice sun holiday with the girls, got burnt the first day but thats typical for me...my beautiful fair skin and blonde hair dont really go with the sun. haha. I also went to Crete for my cousin's wedding which was a lot of fun...my 1st wedding and it was a greek one. Oh and I finally got my 1st job...it's only in spar(family thing) but it's fun. So feel free to pop in and say hi. Oh and I made the Irish Senior Team.

KW: Oh wow the senior womens Irish team! Impressive, that must have been a great experience. Tell us about that, did you enjoy yourself?
A.S: Well I wasn't going to brag but since you mentioned it. Just kidding..I really am quite modest. But yeah I made the senior team this year which was a really big thing for me. I was pretty chuffed..plus I'm still quite young so it was a really big opportunity. I learnt a lot in such a short period of time and it really helped. I gained a lot more confidence playing against the more experienced players so now that when I play them in the league I'm not so intimidated anymore. Even though training was quite tough and exhausting at times, I always enjoyed myself because the girls were a lot of fun and the coaching staff were class(obviously have to say that because certain people might be reading this!! ) We played 3 games and won only one but it was an achievement in itself. We travelled to Holland and the stadium was amazing..the arena is like a shoe box compared to it. So yeah you could say I really enjoyed myself...oh and also being treated like royalty....3 course meals for lunch and dinner, roses being delivered to our rooms, living in a hotel for a week, free gear and basically anything you wanted. So how can I complain!!!

KW: Wow that does sound good alright, So now your done with all that. I believe you just started college, What course are you doing? Care to fill us in on how you find college and the adjustments you have had to make?
A.S: I just started college in DCU. I'm studying Accounting and Finance. I suppose you could say it's alright..I think I'm still getting use to the fact that I'm not in secondary school anymore and have to do everything myself. It's funny because when I tell people Im doing accounting they're like really... I'm like yes I do have blonde hair but with brains(ha)!! My course is interesting... I like the practical side of it like the maths but when it comes to theory and you have to sit in a 2 hour law lecture..now thats a killer. But it'll be worth it at the end of the day when I turn up to the games in my Bugatti or Ferrari ...haha I wish. College is soo different to what I expected. My life is so busy too, I thought I would have loads of free time. One thing that is a killer is getting up at 7 o clock for a 9 o clock start because of traffic..also the fact I gotta pick an outfit out in the morning which takes forever (I miss my uniform) ...when I have a 3 hour lunch break and I spend my time on the computer probably on bebo. But on the positive side it is really cool..I've met a lot of knew people..there's like 130 in my class, the class nights out are always great, the basketball is cool..oh but one big adjustment is definitely saying 1 2 DCU in the team huddle.

KW: Correct me if I am wrong but your still U20 this season, after the loss in the final last year, does that make you even more determined to win that title this year?
A.S: That's correct I am still U20 this year, my final year. Kinda sad and strange that I'm finally finished with underage. Well when we won it in 2006 it was the best feeling ever because it's all we wanted and we worked really hard for it and I think we showed that on the court but also when we piled on top of one another on the floor...good times!!! Then last year when we lost we were devastated. We had worked really hard but it just wasn't to be on the day and Glanmire out ran us. So this year I am really determined to win it. It's our final year so hopefully we can make it a good one. We're already through to the semi final without having played a game, a little annoying but I'm not complaining. The majority of the team is on the Super League team so we'll have had a lot of preparation by the time the game comes around. So fingers crossed!

KW: Right, now for more current information... This season, your second full season in the womens superleague, Hows it going so far? I see you just got your third win!
A.S: Well it's actually my third season but I'll let that one slip.ha. It's going good so far. We had a tough pre-season...running, running and a little more running and also some games which went quite well. We opened up the season with a defeat to Meteors and DCU at the Blitz weekend but we got a lot of positives from the games and it looked bright for us. Everyones playing really well and working hard so thats always a plus. Yeah we just won our third game..against Meteors. It was a pretty good game and we played really well as a team both offensivly and defensively so hopefully we can keep it up and get some more points on the table. We're playing U.L next in the cup too so it'll be interesting to see the outcome on Saturday.

KW: Ok I see, so you have a very young team, tell us.... what is it like playing superleague with pretty much the team you grew up with?
A.S: Our team is relatively young seeing that our oldest player is 22..sorry caitlin. Some of the other teams dont look at us as much of a threat but despite being young it's totally different when you're on the court. The team has a lot of experience being that most of the players have been on Irish teams or panels but it's also good in a way to be the under dogs. It's really cool playing with team that I grew up with because we are all so use to one another and know how each player plays so this is always a benefit on the court. It's funny too because when we were younger we used to always go and watch the superleague games but now it's us who are playing and people coming to watch us..well the few supporters that we do get. Everyone on the team are great friends like we all go to collge together,some are even in the same class, we all go out and socialise together. So ya no when your at training and its stretching time, this also means gossip time..ha!! Who knows... maybe we'll all still be here in 10 years for the 50th Killester Ball and have a couple if not more titles on our belt.

KW: What, if any, are your expectations / ambitions this season?
A.S: Expectation wise and realistically, I hope that we finish in the top 4 in the league. I think this is achieveable if we continue playing the way we have been. I hope that by the end of the year teams will have a lot more respect for us and forget that we're a "younger" team. I hope that my team mates who are playing superleague for the first time enjoy it and that they learn from experiences. As a player, I hope that my game improves and that I gain some more confidence. Underage...I hope that we win the National Cup(in style). Seeing that is it my final year for underage international teams too, I hope that I make the under 20 team and also if I can repeat the summer gone and make the Senior team again. As you can see I do have a lot of ambitionms.

KW: So Aisling, two part'er coming up, tell me... For club and country, being a woman playing basketball, have you found any restrictions on you. Do you feel you are treated fair / well?
A.S: Oh you probably shouldn't have asked me this question because I could be here for days. I'll start with club. Well in Killester I don't think there are many restrictions being a woman. Everyone is treated fairly equal..although superleague wise I dont know why the men are allowed to have 2 americans and the women only 1. Not that we need 2 or anything just stating. Also one thing that gets to me is why on cup weekend are the mens semi finals aswel as finals shown on tv, when only the women's final is shown. Also..see I can go on forever...on playoff weekend, how come the women only get to play the final in the arena?!? They're only small things but for a player it's big. Internationally, I think women are not treated equally at all. A lot more effort and funding is put into the mens basketball and this is blantly obvious when you see the mens team full of non-Irish players. This year though from being on the national team I did see equality as we got pretty much the same as the guys team. I do like the way something was done about womens basketball as in the "Year of Women's Basketball". This really did raise awareness about the womens game so I respect that they're trying to do something.

KW: Oh ok I see, So tell us, In your opinion... what are the main differences you feel between women's and men's league?
A.S: Well we all know that the men's game is a lot more physical..although I am sure that one or two of us on the womens team could take some of the guys on the mens team..ha! The men's game is a lot faster seeing that they get down the court in literally 5 steps. On the other hand the women's game is a tiny bit slower and a lot more structured. I mean when I watch the mens games I see a lot of 1 v 1 but in the womens its more team orinatated. Oh and I will be the first to admit that the womens games get a bit scrappy, that's because girls can get a bit bitchy but its all part of the game..it's entertainment. Also guys like to show off A LOT..so ya can dunk..get over it. haha

KW: So you seem happy here, have you ever felt the desire to go abroad to play basketball on scholarship?
A.S: Well to be honest it has never really occured to me to go abroad and play in college or anything. Like I have thought about it but I don't think it would suit the type of person that I am. I'm really shy..that maybe hard to believe but true and I dont think I would enjoy it. Especially not being at home, missing my friends and family and certainly my mam's food. I Know it would probably be a lot of fun but from stories I've heard..getting up at 5 in the morning for a 2 mile run..I dont think so. I like to sleep, I find a seven o clock rise difficult.

KW: Ok, now thanks for all that. Some good stuff, so now we can quicken the pace a little!
Tell me, who is your favourite person you have played with?
A.S: Mmmm thats a toughy. Id say it would be Leah Westbrooks simply because we use to have this little move thing that when ever I looked at her and nodded my head she would do a roll and Id lob the ball into her. WHEN it worked it looked really well so it use to make the two of us look good too. And the fact she's a great player. Leah if your reading this you better give me a mention too..or else!!!!!!

KW: As a player, who do you think you have learned the most from?
A.S: Well I can't really pin point one person because I've learned a lot from so many people. I learned a lot from all my Irish coaches especially Sasa this year on the Irish senior team. I learned more than a lot from John throughout the years also.

KW: Last season, there was a lot of talk about some school's win you had??? My question is, was that or what is your greatest victory as a player?
A.S: Well I think the talk was more about the fact that I was playing my friend and team mate, Shauna. Just to mention my team won. It was kind of interesting that we were both playing each other because we both knew one another's strengths and weaknesses. Needless to say it did get competitive but thats the nature of the game. Well eventhough it was my final school game and we won it, I still wouldnt say it was my greatest victory as a player. I think it would have to go back to the sprite cup final that we won. I was captain of this team so it made it a little bit more special.

KW: So you say you support Football, Liverpool I believe? Good choice but realistically that's just something you say to look cool for the lads, right?
AS: You got me in one...thats me, always looking to be cool in front of the lads...YE RIGHT. I'm just cool in general..no need to impress. haha!! But yeah I do support them.

KW: Ok Aisling, if thats true, then explain the offside trap for us?
AS: Well I'll explain it if you like..isn't that when two defense players come together to stop the offence player releasing the ball. Just kidding...of course I know what it is. It's too hard to explain in text though so maybe some other time.

KW: I don't know if you read John Behan's interview but we did a section called teammates! So I was thinking we could do something similar now...

KW: Best Trainer?
AS: I suppose I got to say Elaine Stone for this one. She always works soo hard at training..sometimes a little too hard!! I hate when she marks me because she is so strong. She puts her life on the line in matches but in training too...respect.

KW: Worst Trainer?
AS: Mmm I really dont know. I think it depends,we all have the odd day when we just couldnt be bothered and day dream during training. I suppose I could mention myself here too cause I do have a short attention span and after every water break my first question is always: "what did he say,what drill we doin now?"

KW: Best sense of style?
AS: Ooo..let me think. I'd say all of us..we're a pretty stylish team seeing that we are still young so ya no we'd no whats in and not in. I think Sarah has a nice dress sense..one minute she'll be sporty in her football,basketball,gaa gear then the next she'll be casual in her tommy hilfiger jeans..then once the night time comes you'll definately see her in her ball room gown.

KW: Worst sense of style?
AS: Think Id have to say Mark..hahaha. Like when he arrives at training in those check 3 quarter lengths.... Come on its basketball we're not playing golf.

KW: Best taste in movies?
AS: Probably say Caitlin for this one..seeing that she is american and they always know the good movies that are out. Also..the fact she probably has nothing else to do in her free time... sorry caitlin. I know you work.

KW: Worst taste in movies?
AS: Well it's got to be Shauna..I think everyone knows that she is obsessed with High School Musical. And when I say obsessed I mean it..like the girl has it down loaded on computer and has made numerous cd's for her car. Although it is a pretty good film to get you pumped up before a game in Glanmire. Always remember to
"Get your head in the game".

KW: Smartest person in the changing room?
AS: Me me me me me.....nah only kidding. I say everyone is. Everyone on our team is in college and doing well. We're all pretty much the same.

KW: Person most likely to have a "blonde" moment?
AS: Mmmm I wonder who that could be....possibly me. I will admit that I am guilty to having one or two blonde moments. But who doesn't!!

The website would like to thank Aisling for her time and wish her all the best in her future!!!