Meet the Player

Welcome to the first ‘Meet the Player’ blog post. In this monthly series, you will be introduced to the players of Nijmegen GFC. Get to know the faces behind Nijmegen GFC, the successes and great craic. Every player at Nijmegen GFC has their own story, we all have different nationalities, different ages and different connections to Gaelic football and Ireland; Every member is a valuable and unique contribution to Nijmegen GFC. So, let’s start putting some stories to the jerseys.

In this first edition of ‘Meet the Player’, we will introduce 'Kati', our long-serving and much-appreciated trust person, social committee member, and trainer. Kati grew up in Cologne, Germany, and came to Nijmegen to study psychology at Radboud University. After a long career of playing rugby, Kati joined Nijmegen GFC three years ago and has since then been a strong back in our ladies' team. We know Kati as a highly motivated, competitive, and engaged member of our team, who is also always up for some fun times; we are guessing that might also be the reason why she joined the social committee.

We asked Kati to introduce herself and asked her a few questions to learn more about her background, interests, and what motivates her.

Introduction by Kati: 

I originally came to Nijmegen to study psychology… and eventually found home. These days, I work as a health care psychologist with children and adolescents.  

Sport has always been an important part of my life. After more than 10 years of playing rugby, I felt it was time for a new challenge. The inspiration came from a slightly unexpected place: the women’s bathroom at Tierney’s Irish Pub. A poster on the wall caught my eye, and a few days later I showed up at my first GAA training. Three years on, I’m still happily involved with the club: as player, committee member, trust person and sometimes I try myself as trainer.  

But if you ask me what I enjoy most, it’s definitely the weekends away. Travelling to tournaments, giving it our all on the pitch, celebrating afterwards, and ending the night with a giant team sleepover. It’s incredibly fun and I am glad to be part of this community! 

Q&A Section

How old are you?

27 years

How long have you been playing Gaelic football?

3 years :)

Where are you from (country and city/region)?

Cologne, Germany

What position do you usually play: goal, back, midfield, or forward? 

Usually a back, but I also like playing midfield

What’s your favourite post-game snack? 

Fries and a beer! 

What’s always in your sports bag? 

tape and a lollipop