When asked about her proudest volleyball moment, Ciara’s response was ” being picked to be apart of the Irish Senior Womens volleyball team.. and being one of the youngest players on the team. I’m so proud to be playing a minority sport like volleyball in Ireland at the highest/most competitive level and just being proud of how volleyball is evolving and progressing in Ireland and how I am apart of that progression”. Her favourite thing about competing is “the confidence transformation I experience when I step on court. Competing is when I feel most comfortable/natural and where I am my most authentic self. I might feel like I am lacking in other areas of my life but when I step onto that court that all disappears and I find that my main focus is playing for the girls around me and the sport I love – nothing else matters” and Ciara’s biggest volleyball role model is Victoria Garrick. Like many athletes, Ciara does have a pre-game ritual which she tells us consists of “5 minutes for some mental preparation before the physical warm up. This involves imagining each task (volley, dig, hit, retrieve, receiving service, etc ) with a positive outcome each time. I run through my best performances in my head and strive to recreate this in the game. I also make a mental shift in my head and put any outside stress/ anxieties in an imaginary box and throw it away until after the game, essentially focusing only on things related to the match and volleyball. I find positive imagery really enhances my game”. Favourite Quote: She believed she could, so she did