Fran Duffy
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2016 has certainly been a special year for Fran Duffy. As she enters the third year of her law degree at Manchester Metropolitan University, Fran has recently celebrated not only her twenty-first birthday, but also her Ireland international netball debut.
Much as Fran was always aware that 2016 would involve progress in her studies and a milestone birthday, her sporting success came as something of a surprise.
“My Grandfather is of Irish heritage,” explained Fran, who hails from Sheffield. “I hadn’t realised I was eligible to play, and I didn’t know Joan Young was involved as Ireland head coach—Joan had actually coached me for ten years in Yorkshire.
“My University coach, Robert McKee, told me there was an international opportunity available to me if I wanted it; and it just went from there, really. I booked a flight to Dublin for a training session and, after that, everything happened so quickly!
“That first trip over was towards the end of May; and from then I’d go back every couple of weeks before the squad for the Nations Cup was selected and then, all of a sudden, it was: ‘You have been selected to go to Singapore!’
“I was actually in France on holiday when I heard I’d been chosen, although I only had wi-fi when I got to a café. I opened an e-mail from Joan saying ‘congratulations’, I was in the squad for Singapore—it was a lovely surprise!”
Of the quartet of shooters who had played in May’s Netball Europe in Newcastle, only Christina Tuataga was able to join the party for Singapore, so Fran was entering a squad that was very much in transition.
“I hadn’t even met Fiona [Morrissey] before, because she was over in Australia,” Fran admitted. “As a squad, we probably only had four or five sessions together, as well as a couple of tournaments when Ireland came over to Leeds and Newcastle for some warm-up games.”
The lack of central funding for international netball in Ireland has been well documented, and with every member of the party which travelled to Asia having to fund the majority of their respective trip; how difficult was it for Fran, given that she was still a student?
“It’s not an ideal situation, but when I play in Sheffield we have to pay to play, so it wasn’t anything new to me really.
“I’m a netball scholar with MMU Sport at University, and I was lucky that they had a little bit of funding. I remember asking really nicely if they would be able to help out and I’m so grateful that they did. Their funding paid for the flight and I paid for the rest… well… with a bit of help from my Mum and Dad!”
The Nations Cup took place in September and offered the Ireland players the opportunity to test themselves against five other countries, all of which had a world ranking between 15 and 19, significantly higher than Ireland’s rating of 25 [which has improved to no.24 in the most recently-issued rankings]. It would be a tough schedule for the most experienced members of Joan Young’s squad, so how did it feel to be in line for a first cap at the tender age of just twenty?
“I was the youngest by quite a few years,” Fran acknowledged, “but all the girls were lovely. It was just like a family and they were just so supportive. It didn’t feel awkward and I was never bothered about going away with them or having to share a room; they were all fantastic, and it was like that right from the first training session when the famous Irish shooter Jan Hynes welcomed me into the squad!
“It’s great being able to send any of the other girls a message and they always respond—it doesn’t have to be about netball—and one of the best parts of the whole process has being able to get to know them all personally.”
Much has been said about the fantastic atmosphere generated by the young supporters in Singapore: how did Fran find the experience?
“I didn’t watch any of the videos from previous competitions, but the girls kept telling me I’d love it, and I’d have so much fun. When we arrived for the first game the crowd was massive, because we were playing the hosts in the tournament’s opening fixture. It was a bit overwhelming, but I felt so proud to walk onto the court and be part of the opening ceremony.
“I only found out I was in the starting seven about an hour before the game. We’d have a morning training session, then go back to the hotel for a debrief… to go through the game plan and set our team goals; and then Joan would announce the side.
“Before the game started, the squads were introduced to the crowd. My full name is Frances—and I hate it! But on the screen it said ‘Frances Duffy’, and I was saying: ‘Noooo! It’s Fran… it’s Fran!’
“I was so nervous. My hands were shaking and my knees were wobbling. I kept telling Fiona that I was nervous; but she just told me to smile; we’d have the National Anthem, then the game would get underway… and everything would be fine.
“And she was right. I was fine as soon as the game started.”
So, no nerves when she took that first shot…?
“I think I’ve figured out that if I catch the ball, turn and just shoot, it tends to go in; but if I stop and think too much, then I miss. I’ve got it into my head now that if I don’t think about things and don’t feel stressed, I’ll shoot well.
“I do think it’s more of a mental process. As a shooter, you can stand under the posts all day and you’ll hardly ever miss; but in match conditions it becomes a totally different ball game. I’ve got a post in my garden and I’m so used to spending ages just shooting and they virtually all go in; but then you go out onto the court and you wonder why you’re not scoring every time. You have to think there are two defenders in front of you, there’s so much pressure on you; and it’s really hard to replicate those situations when you’re training or practising by yourself….
“We were happy with our performance against Singapore; and I think the general feeling was that if we’d played Singapore later in the tournament we may well have beaten them.
“Obviously, it was a completely new combination; I’d never played with Fiona before. I actually started at goal shooter, which was a bit of a shock because I don’t see myself as a shooter; I need to run! It just took a little while to get into it then things started to flow.”
Ireland’s two victories came against Canada (ranked no.18 in the world at the time). The first was a pool game, and the teams met again in the fifth/sixth place pay-off; with Ireland emerging as comfortable winners on both occasions.
“It’s strange but in a way, it was almost disappointing to win so easily,” Fran reflected. “Sometimes I find if you play a team that’s not as good as you, your own performance levels drop slightly. For me, in the second game against Canada, my shooting was awful, and I almost felt sad to finish on that game. It would have been better if Papua New Guinea had been our last match.”
The final quarter of the clash with a Papua New Guinea side ranked ten places higher was not only one of the highlights of the tournament; it also represented arguably Ireland’s finest ever performance on the international stage.
From a position where defeat looked inevitable at three-quarter time, the ‘Girls in Green’ produced a stunning fifteen minutes of netball. Having reduced a seven-goal deficit to just one goal, there was a moment when it seemed that Ireland’s almost irresistible surge was going to result in a remarkable upset. Ultimately, one missed chance and a quick riposte from the Pacific islanders left the scoreboard reading 41-43 as the final hooter sounded; but nevertheless, it was a day to remember for Fran and all those who were involved.
“It was amazing! I can’t stop watching it! I still go on YouTube and relive those last fifteen minutes. It gives me a boost of confidence every time I watch the end of the game.
“The only thing I could hear was Fiona screaming from the bench. I knew there wasn’t much time left; and I remember thinking that when I got the ball I had to keep shooting… keep scoring…and keep the momentum going. In the end, I know we lost, but we were so happy with ourselves and so proud that we’d given everything on the court, which is all Joan ever asked of us.
“Hopefully we’d made everyone on the bench proud, as well as everyone back home.”
A very definite “yes” on both counts, I’m sure….
Away from the netball court, were there any particularly memorable moments?
“The last night was really enjoyable,” Fran smiled. “All the teams went out for dinner; and we had to do a little performance, so obviously, we got up and did an Irish jig; that was a good night.
“It was just amazing to spend so much time with the girls and be able to have fun in a country I’d never visited before. It was the longest flight I’d ever been on, so for me it was all brand new and a fantastic experience.
“It was great to meet some of the young supporters as well. A group of schoolchildren had made a ‘Go Ireland’ banner, so we had our photos taken with them. We were signing autographs, and I remember telling my boyfriend Liam that I can’t change my name from Duffy now, because people have got my signature!!”
With so much of her sporting career Fran ahead of her, what are Fran’s ambitions?
“I really want to establish myself in the Ireland squad,” came the immediate and assured response.
“I’ve had a taste now and I can’t get away from it. I miss the girls and I want to get back over to Ireland as soon as I can and start training with them, and just start preparing for the next big competition. It’s hard because I know I’ve got to keep watching what I eat, keep doing my strength and conditioning work and going to the gym because even though I’m over in England I do have a responsibility to the Irish team to make sure I’m the best I can be.
“I’ve still got to focus on my studies too. I’m going to strength and conditioning four times a week, there’s a University game every Wednesday, a regional game most Sunday, so it’s all about trying to find the right balance and making sure that I fulfil all my course and netball priorities.
“In the short-term, Ireland have actually entered a league in Northern Ireland. I’m going over in December to play for them; and then just training really. We’ve got a competition in January up in Scotland, against the Scottish Universities; and then it’ll be the Europeans in May.
“Looking further forward, I hope I can still be playing for Ireland for many many more years. I love coaching as well—I have my level 2—so if I’m not able to play for any reason, I’ll be knocking on the door saying: ‘Please can I coach!’—although I must admit I don’t like umpiring!”
These are exciting times not just for Fran, but for the whole Ireland netball squad. Performances at the Netball Europe Open and Nations Cup have shown the progress that has been made both on and off court, but now, as 2017 beckons, there are two rules to remember. Firstly, the hard work must continue if Ireland’s development is to be maintained; and secondly, never call the squad’s youngest member “Frances”.
Oh dear; rule no.2 might need a bit more practice….
© 2016 Richard Kirby and Netball Ireland
Much as Fran was always aware that 2016 would involve progress in her studies and a milestone birthday, her sporting success came as something of a surprise.
“My Grandfather is of Irish heritage,” explained Fran, who hails from Sheffield. “I hadn’t realised I was eligible to play, and I didn’t know Joan Young was involved as Ireland head coach—Joan had actually coached me for ten years in Yorkshire.
“My University coach, Robert McKee, told me there was an international opportunity available to me if I wanted it; and it just went from there, really. I booked a flight to Dublin for a training session and, after that, everything happened so quickly!
“That first trip over was towards the end of May; and from then I’d go back every couple of weeks before the squad for the Nations Cup was selected and then, all of a sudden, it was: ‘You have been selected to go to Singapore!’
“I was actually in France on holiday when I heard I’d been chosen, although I only had wi-fi when I got to a café. I opened an e-mail from Joan saying ‘congratulations’, I was in the squad for Singapore—it was a lovely surprise!”
Of the quartet of shooters who had played in May’s Netball Europe in Newcastle, only Christina Tuataga was able to join the party for Singapore, so Fran was entering a squad that was very much in transition.
“I hadn’t even met Fiona [Morrissey] before, because she was over in Australia,” Fran admitted. “As a squad, we probably only had four or five sessions together, as well as a couple of tournaments when Ireland came over to Leeds and Newcastle for some warm-up games.”
The lack of central funding for international netball in Ireland has been well documented, and with every member of the party which travelled to Asia having to fund the majority of their respective trip; how difficult was it for Fran, given that she was still a student?
“It’s not an ideal situation, but when I play in Sheffield we have to pay to play, so it wasn’t anything new to me really.
“I’m a netball scholar with MMU Sport at University, and I was lucky that they had a little bit of funding. I remember asking really nicely if they would be able to help out and I’m so grateful that they did. Their funding paid for the flight and I paid for the rest… well… with a bit of help from my Mum and Dad!”
The Nations Cup took place in September and offered the Ireland players the opportunity to test themselves against five other countries, all of which had a world ranking between 15 and 19, significantly higher than Ireland’s rating of 25 [which has improved to no.24 in the most recently-issued rankings]. It would be a tough schedule for the most experienced members of Joan Young’s squad, so how did it feel to be in line for a first cap at the tender age of just twenty?
“I was the youngest by quite a few years,” Fran acknowledged, “but all the girls were lovely. It was just like a family and they were just so supportive. It didn’t feel awkward and I was never bothered about going away with them or having to share a room; they were all fantastic, and it was like that right from the first training session when the famous Irish shooter Jan Hynes welcomed me into the squad!
“It’s great being able to send any of the other girls a message and they always respond—it doesn’t have to be about netball—and one of the best parts of the whole process has being able to get to know them all personally.”
Much has been said about the fantastic atmosphere generated by the young supporters in Singapore: how did Fran find the experience?
“I didn’t watch any of the videos from previous competitions, but the girls kept telling me I’d love it, and I’d have so much fun. When we arrived for the first game the crowd was massive, because we were playing the hosts in the tournament’s opening fixture. It was a bit overwhelming, but I felt so proud to walk onto the court and be part of the opening ceremony.
“I only found out I was in the starting seven about an hour before the game. We’d have a morning training session, then go back to the hotel for a debrief… to go through the game plan and set our team goals; and then Joan would announce the side.
“Before the game started, the squads were introduced to the crowd. My full name is Frances—and I hate it! But on the screen it said ‘Frances Duffy’, and I was saying: ‘Noooo! It’s Fran… it’s Fran!’
“I was so nervous. My hands were shaking and my knees were wobbling. I kept telling Fiona that I was nervous; but she just told me to smile; we’d have the National Anthem, then the game would get underway… and everything would be fine.
“And she was right. I was fine as soon as the game started.”
So, no nerves when she took that first shot…?
“I think I’ve figured out that if I catch the ball, turn and just shoot, it tends to go in; but if I stop and think too much, then I miss. I’ve got it into my head now that if I don’t think about things and don’t feel stressed, I’ll shoot well.
“I do think it’s more of a mental process. As a shooter, you can stand under the posts all day and you’ll hardly ever miss; but in match conditions it becomes a totally different ball game. I’ve got a post in my garden and I’m so used to spending ages just shooting and they virtually all go in; but then you go out onto the court and you wonder why you’re not scoring every time. You have to think there are two defenders in front of you, there’s so much pressure on you; and it’s really hard to replicate those situations when you’re training or practising by yourself….
“We were happy with our performance against Singapore; and I think the general feeling was that if we’d played Singapore later in the tournament we may well have beaten them.
“Obviously, it was a completely new combination; I’d never played with Fiona before. I actually started at goal shooter, which was a bit of a shock because I don’t see myself as a shooter; I need to run! It just took a little while to get into it then things started to flow.”
Ireland’s two victories came against Canada (ranked no.18 in the world at the time). The first was a pool game, and the teams met again in the fifth/sixth place pay-off; with Ireland emerging as comfortable winners on both occasions.
“It’s strange but in a way, it was almost disappointing to win so easily,” Fran reflected. “Sometimes I find if you play a team that’s not as good as you, your own performance levels drop slightly. For me, in the second game against Canada, my shooting was awful, and I almost felt sad to finish on that game. It would have been better if Papua New Guinea had been our last match.”
The final quarter of the clash with a Papua New Guinea side ranked ten places higher was not only one of the highlights of the tournament; it also represented arguably Ireland’s finest ever performance on the international stage.
From a position where defeat looked inevitable at three-quarter time, the ‘Girls in Green’ produced a stunning fifteen minutes of netball. Having reduced a seven-goal deficit to just one goal, there was a moment when it seemed that Ireland’s almost irresistible surge was going to result in a remarkable upset. Ultimately, one missed chance and a quick riposte from the Pacific islanders left the scoreboard reading 41-43 as the final hooter sounded; but nevertheless, it was a day to remember for Fran and all those who were involved.
“It was amazing! I can’t stop watching it! I still go on YouTube and relive those last fifteen minutes. It gives me a boost of confidence every time I watch the end of the game.
“The only thing I could hear was Fiona screaming from the bench. I knew there wasn’t much time left; and I remember thinking that when I got the ball I had to keep shooting… keep scoring…and keep the momentum going. In the end, I know we lost, but we were so happy with ourselves and so proud that we’d given everything on the court, which is all Joan ever asked of us.
“Hopefully we’d made everyone on the bench proud, as well as everyone back home.”
A very definite “yes” on both counts, I’m sure….
Away from the netball court, were there any particularly memorable moments?
“The last night was really enjoyable,” Fran smiled. “All the teams went out for dinner; and we had to do a little performance, so obviously, we got up and did an Irish jig; that was a good night.
“It was just amazing to spend so much time with the girls and be able to have fun in a country I’d never visited before. It was the longest flight I’d ever been on, so for me it was all brand new and a fantastic experience.
“It was great to meet some of the young supporters as well. A group of schoolchildren had made a ‘Go Ireland’ banner, so we had our photos taken with them. We were signing autographs, and I remember telling my boyfriend Liam that I can’t change my name from Duffy now, because people have got my signature!!”
With so much of her sporting career Fran ahead of her, what are Fran’s ambitions?
“I really want to establish myself in the Ireland squad,” came the immediate and assured response.
“I’ve had a taste now and I can’t get away from it. I miss the girls and I want to get back over to Ireland as soon as I can and start training with them, and just start preparing for the next big competition. It’s hard because I know I’ve got to keep watching what I eat, keep doing my strength and conditioning work and going to the gym because even though I’m over in England I do have a responsibility to the Irish team to make sure I’m the best I can be.
“I’ve still got to focus on my studies too. I’m going to strength and conditioning four times a week, there’s a University game every Wednesday, a regional game most Sunday, so it’s all about trying to find the right balance and making sure that I fulfil all my course and netball priorities.
“In the short-term, Ireland have actually entered a league in Northern Ireland. I’m going over in December to play for them; and then just training really. We’ve got a competition in January up in Scotland, against the Scottish Universities; and then it’ll be the Europeans in May.
“Looking further forward, I hope I can still be playing for Ireland for many many more years. I love coaching as well—I have my level 2—so if I’m not able to play for any reason, I’ll be knocking on the door saying: ‘Please can I coach!’—although I must admit I don’t like umpiring!”
These are exciting times not just for Fran, but for the whole Ireland netball squad. Performances at the Netball Europe Open and Nations Cup have shown the progress that has been made both on and off court, but now, as 2017 beckons, there are two rules to remember. Firstly, the hard work must continue if Ireland’s development is to be maintained; and secondly, never call the squad’s youngest member “Frances”.
Oh dear; rule no.2 might need a bit more practice….
© 2016 Richard Kirby and Netball Ireland