Juliet Murphy: ‘Sport is more than just competitions..it empowers us to push boundaries’

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak at The Echo Women in Sport Awards. It focused me, in essence, to think back to my time playing and the journey from when I first received the award almost 20 years ago.

Reflecting on my journey, it is hard to believe how quickly time es. One moment, you are chasing dreams, and the next, you are reminiscing about the chase.

Like many of the athletes present, my journey began at home. I lived on a farm. And in the yard there were red steel pillars that provided the perfect goalposts, albeit generously wide at one end, and two concrete blocks at the opposite end with fencing stakes wedged into each of them.

My poor grandfather, who often retired to the shed for a quiet smoke, was deafened with the ball lashing against the corrugated iron.

Luckily, cousins were plentiful in those days and the games seemed endless, we often played long into the night with the light from our house guiding us- what glorious fun.

Those games often spilled over to the school playground, and while there wasn’t any competition for girls in the early ’90s, our heaster ensured that those of us who were interested enough got a chance to play.

In 1991, President Mary Robinson arrived to the small country village of Donoughmore to open our sports complex and before long basketball became a new sport for so many young girls.

School played a vital role, with teachers ensuring that opportunities were available to those willing to try. Dedicated coaches instilled a love for the game and pushed us to grow beyond our limits.

Sport has taught me resilience. The path was often difficult, with intense training and sacrifices. Playing international basketball in the mid-’90s, there was little or no funding.

We spent our training weekends in sleeping bags in the squash court of sports halls all around the country. All 25 of us piled in, desperate for sleep and dozing off to the now long-forgotten sound of Sony Walkmans being fast forwarded to the next song.

I got the opportunity to travel all around the world, and for a girl whose summer holidays had consisted of two nights in a B&B in Galway, I can assure you it was stuff of dreams. We played in , , Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, Philadelphia and Russia. It was through these experiences that I built strength and perseverance. Success was hard-earned, but the lessons learned were invaluable.

However, setbacks are an inevitable part of any journey. I experienced self-doubt and loss, which deeply affected my confidence. I felt I needed to do more to succeed in every aspect of my life.

My training took on a relentless, almost obsessive quality. Every missed chance, every mistake fuelled an internal negative voice pushing me to stay longer, run faster, and practice harder. Doubt became both my greatest burden and my fiercest motivator. Over time, I learned how to manage that inner self-critic by acknowledging and recognising it.

Instead of letting it control my thoughts, I began challenging negative self-talk with rational thinking and self-comion. I practiced reframing my inner dialogue, shifting from criticism to constructive , and sometimes humour played an invaluable part. My family was always helpful in the latter department!

When I look back on my career, it is people that I most, and not the accolades. People like my mum and dad, and the choices they made to keep me involved in sport, shaped so much of who I am today.

The countless hours driving me up and down the county - and even across the country. The basketball boots, the football boots, and every bit of trendy gear I managed to haggle out of them. In recent years, I’ve thanked them for all of it. I’ve told them what it meant just to know they were always there.

People like our coaches - the ones who ignite a fire in us - that light continues to burn long after they are gone. They are the ones who believe in us before we even believe in ourselves, the ones who give us that first nod of recognition, setting us on a path we never imagined possible.

People like our teammates. A wonderful, eclectic mix of people I have met through sport. The wonderful connections. It is those people that when you meet you fall into recalling old stories, old songs and buckets of memories.

Sports are more than just competition; they are platforms for growth, community, and opportunity. They empower us to push boundaries and achieve what we never thought possible. It is vital to continue ing women in sport, from grassroots to elite levels.

While progress has been made, there is still work to do. Retaining female players, coaches, and officials is crucial to ensure women feel valued and encouraged to stay involved. When girls see women succeeding in sport, it reshapes their aspirations and shows them they belong.

The media plays a significant role in shaping perceptions, and their of women’s sport is essential for continued progress. Coverage celebrates talent and inspires future generations.

Equally important is the women give each other. By championing one another, challenging outdated norms, and advocating for inclusion, we create an environment where women’s sport thrives.

For International Women’s Day, I urge us to consider the balance within our homes. Do we give enough conversation time to women’s sport? Is women’s sport aired in our sitting rooms? It begins with awareness and the more we draw attention to the small things, the big things will take care of themselves!