Dundalk IT student's late journey to division one volleyball

Dundalk IT student Cian Choy has demonstrated how it is possible to go from total novice, to division one athlete in just a few short years.

24 year-old Cian Choy, from Carrickmacross, is in his third year studying Sports, Exercise and Business at DkIT.

A volleyball sports scholar, Cian is currently team captain and club president, and is responsible for the overall running of the volleyball club, including events and training sessions and arranging fun taster sessions and beginner tournaments.

Despite only taking up the sport during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cian is now playing Division 1 volleyball with Carrick Crows Volleyball Club. 

“I started playing with some other kids I grew up with and it ended up turning into a regular session.”

“The equipment we were using was awful. Flat shoes, a terrible setup and we even played in the rain,” he said. 

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Cian credits his diverse sporting background for his quick development. 

“I transitioned from sport to sport.  I played basketball for nearly 10 years, then a bit of badminton whenever I was overseas in China, and then every other sport going. GAA, soccer whatever anyone was playing. When you learn small things from each sport and you take it on into the next one, all those techniques led me to volleyball," he said. 

Cian trains with his club with his club on Saturdays while completing three-hour training sessions in college twice a week. 

“In addition to training commitments and running the clubs, we get involved in some of the big events like the annual 10km race. We get so much help with managing the clubs and the DkIT team are there to help you figure out any issues,” he said. 

Cian said the experience of coaching was challenging but rewarding. 

“Leading children for the first time was a big responsibility. There are rules to follow, so you have to do it by the book, but you also have to be ready to react. If something doesn’t work out, you need to figure out what to do next on the spot,” he said. 

DkIT offers sports scholarships to athletes performing at an elite level, with more than 90 scholars currently supported. Scholars benefit from reduced tuition fees, ongoing physiotherapy, strength and conditioning programmes, DkIT sports apparel, and full access to the  DkIT Sport gym.