Dundalk girl Ciara Whyte secures soccer scholarship in New York
The 19-year-old will make the move stateside to Hofstra University on Long Island
Local footballer, Ciara Whyte, is preparing for the biggest move of her career after being awarded a full soccer scholarship to Hofstra University in Long Island, New York.
The 19-year-old midfielder will combine her football ambitions with her studies when she moves to the United States later this year.
It is another major milestone for the Dundalk native, whose football journey has taken her from Bellurgan United boys to Dundalk FC, Shamrock Rovers and into the international underage set-up.
Speaking to the Dundalk Democrat about her sporting background, Whyte said football was always destined to become her passion.
She said, “I always grew up as the sporty type, always had a ball at my foot and wanted to be on every team possible, whether it was tennis, rugby, anything.
“Football was the one really that always stood out to me; I suppose football is a big thing in my family with my dad and my uncle's really big interest.
“I was brought over to Bellurgan Boys for a couple of years, and I feel I really progressed there as a player physically because it was with the boys.
“It was a new challenge, and then I was asked up to Dundalk and played a few years there; I think it was five seasons.
“That was a really good experience; lots of my friends were up there so I said I would go up and try it and I feel that was really where I developed as a player and a person.
“Then I had to make the decision to leave or stay, and I weighed up the pros and cons, and at that time Dundalk didn’t have the pathway to women’s senior football, and I thought this was the best decision for me at the time to take the next step to move to (Shamrock) Rovers.
“Since moving to Rovers, it has really given me a platform, as with Dundalk, but just with the extra push with the pathway to senior football in Rovers, and I was in and out of the first team training basically full time.
“I really enjoyed my Rovers experience; I wasn't as involved this year as much, but that is football – there is a lot of ups and downs and changes in managers."
Scholarship opportunity
Whyte will attend Hofstra University, located in Long Island, New York City, where she will study to become a PE teacher.
“I’ll be going to Hofstra University in Long Island. It is 30 minutes from New York.
I’ll be studying PE teaching with a minor course of anything between Spanish, psychology, music, and thankful I don’t have to pick the minor course yet because it is a very big decision to make.”
The opportunity came after she put together a highlights video earlier this year, not expecting it would lead to a life-changing offer.
“Back in February I created a seven- or eight-minute-long video just putting my clips together. Dad was on to me, my mam was on to me just to get this sorted so you’ll have it in your back pocket just to show if anyone ever wanted it.
“Then the next thing, Dad had sent it around to a couple of his friends. I had sent it to my friends and asked for some feedback, what they would change or what they would keep.
“The next thing I got an email in March time from Gerry Lucey, the assistant coach in Hofstra University, awarding me the full scholarship, and I was blown away.
“I was totally not expecting it to get as far as it did. I created the video not thinking anything of it. America was never really on my mind, but it was at the same time. I always thought about it but never considered it until this email.
“I was just blown away at how far things can get, like he was in America. I was here, and I was just like wow.”
Love for the game
Football has been part of Whyte's life from an early age, and one particular trip with her father confirmed it was the sport she wanted to pursue.
“I suppose from a young age I really did fall in love with football, not just playing but watching it as well. I remember in 2016 me and my dad went to the Euros in France and that was an amazing experience and I just knew from then I was like this is my thing.
“And I was probably the only Irish child there at the time, and it was just surreal. Looking back, I am so grateful, and I was such a lucky young girl to be able to experience the Euros.”
Whyte's football journey has taken her through several clubs and representative teams, helping her develop into the player she is today.
“I started off with the Bellurgan boys; that was my first team, so I want to say I was young enough. I can’t really remember what age I was; I would say maybe 9 to 12.
“Then I moved up to Dundalk from then on, probably from 14 to 19 and then throughout that time I was with the emerging talent programme down in the AUL as well as the Metropolitan Girls League, which we won the Gaynor Cup in down in UL in Limerick.
“Then I went on to be involved in international training matches from 16 to 19 and was on standby for the European Championships in France. I then went on to play with (Shamrock) Rovers U19 and U23s and was in and out of their senior team.”
New York chapter
Looking ahead to her move across the Atlantic, Whyte is excited by both the footballing and personal opportunities that lie ahead.
“I would say what excites me the most about moving to New York is that it has given me the opportunity to be able to challenge myself in a new environment.
“At a new level, different types of players, a new style of play and moving to New York has given me the chance again to be able to develop as a person and a player.
“I am really looking forward to being able to meet new people and make the most of every opportunity that I am given.”
She knows there will be challenges too, but views them as opportunities to improve both on and off the pitch.
“I suppose the biggest challenge overall will be being away from my family and friends for the first time for so long, but I also see this as a really good opportunity to grow.
“Then, football-focused, I would say the biggest challenge would be adapting to a new style of play and competing with high-standard players.
“But I would take that challenge as a good thing, a good challenge being up against really good physically and technically good players. I am really looking forward to the new challenges.”
Education priority
While football has opened the door to the United States, Whyte is equally determined to make the most of the educational opportunities that come with the scholarship.
“My education is just as important as football. I am a determined person, so working hard on and off the pitch is a really big thing to me. I know that having an education will give me more opportunities beyond football as well.”
As she prepares to begin an exciting new chapter, the talented teenager hopes the scholarship will provide the platform to achieve her ambitions, both on the pitch and in her future career.
“I hope that my scholarship opens as many doors for me as possible, whether that is progressing into the professional game or building a successful career through my PE teaching.
“Either way, I want to challenge myself as much as I can and be really ambitious for the future.”