Sport Scholarships

My Name is Erasmuns Adjei, I’m currently studying Business Management and Entrepreneurship. I am a player for the IADT football team for the last two years and now playing professionally at Newry City FC in Nothern Ireland.

I signed my first professional contract in January and this is only the start of my career. Last year I won young player of the year for the IADT football team and I am a prospect to be captain next season.

Football is honestly my purpose for life, I breath football as it is all I desire to do. When I play or touch a ball I feel free and at peace.

My name is Jonathan Masueme. I am studying for a Bachelors in Business + Entrepreneurship and am in year two. I am currently an under 19 player for Dundalk FC.

I think that playing football you have to live a very disciplined life. You can’t eat what you want or drink what you want. So just by playing football has made me very disciplined in life.

In football I have reached two all-Ireland finals when I was 15 and 17 years of age, winning one aged 17. I have also met new friends for life just by playing the sport. I have also contributed to the IADT football team this year, playing in defence and reaching a quarter final and semi-final this year.

My name is John, a 4th year student studying Animation in IADT. I’ve been playing volleyball for about 2 years now. Since I started playing volleyball in 2020 after lockdown, I instantly fell in love with the sport. My friends and I took initiative to set up a volleyball club called ‘Carrick Crows’ in our local town which allowed us to compete in the national league. I am currently playing as setter in the Division 2 Men’s League.

My key achievements in volleyball is getting 2nd place in Division 2 last season, took 2nd runner in the Filipino league and getting into the quarterfinals in a mixed 4v4 beach and park tournaments.

Volleyball has heavily impacted my life, as it gave me a sport I enjoy with friends which keeps me in shape and it destresses me from college work.

My name is Seán Kelly, I’m 22, I’m from Offaly and I’m currently in my final year of the BA (Hons) Photography degree in IADT.

I have been practising Kickboxing since I was 10 years old. I spent all of my teenage years grading up the rank of Brown Belt (the belt before black) and competing on the Irish and international competition circuit, primarily in the WAKO disciplines (WAKO recently received full Olympic recognition and could be in the Olympic Games in future).

I have won several national titles and even world titles in the WOMAA organisation. While these titles are important, the martial art itself is more important to me. Without kickboxing, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

It gave me confidence, discipline and courage that have helped me in every aspect of my life and it has formed me into the person I am. And without kickboxing, I wouldn’t have discovered my love and passion for photography and I probably wouldn’t have come to IADT.

I discovered photography at kickboxing tournaments and used it as a way to kill time on long tournament days. I eventually built up a name as a kickboxing photographer at the age of around 17 or 18. I got to shoot events up to the very highest level, such as the WAKO World Kickboxing Championships in Jesolo, Venice, Italy in 2018, which I was also competing in and finished as a quarter finalist.

IADT MARSOC has been a very enjoyable part of my college experience and it has allowed me to make friends for life.

I am an Animation student at IADT who thinks it is important to have a balance between art and sports.

I am playing for Loreto Hockey club in the second highest division and am also attending basketball training with the D1 Tempelogue Ladies basketball team, as a former International player.

Hockey in particular has helped me a lot growing up as I had a space to get my energy out and mature with a team of other supportive girls. In school I was on the team that won the Irish Senior Cup as well as the Leinster Cup.

I don’t think I realised how big of an impact sport had on me until Covid, when team sports stopped. I really struggled and became very unmotivated in all my life. Before Covid, I was an avid runner and tennis player also, competing in the all Irelands for Hurdles and Steeple Chase.

Hockey has given me a good sense of structure, dedication and teamwork, all skills which I have been able to use in my day to day life. I also think it is sad that over 50% of girls drop sport in college and I believe it is due to lack of role models. That’s why the Irish Women’s Hockey team is such an important thing for me, as they placed second in the World Cup, as well as competing in the Olympics. In college, I try to stay involved in sports, being an avid member of the Bouldering Society and competing in Manchester with Martial Arts Society in 2022.

I am currently a 4th year Photography student. I have been doing ITF Taekwon-do for 15 years and am currently a second degree blackbelt. I am an instructor and an athlete, having been competing for almost a decade. I am also an internationally qualified umpire and centre referee along with being a qualified instructor.

I am the chief instructor of IADT MARSOC, which has evolved from a club and society to a government registered club. Some of my key achievements include, 3 gold from the ITFHQ 4 Nations Team Competition, fought in several world championships and European championships placing on podium positions at all events. I am on the Irish National Team and I have also been appointed the director and head coach of the Irish Varsity National Team – the IUTL.

Sport has contributed to my life immensely as it is responsible for my perseverance, integrity, self control and my attitude to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, challenging myself, all skills which translate to my day to day life.

My name is Oisín O’Sullivan, I’m a twenty year old student in my third year of the 3D Design, Modelmaking & Digital Art course at IADT, and have been training and competing in Taekwondo for over 12 years. I grew up in Arklow, Co. Wicklow and had an interest in sports from a young age, and tried all sorts of sports like football and hurling but never really stuck with anything. In 2011, when I was 8 – my brother’s friend was in a Karate class and I remember thinking how cool that was – and after we managed to convince our parents, along with my brother we joined the Leinster Taekwondo school and started training under coaches Tom Thornton and Caroline O’Sullivan. Immediately I loved the sport and trained up to 3 times a week. I competed at every competition taking place, and would place in the medals very frequently.

In late 2015 I was chosen to be on the Irish Squad for my first international competition – the T.K.D.I World Championships taking place in July 2016, but unfortunately I broke my foot in January. I overcame the injury just in time to train again and compete. Unfortunately again I broke my arm while leading my fight in the competition. None of these injuries shook me and I was back to training as soon as I could. In 2017 I competed in the British Championships, and placed 3rd for sparring. In 2018 I was chosen to compete in the TKDI World Championships again – I took on extra training to prepare and placed 3rd in sparring and 2nd for tag-team sparring.

I’ve competed in 2 All-Ireland Championships, placing in the medals in both – and won gold in the finals of the Leinster Championships after competing against my younger brother in the final.

In 2019, I graded for my 1st Dan Black Belt, and was graded by Grand Master David Oliver – I graded top of my class and was awarded Student of the Grading. While some see black belt as the end – it’s just the beginning of my journey.

When I started college at IADT I saw they had a Martial Arts Society. When societies could start up again after Covid measures were eased I joined straight away and was as active as I could be. I became treasurer and an assistant instructor in 2022, after I had the opportunity to complete an International Instructor’s course thanks to MARSOC. I represented the club and IADT at the BUTL Student World Championships where I narrowly missed out to a medal, and attended a BUTL conference with MARSOC. Thanks to this I’ve represented IADT and MARSOC internationally multiple times.

Taekwondo has been there for me no matter what I’ve been going through, and has taught me huge amounts of discipline, confidence, willpower & respect. I have made so many lifelong friends over the years. The person I have become can be credited to this amazing sport and my coaches Tom & Caroline.

I am a 4^th year Business Management & Entrepreneurship Student. I have been involved in sport all my life including athletics, hurling, football, Gaelic football, and badminton. Hurling has been my number one sport for the past few years and my greatest achievement has been representing Wicklow on the Senior County Hurling Team.

In 1^st year of college, I joined the IADT football team. This was a fantastic opportunity to meet new friends, represent the college and get involved in the social side of college life. That year I received an award for ‘Most Improved Player’. Fast forward to 4^th year and I am the captain of the football team, organising all the necessary administration, transport, and expenses of the team. This role has allowed me to improve my leadership skills while competing at a high level in the FAI college league and cup where we reached the cup semi-final. This year I received ‘Club Man of the Year’ and a Sports Scholarship for my dedication and commitment to Sport in IADT.

I would encourage any student in IADT, or any college, to get involved in sport in any shape or form. If the team doesn’t exist, the framework is there for you to establish your own club or society for your desired sport, with funding provided from the Students Union. It is a brilliant way to embrace college life, enjoy the social element and compete at a high level for your college. Sport in IADT has enhanced my experience at the college and gifted me a network of friends and contacts who I will stay connected with throughout my career. It’s more than sport at IADT, it’s a community!

My name is Michael Lambert, an IADT student, captain of IADT Surf Club studying Business in IADT’s DL823 course. I am an experienced surfer and I compete.

I am competing for a couple of years now. Recently on the 4/5th of March 2023 I competed in the National Surf Inter Varsity competition in Bundoran, the first year it had run since the pandemic. Unfortunately, I had been out of training before the competition due to an accident, my first heat in the competition being my first surf in a month. Previously in 2022 I placed 4th overall in the Mens Advanced shortboard competition which was an achievement for me.

My achievements outside of competitions are personal achievements, milestones such as getting barrelled for the first time on my birthday in 2019 and surfing bigger waves every winter season especially winter 2021/2022.

Surfing is my favourite thing to do, I pack my equipment in my car, sometimes with other surfers and head West before day breaks. Our wet and windy winter weather brings challenge but the reward of flying up and down the face of a large fast wave makes the journey all worth it
Surfing is an extremely difficult sport and takes time to become good at. Considering the time and money, physical and emotional investment I made in getting to where I want to be in the sport today, it was all worth it.
Surfing has also contributed to my life through IADT surf club. I revived the club in 2021 as I believe in sharing the sport with my fellow students.
Running IADT surf is challenging. I have sacrificed a lot of time/effort in sharing the positive experience. My equipment, transport, time, teaching knowledge have been the life support of IADT surf for the past few years. However it has contributed positively to my life in ways I never thought. Seeing students engage and benefit from the club constitutes as a positive in my life.

One student that joined the club and took up on all of the trips I offered since I started organising them in 2021 won 2nd place in her category in the intervarsity competition this weekend. Watching her put the effort as a beginner in 2021 and keeping with it since the beginning of IADT surf, winning a medal in the inter varsity competition was a rewarding experience for her, and indirectly for me.

She braved the early mornings, cold weather, long journeys. She never complained about how difficult surfing is and always tried her hardest. Being involved in her journey from beginning to her result in the varsities has been one of the best experiences of my life. She stands out as most dedicated and the highest achiever, but is not the only surf club student I have guided in their surfing journey, many becoming confident, competent surfers. The sport has spread in IADT, there now exists a surf community within iadt, forming friendships and creating an positive outlet for any student who wishes to partake.

I’m currently studying Business Management and I am in my final year. I am currently competing in rugby at AIL (all Ireland league) level and in summer international touch rugby, if all goes well.

I have played many sports such as hockey, sailing and athletics however my main sports are rugby, touch rugby and golf. We are currently in the cup final for AIL rugby and last year we won the cup. Sport is my whole life and always will be. It’s like a second family and I love playing every second.