'It’s beautiful, it’s quiet, and everybody’s so kind'

Basketball

Virginia Show Centre was a busy spot when the Anglo-Celt visited on a Tuesday evening a couple of weeks back. As the photographer lined up his shots outside, indoors, an underage team was training and the women’s Super League squad were arriving in the door ahead of their own session. There was a buzz in the air - and, in the opinion of the Americans, a chill, too.

It wasn’t a particularly cold evening by Irish standards but Mazlatan ‘Mazzie’ Harris and Soleil Barnes, McEvoy’s Cavan Eagles’ new recruits from the Division 1 collegiate scene in the States, were shivering. It’s fair to say that while they have settled in nicely in Virginia and into the Super League, the climate, particularly for San Diego native Harris, has taken a bit of getting used to.

“I love it here. The people are nice, and just getting around and settling in has been very easy. The only thing is the weather,” Harris laughed.

“It’s not terrible, but just… it’s pretty cold right now! I’m from Southern California, so there’s like no cold, no rain, nothing. It’s just sun.”

It’s a long way from palm trees to the shores of Lough Ramor but basketball has taken both players on this journey and they have embraced it.

“I’m with a host family, it’s beautiful, I love it,” Harris said.

“And my teammates, I love them. The energy is always high, like, there’s not a dull moment. I’m always saying my cheekbones hurt because I’m just smiling all the time.”

Barnes, meanwhile, grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, before finishing high school in Detroit, Michigan.

“So I just tell everybody I’m from Michigan,” she said. “And yeah, the weather – I should be used to it, but I’m not! I love it though. It’s so beautiful and quiet where I’m at now. I kind of like the quietness. The people are extremely nice, and everybody’s just been so welcoming. It hasn’t been hard to adjust here.”

Both players have been immersed in the small-town rhythm of life in Cavan, from the weekly training sessions and games to coaching camps with local kids.

“Right now we’re doing a Halloween camp,” said Harris.

“Before that, we were at a primary school. From my American view, we were PE coaches just teaching them basketball, and it was super fun.”

Barnes has found joy in those same interactions.

“I love hearing the kids cheer, especially the ones we coach,” she said.

“I love when they come to the games and actually know what they’re cheering for. After the games, they’ll say ‘Soleil, you shot that three! Can you teach me how to shoot the three?’ I love stuff like that – being a role model and showing them that they can do this too.”

Their paths to this point have been interesting. Harris had just finished college at UC Davis, playing Division 1 basketball against some of the top teams in the United States.

“The pace was quick. The girls were good. Playing against them was high-level competition,” she said.

“After college, I had a coach who was friends with an agent. She hooked me up and said, ‘There’s a team in Ireland that’s really interested in you.’ And I said, I’m down for whatever – just to see wherever in the world.”

Barnes, who starred at Bradley University, described her journey as a long-term dream fulfilled.

“I got into the game by watching my brother play,” she said.

“I had come to one of his practices, and I was just like, I think I want to play basketball. My dad wasn’t for it at first, but once he saw I was serious, he allowed me to fully blossom into the sport. So I’ve been playing since the age of six. My last year at college was really good, and I had coaches who believed in me. So this is me now, living out my dream as that little girl who always wanted this.”

Both Americans have slotted in well into a tight-knit Eagles set-up. The team went unbeaten last season – a nigh-on-impossible feat in basketball – but have lost a couple of important players, notably home-grown stars Emma Tolan, who is on a scholarship in Oklahoma, and Casey Mulvey.

Both players have taken time to adjust to the physicality, too.

“I haven’t played centre in a long time, since like fifth grade,” Harris said.

“But getting used to the inside game has been fun. It’s physical, but I’m still having fun out there. I’m used to the pace, but after every game, I’m just hurting. Still, I bounce back every week.”

Barnes agreed.

“The games here aren’t too different from college, but they’re definitely more physical,” she said.

“A lot of the refs let stuff go, and it builds character. It makes you tougher. You see how much you’re willing to do for your teammates to win. The girls are really good, and I enjoy the league. Anybody can beat anybody on any given day, and we’re beginning to believe that we can make something happen too.”

For Barnes, the sense of community in Virginia has stood out. “Detroit is a lot louder, a lot more people too,” she said.

“But there are tons of girls in Detroit who are aspiring to be basketball players. The people there are nice too, but what’s special here is that everybody knows everybody. It’s a real community.”

Harris agreed, adding that the small-town connection reminded her of how sport binds people together. “It’s crazy,” she said. “My grandma’s co-worker actually lives in Cavan, and I went to go see her a couple of days ago. She picked me up and took me into the main town. You really see how everyone’s connected.”

Inside the gym, the Americans’ contrasting personalities complement each other. Harris describes herself as a “joyful player,” easygoing even in the heat of the game.

“It’s funny because the kids are always telling me after games that I’m so nonchalant,” she said.

“If I make a basket or not, I’m just chill. I’d say I’m always smiling, always having fun.”

Barnes is smaller in stature but asked if she believes she is one of the best players in the country, without hesitation, she answers in the affirmative.

“Definitely, I have confidence that I can compete with anybody on any given day,” she said.

“I believe, humbly, that I’m the best player in the gym. You’ve got to have that confidence. You work too hard to come this far and not show what you can do.”

Despite their talent, neither views herself as a superstar. Both emphasise the collective over the individual.

“I don’t feel pressure as an American player,” said Barnes.

“I have really good teammates who believe in me, and Mazzie too – she has a lot of faith in me. We all give that back to each other. I’m not the type to say, give me the ball and let everything run through me. It’s a team sport. We believe in what we’re building.”

That sense of belief has translated into a growing chemistry on the court.

“Success for me,” said Harris, “would be still having fun with my team. The Super League is challenging, but we’re open to it, and we’re a team that bounces back. Win or lose, it’s always going to be fun.”

They’ve also enjoyed learning more about their Irish teammates’ other sporting interests. Some of the squad also play ladies football, notably Lurgan and Cavan’s Ciara and Niamh Tolan. The Americans have been down to support them.

“It was interesting,” said Harris.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. Everyone says ‘you should play’, but I don’t think I’m built for that. It looks super physical!”

Harris, who is 23, says she has met a few other American players around the league.

“There’s one girl from my conference back at school, but I think she’s in Division 1,” she said.

“A few of the girls I met at Media Day, they’re very nice people, but I don’t know them personally.”

Both have embraced the challenge of life abroad and the physical, fast-paced nature of the Irish game.

“We’re a team that bounces back,” said Harris.

“We’re not going to stop fighting. It’s fun to keep fighting with these girls. Win or lose, it’s always going to be fun.”

Barnes summed up her experience simply.

“I love it,” she said. “It’s beautiful, it’s quiet, and everybody’s so kind. I think we can make something shake in this league, and I’m just excited to keep going and keep playing.”