Courage Country sat down with North Carolina Courage‘s Irish midfielder, Denise O’Sullivan, after a hot September midday training session. Like all our interviews so far, she concluded the interview by answering the Starting XI Questions. Read her answers below.
Starting XI Questions: Denise O’Sullivan
1. What’s a pre-game ritual you’ll never change?
Honestly, I don’t have a ritual. I get up, have breakfast, and go for coffee. I think going for coffee is my main thing for pre-game, so I don’t think I would change that.
I’d always go up and go straight for a coffee.
2. What’s your best suggestion to youth soccer players to up their game?
I think just work on the things that you’re weak at. Work on your weaknesses every single day. Just keep believing in yourself.
3. What’s something people don’t understand about you?
My accent. Paul Riley still makes fun of it — two and a half years later. I just take it all. [People back in Ireland] say, you’ve turned into an American.”
No joke. Every time I FaceTime, even when I text, I say different things and they’re like, “You’re becoming an American.”
4. What’s the best praise someone could give to you on or off the field?
I think my probably my work rate on the field, and I think I hear a lot of that — my work rate is good. It’s part of me, and it’s something I’ll always do for this team.
5. What’s the first thing you do when you get home from a match?
Lay on the couch, just relax, and let my mind free basically.
6. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Just keep believing that you can be the best player out there.
7. What person outside your family has done the most for your soccer career?
That’s a tough one. Honestly, I have so many coaches growing up, and if it’s alright, I probably can’t put my name on one. But I had so many from the boys’ teams. I would say a lot of different coaches helped me.
8. Of all the teams you’ve played with, wherever you go, what’s the one thing that always stays the same?
I think going from club to club, I’ve always had good experience with teammates. We were all really close and everyone was really supportive and welcomed me really well. I think that has stayed the same from club to club for sure.
9. Who’s the last soccer player you texted?
Cari Roccaro last night about what show she’s watching. I think it was This is Us. Maybe it’s not that. I get mixed up with two of them. I’ll give you the name of it. I’ll look at my phone, and give you the exact name.
10. What’s your best guilty pleasure?
I love to buy trainers honestly. I have a room full of trainers so I would say if I wanted to treat myself for anything, I would go and buy a pair of trainers.
11. What brings you joy off the pitch?
FaceTime with my family every day brings me joy and I think hanging out with the girls outside of soccer here. It definitely brings me joy. And going for coffee.
Bonus #12 question from Merritt Mathias
Like anyone? Celebrity? I’m going to say, Serena Williams. She inspires me as a female athlete and I think she’s amazing. I’d love to just sit down with her, and listen to all of her achievements and all of that.
Give me a question for the next player doing Starting XI Questions? Next interview looks like it’s going to be Cari Roccaro
Will you and Ryan start a Vlog together, and what would you name it — to show everyone what they’re about because they dance all over the house. They sing. They do all these things, and people need to see it.
Other Starting XI Questions
Check out our other Starting XI Questions from the 2019 season so far:
Sabrina D’Angelo
Jess McDonald
Kaleigh Kurtz
Lauren Milliet
Stephanie Labbé
Elizabeth Eddy
Leah Pruitt
Lynn Williams
Heather O’Reilly
McKenzie Meehan
McCall Zerboni
Jaelene Hinkle
Kristen Hamilton
Merritt Mathias
Katelyn Rowland
Look for a follow-up article on O’Sullivan shortly here on Courage Country.
