KATIE BURDIS IS well-versed to speak about the really positive environment at DLR Waves.
It’s about much fore more than football at the south Dublin Women’s National League [WNL] side — formerly called UCD Waves — that are managed by Graham Kelly.
Burdis recently spoke out about her mental health struggles over the years, posting a tweet last month which was met with a string of supportive replies from her team-mates. In an interview with The42 last week, the 21-year-old delved deeper into her story, with no shortage of praise shared for those around her at DLR.
That filters down from the top. From Kelly, who took the reigns as manager ahead of the 2019 season having spent almost four years as head coach at Bray Wanderers.
“Graham has been great to me, he’s been great to everyone, I really enjoy playing under him as a manager,” Burdis says. “Obviously he came from the men’s so that was a huge change for him, he even says himself.
“But he’s settled in really well I think. I really enjoy playing under him, he’s constantly checking in on us, and he worries about us as people first and then as players second. I think that’s very important.”
Her mind wanders for a second, before she comes back with a great point.
“Actually as well, we’ve recently introduced a period tracker app, which I think goes unnoticed a lot in women’s sport. It shows us lots of info on it on and for training, what kind of phase you’re in, what you need to be consuming and it also makes the lads aware if someone isn’t performing or is tired or is more injury-prone and stuff.
“I think that’s a great addition that we brought in this season as well.”
It’s one of many positive developments in the DLR set-up through the off-season, the side last to kick off their 2021 campaign having lay idle last weekend.
They face Wexford Youths today at the UCD Bowl [KO 6pm] after watching the 2017 and 2018 champions fall to a gut-wrenching 1-0 opening day defeat to title holders Peamount United last weekend.
And Burdis backs her side, who finished sixth last season, to drive on after a busy pre-season with plenty of new talent on board.
“Each year, it’s another step in the right direction with DLR. It’s a very professional set-up. In the off-season, we all had running we had to do, we were doing Zooms to make sure everyone was keeping in touch and so that we weren’t coming back in sluggish when we were doing pre-season.
“We were back in with good fitness that we could build on. I think it’s definitely benefitted [us] and we’ve been excellent in games this pre-season. A lot of managers have come back to Graham talking about our fitness and stuff. It has only benefitted us.
“The team and staff are a pleasure to be around, honestly we’re a big family so we all work really hard for each other. I think that’s only going to stand to us in the season ahead as well.”
“The league is going to be so competitive, as it always is,” she adds. “There’s never an easy game in the league, you know you’ve got to be on top form every single game.
“You’re coming up against great quality players week in, week out and the standard is improving each year as well. There’s a lot of young talents coming through each year, which is great to see as well.”
Speaking of things which are great to see, the string of developments made through the off-season have been hailed across the country, the league’s 11th season a certain landmark one.
SSE Airtricity have stepped up as sponsors, alongside the men’s equivalent, following notable struggles in that department over the past few years. For the first time ever, all games are streamed live, and for free, on LOI TV — a move which was met with much acclaim online, with promotion through the roof.
An U19 tier has been added to bridge the gap from U17 to senior, while prize money has been bumped by 141%. Everything is on the up in terms of off-field matters, matching the strides which have been made on the pitch in recent years as the league grows.
“It’s huge,” Burdis nods. “We’re all so thankful for it, especially the 19s league, I think, is great to have.
“It’s a huge step up from U17s to senior women’s and I think a lot of players get lost in that, where they’re not actually ready for the step up to the first team but they’re ready for 19s. If they’re just there for another year or so before making seniors. We kind of lose a lot of good players I think over previous years so it’s great to have a 19s league now and first-team players are allowed to drop down if they’re not getting game time as well, obviously if you’re the right age.
“It’s a huge step up as well with the games being shown on LOI TV, especially with the games behind closed doors because of obvious reasons. It’s great as well for players to be getting scouted across the waters, being able to be watched week in, week out.
“It’s up to us now to show our potential on the pitch and hopefully it will just keep going in the right direction. Teams are now playing in stadiums as well. We’re playing in the Bowl, Shels are playing in Tolka, Cork announced they’re playing in Turner’s Cross, which is another great step as well — they’re all steps in the right direction.”
This Saturday we begin our @SSEAirtricityLg season with a home game vs @YouthsWomen in UCD Bowl 🏟
— DLRWaves (@DLRWaves) March 31, 2021
Thanks to @FAI_WNL media department for this promotional video for the new season 👏👏🌊 pic.twitter.com/77NtDtXlan
And while Burdis is out injured at the minute, she hopes to play a key role for DLR this season as they target a higher finish than last time out, hoping to shake things up in the top-flight.
The former Irish underage international stays coy on her ambitions for the season ahead, with enjoying her football and playing with a smile on her face always the big one given her journey so far.
“My main focus now is getting back playing. I’m unfortunately going to miss the game against Wexford but the girls have worked really hard, so I’m sure they’re gonna put in a great shift.
“Personally I have a few goals for the season, I probably won’t say them incase I jinx them. I definitely want to bring in a few goals to my game and just continue to learn and improve each week.
“As a team, our aim is to make top-four. We came sixth last year, which we didn’t think was a great season for us. We really just want to try compete with the top teams and try get results against them and hopefully make top four.
“Everyone’s dream is to get into that Ireland women’s team so hopefully that comes with enjoying football and doing well for DLR.”
WNL Series 2 Fixtures
Saturday, 3 April
- Cork City v Shelbourne, 2pm
- Galway WFC v Bohemians, 2pm
- DLR Waves v Wexford Youths, 6pm
- Athlone Town v Treaty United, 7pm
- All live on LOI TV.
Tadhg De Burca is a fantastic hurler but having not played centre back all year for Waterford should the all star have gone to Austin Gleeson?
In fairness just because he didn’t wear 6 or play it in the orthodox way doesn’t mean he wasn’t playing centre back. In football Cian o sullivan will prob get centre back. Even though he wore 6 he played a very similar role to de burca.
The game is constantly evolving with new positions being taken up. It’s hard to account for this in a straight forward selection.
Agree De Burca class act but Gleeson for No.6
De Burca didn’t play centre back though. He played as a sweeper. There is no sweeper position on the All Star team.
Noel Connors corner back??
I absolutely don’t think Gleeson would have deserved it over De Burca.
Gleeson can be greedy and wasteful at times.
Gleeson without a shadow of a doubt young player of the year however.
Except he’s not nominated..
Jason Flynn before Mannion all day
Mannion disappeared in a few games. Gotta have Flynn over him. Bad call.
Mostly whenever Kilkenny were playing.
1 Kilkenny goalkeeper in 23 years has received an all star and they have won half of the all Ireland’s in that time.
I’d take that as a compliment to the outstanding backs Kilkenny have and have always had, Noel Hickey, JJ Delaney, Tommy Walsh, Paul Murphy, Jackie Tyrrell, Michael Kavanagh, Philly Larkin, Willie O Connor etc keeper is well protected
Yeah I’ve heard that comment before to excuse the passing over of kk goalies
@Jason – I’m sure Brendan Cummins would gladly swop a couple of his All Stars for All Ireland medals!! I can assure you that the rest of the hurling world lives for the day that Kilkenny keepers start getting All Stars – a sure sign that they are losing matches!
De Burca winning one as a non marking sweeper is a joke. Puke hurling at its best. Watching Waterford this year was painful.
11 Leinster men and 4 Munster men – shows the sorry state of Munster hurling.
Munster hurling my hole!
11 kilkenny men. Shows the current state of kilkenny more than an entire province. Not denying munster hurling gone down hill. But theres 12 counties in leinster and only one has players named.
Actually 7 Leinster men, with 4 from both Munster and Connaught. Galway may play in the Leinster championship but they are not Leinster men.
You don’t say Niall!!! Wow, thanks for the Geography lesson. Galway play in Leinster so they are a Leinster province when it comes to hurling. Leinster are claiming Kerry next year too since ye don’t want them down there!!
Haha Galway are a Leinster provence, well you obviously need a geography lesson.
I said when it comes to hurling Niall. I’m delighted to welcome Kerry to Leinster too next year!
And you obviously need a English lesson as it should be *province
Yes if you said 11 men playing in the Leinster championship won you would be correct but to call a Galway man a Leinster man is wrong and to most insulting. The same way most Irish people hate when the English claim successful Irish men as British.
You are correct as I’m sure a few english lessons would do me no harm. You can give me a few english lessons and I’ll give you a few geography lessons.
A Galway man is a Leinster man when it comes to hurling.
Eoin Larkin unlucky Ger alyward score 312 from play and was outstanding when Kk need it most a no brainier
Who ever picked aylward has no brain alright!
John that has to be record. 312 From play , how many goals in the 312 ?
It’s gas with the goal keeper all star , the more ya let in the better chance you have of winning it, Darren Gleeson let in the most goals in last year’s championship and got it. In saying that the right choice was made this year.
Disappointed that Cathal Barrett didn’t get the nod for number 4
iarla tannion is the dirtiest hurler in the country thug doesn’t deserve an all star
Aylward over Canning is a horrendous call.
No it isn’t
You’re wrong Joe put up big scores in the qualifiers, but was carried by the younger guys on the Galway team in the latter end of the championship
On what grounds is it a “horrendous” call?aylward consistently scored throughout the championship and is well deserved.If i had to say someone fortunate to be getting an All Star on this years team I would say it is Cathal mannion as he had a poor Leinster final and followed that up with another poor performance in the all Ireland final
Jake must be Joe Canning. His three best games were against a terrible Dublin team and Laois. Hardly earth shattering for a supposedly top player.
Get your facts right! Galway didnt play in the qualifers! They played a quarter final against a fancied cork team at the time and blew them away in which Canning had a poor game! Canning was top scorer overall and 2nd top scorer from play (1 point behind Mannion) Aylward scored the majority of scores (58%) against a very poor Wexford team! Canning scored the same as Aylward from play in the All Ireland Final! Unfortunately Joe is the victim of his own scoring prowess and is expected to score 2-10 every game and if he doesnt he played crap! You say why Canning shouldnt have gottten it but give no reason why Aylward should have got it ,which backs up my point! He was vital to Galways run to the all ireland and they wouldnt have gotten there without him!
Apologies meant qtrs my point is still valid put a big score up against Dublin when the game was won, great goal in the Leinster final but little else, and against cork was poor and against Tipp fair to middling great start in the AI but nowhere to be found after 35 mins, he’s a fantastic hurler but didn’t deserve an all star this year that’s all
What did Aylward do that Canning didnt?
Won an All Star
Joe has three :)
Alyward has 3 All Ireland medals!!
Alyward was brilliant in 4 from 4 Kilkenny games. Canning was good in 3.5 games of 7 for Galway. Two against Dublin, one against Laois and a half a game against Kilkenny in the All Ireland final. He was average/poor in the other 3.5 games. Canning is a victim of people thinking he is better than he actually is. He puts up big scores against the weaker teams but disappears more often than not against the top teams.
Wouldnt have said he was brilliant Canning scored 1-8 in all ireland ayward scored 3 points
Here we go with how much a lad scored again!! Work rate, intensity, setting up plays and not disappearing for half a game all have to be taken in to account too. Canning & Alyward both scored 3 points from play.
Joes work rate against tipp was incredible! can’t judge him just on the 2nd half of the all Ireland Joe scored 4 points actually
John, Canning scored 3 points from play in the All Ireland. Get your facts right before you preach.
Let’s call it as it was, this was a poor hurling championship. Kilkenny never really looked like been beaten. The worrying thing for other counties is that most Kk people don’t really rate this team as they have been pulled together from very average under age teams.
The word is there are some very classy hurlers coming up in kk that I’m sure Cody will add one or two each year, as was the case this year with a number of kk players getting their first All Ire medal.
I can’t believe I going to say this, but is 3, 4 and possibly 5 in a row possible…
Waterford might not be the team to stop Kilkenny but I think the way they play will stop them doing the 4 or 5.
A more talented team may take a similar approach and execute it more successfully.
Having said that I still firmly believe that to beat Kilkenny you have to out score them rather than prevent them scoring. But some county might prove that wrong
My best of luck was to Hurler of the year and young hurler!! They are not named yet AFAIK
Can’t believe Eoin Murphy missed out yet again between the sticks for Kilkenny.Not taking anything away from Galway but he has a few Celtic crosses under the mattress now and hasn’t picked up an all-star.Strange I think especially when he commands his back line so well
I would had Cathal Barrett ahead of Noel Connors. Ger Aylward is lucky to get in also.
Best of luck everyone.
Eh, congratulations everyone!
No joe canning….ridiculous
Would have thought Pa Horgan would have been given the nod..
Instead of who? Wouldn’t think he was close to any of the players in inside forward line.
I presume that’s a joke Tony.
Iarla Tannion deserved a spot. Fantastic hurler.
Has to be a wind-up.
Why are positions thrown out the window when making an Allstar team!? Cathal mannion was unreal in corner forward not wing forward!
If Ramirez doesn’t get player of the tournament there is NO justice
That list just proves how boring hurling has become.
Shut up you clown
Make me shut up pal
Frankie “One -day” is happy today I see!!!
Interesting selection