This week, Ulster Rugby spoke to City of Derry RFC and Ulster back-row, Stacey Sloan.
Tell us a little about your rugby pathway to date.
I started playing mini rugby in England and I was the only girl in the entire league! I’ve always been very competitive so that was the starting point for me. When I got to an age when I couldn’t mix with the boys anymore, the female participation was very weak at the time, so there wasn’t much for me then. I ended up taking a long time away from rugby and didn’t start playing again until I was 23 at City of Derry Rugby Club. I played a full season in 2013 and the following season, I got my first cap for Ulster which was quite a fast progression.
I stayed with City of Derry and after my second year of Inter-Pros, I did a short stint at Queen’s University on dual status, but I picked up a couple of injuries which took me out of rugby for two years. I disappeared to a different sport and did Brazilian jujitsu and became the European Champion. It helped me come back to rugby.
I got one season with City of Derry when COVID hit. When rugby returned, I was asked if I wanted to train with Ulster and very proudly represented the province, starting each game of the Inter-Pros in a brand-new position. I used to play centre but now play Number Eight which was a big transition!
That takes me up to now where I’ve had ACL surgery and currently not playing but I’ve started taking up coaching, assisting Beth Cregan at City of Derry RFC, as well as taking up a Community Relations position with the council. We go out to schools and my job is to coach and recruit youth into the club, as well as build participation, particularly in the women and girls’ game.
Who have been the main influences in your rugby career?
My mum and dad have been massive influences. Not very many people know but my mum used to play rugby when she was younger. She was a flanker and played in England. My dad was also a winger too. I have a longstanding sporting background and my mum and dad have always supported me. Rugby was always the one sport that stuck and without them, I would never have got to this position. They took me to my first minis’ game. I’d give them a lot of credit. Mum doesn’t go so much as her nerves are wrecked now so she watches from a distance! My first season at Ulster, dad travelled to Connacht to come and watch without telling me. As soon as I knew where he was, I was calm.
What barriers have you had to overcome to reach this point?
I’ve had a couple of injuries – one to my finger and as I mentioned earlier, I ruptured my ACL. My knee psychologically added a lot of stress for me. I went into semi-retirement, but you can’t get rid of me that easily! I was a care worker at the time and I went to the club and trained really hard before going back to work. Nothing stopped me putting the hours in. I took two years out and it was more mentally difficult than physically.
I’m also very critical of myself. My coaches know this of me and tell me to chill out! For me, it’s not a bad thing because it makes me a far stronger player. It means that I care and I’m passionate. I used to be so critical that I didn’t enjoy the game, so that’s why I’m now an advocate for helping people with their mental health. I’m now a much better player than I was. It’s something that I work on every day even in my job – I’m a personal trainer and sports massage therapist so I’m critiquing everything about myself.
Tell us about your experience playing in the recent Inter-Pros with the Deloitte Ulster Women's team.
It was different from the Inter-Pros I had been part of before. It was more of an invitational type of selection compared to the last one I was involved in 2016. Being invited, you were joining players who had been selected to play at that level. I really liked the effort put into the preparations, especially during COVID. Everything was very regulated to make sure we could train safely. The likes of Neill (Alcorn) and the coaching team did a fantastic job and they looked after us so well. They really took the time to help you if you had an issue or a question; the coaches were always there for you. I found it incredibly supportive.
I liked the format of training and how they broke the sessions down into backs and forwards-specific drills. It was probably the best coaching team I’ve worked with. Neill has invited me to train at Cookstown and Naomi (Hamilton) our physio looks after me during our gym sessions as I go through my rehab.
One thing we would love to have had was more game time going into the Inter-Pros. Fingers crossed, we’ll have the opportunity to play more games. As a team, we all know each other and train together, but it’s vital we get games together. It was purely down to COVID that we didn’t get the game time we would have liked and it wasn’t anyone’s fault that we couldn’t play. Ulster have the capacity to win; it’s just about making those inroads to build upon. There’s amazing talent in our squad and the U18s coming through are going to really push through the ranks.
What motivates you?
My biggest motivation is myself and success. I think that comes from my competitive side. When I think back to my jujitsu and other sports, 1st place was all I aimed for, and I didn’t stop till I got there. I don’t compare myself to anyone else. I’m one of those people who wants to shave 0.2 seconds off my time on the treadmill. I look at my past successes and ask, “what can I do better?”. I write things down about my performances and look for areas to improve. I’m always keen to get better and to succeed. I don’t stop until I get what I want to achieve. I don’t give myself a lot of credit but looking back, out of 100 matches, I only lost 10. I became a European Brazilian jujitsu champion, a two-time Ulster boxing champion, athletics champion in England, I was a horse rider, and I represented Ulster Rugby in the Inter-Pros. Now I look for the next achievement which is playing for Ireland. My biggest motivation is myself because without me pushing myself, I just wouldn’t be able to do it.
What has been the best advice you’ve received?
The best advice would be what I tell myself. The best value is the value you value for yourself. Self-value is massive. Don’t compare yourself to others because you’ll always feel like you’re chasing something you’re never going to be. Stay true to yourself and practice self-worth and the more confident you’ll become. I could sit and think, “I want to be Lindsay Peat”. I will never be Lindsay Peat; she is Lindsay Peat! Focus on yourself and learn to grow. Learn to be more self-appreciating. These people who we look up to are living their own lives, so you just have to learn to appreciate who you are as a person, and you will go so far in life. I remember when I did jujitsu, I used to stand beside the mats and do this little “one” gesture with my finger. I look at the podium and tell myself, “Number 1”. Nine times out of ten, I get that spot on the podium. You just need to tell yourself how good you are, and you will achieve.
Do you have a pre-match song you always listen to?
There are so many, but I love AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” as it gets the blood pumping!