Chloe Rollie’s Interview continues….
17 International caps and a Pro contract. Dream job?
This really is a dream come true, its everything I’ve always wanted from a young age. I can remember thinking and dreaming what it would be like to focus solely on rugby. I never thought it would happen to me so when it did I was overwhelmed, I couldn’t believe it. I felt like everything I had worked towards and all of the hard work over the years had finally paid off. Also I felt like all of the hard work my parents and all of the missed time with friends had paid off. The times my parents took me to training and watched games in the cold and rain or took time off of work to take me to each session has paid off and I know they are so proud of what I am doing now.
I owe it to my parents for how far I have come and what I have achieved, they believed in me everyday and the supported me on every decision I’ve made and stuck by my side. As I was working towards this dream job I also studied. It was difficult to work around, but weekly on a Sunday night I would sit down and figure out my next week of training and studying. I would allocate specific times towards my studies and focus on sticking to the plan. If I had a few hours off before training I would do my coursework and then attend training. On my days off I would try to fit in as much coursework as I could but also give myself time to rest and sleep so that it wasn’t effecting my performance in the gym and on the pitch. Its tough to juggle the two as social life is also a factor to consider, I would always keep the three well balanced and dedicate time to each one.
Hard work and determination got me through it all and gave me the end result I’ve always wanted.
Also, do you have to fit in any studies toward your qualifications around this?
I’m hoping that, with my club LMRCV, I improve as a player and individual and I aspire to win the Top 8 Championship and lift the trophy alongside a great group of girls. On Scotland international side of things I’m hoping that we can improve on last year and get more wins and place better in the six nations. We’re working hard on and off the pitch to strive towards this.
And finally, how are you getting on with operating in another language?
Being over in France and surrounded by the French language is very tough. At the start simple conversations were very difficult to have and asking for help or taking advice from the coach/players was pretty much impossible but as the time has gone by it has got a lot easier. After a few weeks I was picking up on rugby phrases and words relating the movements and I can now have a conversation with players and understand what the coach wants from me. I think with throwing myself in the deep end and listening to conversations everyday at training, I have picked up on certain words and phrases and it has taught me the best possible way. I am also a student at Lille University where I am learning French which is helpful.
It’s clear from Chloe’s answer above, that the contribution of parents in the making of a top quality sports person is paramount in the early years and should never be underestimated.
Many thanks go to Chloe for her time and effort and we trust that she will go on to achieve her goals wherever they eventually lead.
