The WIT Vikings Sport Scholarship Programme is an athlete-led development programme supporting high-performance athletes in a wide range of sports
Ella Buckley is a third year Intellectual Disability Nursing student and former student of Ballincollig Community School, located in Innishmore, Ballincollig, Co Cork.
Ella is a 2020/21 WIT Vikings Sport Scholarship recipient.
Sport: Rowing
County: Cork
Club: University College Cork Rowing Club
Highest achievements: Home International Glasgow 2019
How do you balance work/college/sport? Some days are tough but I set myself a schedule and stick to it. Especially when you are on placement as some days are 12hr shifts, on though days I do shorter sessions and longer ones on my days off. I also find nursing and sport complement each other for sure. Either one takes your mind off the other when you’re finding it tough. It also very tough training on your own for 70% of the week but you know at home that everyone is training just as hard as yourself
What was the best advice you were ever given? “To keep going and don’t stop until you have finished the race. Sure its only 2k”
What advice would you give to athletes wanting to improve? To always keep a training diary. This has helped me the most. No matter how little you do, keep track of it so you know if you’re improving week on week.
Find out more about the WIT Vikings Sport Scholarship Programme at https://www.wit.ie/vikingsportscholarship.
SETU Waterford, Cork Road, Waterford City, 
