Ross has spent the year with the Berlin Rebels playing linebacker as well as spending some time on both sides of the line. With the season now over and the Rebels gaining promotion to GFL1 for next year Ross is on the cusp of becoming the first Irish-born player to set foot in Germany's top-tier division. Let's do this thing!
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| Ross McCooey, LB, Berlin Rebels |
Der Irlander: Hi Ross, congratulations on the season, how did you find the adjustment from IAFL to GFL2?
Ross McCooey: Well first of the jump was quite intimidating for me as I left the Irish league where I was comfortable with how things worked and had plenty of experience being a senior player and leader, entering the GFL2 I had to check the ego at the door and re-rookie myself pretty much. I was surprised that the biggest challenge was the mental side of the game rather than the physical Us lowly Irish guys had nightmares of behemoths running about the fields here crushing anyone smaller than Ray Lewis, but we're all just human. If you can play the game well at any level I would think really advancing one's mental game will improve comfort with the game, the more comfortable you are with the level of play around you the better your own personal level of play will be. That's how it went for me this year as I struggled at first with resetting my football mind to re-learn everything at the new level of play I was presented with.
DI: A former teammate from Dublin was coaching with the Berlin Rebels when you arrived, did he help you get adjusted to everything?
RMcC: Coach Henry was great with showing me the ropes of both the team and the city; really helped ease the transition. It was good for me to have someone there that I had to play well for too, seeing as he stuck his neck out for me and I didn't want to let him down. I really think that helped push me to advance my game.
DI: You arrived late to the Rebels after a delay with another team, was there a singular moment on the field when you realised you were the new fish and were playing catch up?
RMcC: Oh of course, everyone has those moments, but mine didn't come in a game, it actually came in practice. I had three games under my belt and I had mixed performances in those, ups and downs as to be expected but rather selfishly I don't think it hit me in those games, it was only in the midseason break that it hit me oddly enough. I had sat down to watch footage of those three games and as I watched I could see I wasn't playing up to scratch. I knew the theory behind playing my position but clearly I hadn't fully put it into practice on the field so I would see myself take false steps that would put me out of position or leave a gap open, I'd be sitting there cursing and rolling my eyes as I willed video me to carry out the proper technique coached to me. Once I saw a mistake there'd be a mental note left in my mind then and as a result the next time in practice I'd be aware of what I had done and would correct myself. Took longer than it should have but I'll put it down to my relative inexperience in the first while here.
DI: That last game of the season was pretty big, all the Irish-born players involved in a game with automatic promotion to GFL1, how did it feel to be a part of that?
RMcC: That game was a fun game to be a part of. The build up from within the Rebels was intense, everyone focused, everyone driven to achieve the goal set out before the season began. With the way the season had panned out we were for sure lucky to be in that position and we were determined not to let it pass us by. The game itself was an amazing experience. The build up with what the Rebels organisation had put on was a lot of fun too; a carnival atmosphere at the stadium with legions of cheerleaders, three thousand fans, fireworks and all sorts of pizazz. Definitely one for the scrapbook. Meeting with the guys in the middle of the field afterwards was strange though, I was happy for the Rebels but gutted to see my former team mates so disappointed, I genuinely believe though that they're going to come back more determined than ever and who knows, we may even have three Irish guys play in a game in GFL1 in the near future?!
DI: And the game itself?
RMcC: Well obviously it was an intense level of play with both teams doing everything they could to win promotion. As clichéd as it sounds it really was a war of attrition with Lubeck being hit by a lot of injuries and we were relatively healthy in comparison, that didn't stop them trying to bludgeon us into submission though! I was impressed with their level of physicality too, reminded me of some of the old-school muddy trench battles from back in the day: large guys running full speed and head first into each other for the fun of it: bruising is too nice a word to describe it.
DI: With the victory for the Rebels you're now on the verge of becoming the first Irish-born player to reach GFL1, how do you feel about that?
RMcC: Obviously that's a huge milestone, both personally and for the Irish league. Being honest though the realisation that this has never been done before only hit me when I was left out in the cold by a GFL1 team earlier this year, then I had to move on and find a new team. Luckily I had the choice of two GFL2 teams and it turns out I made the right choice this year, when I came to the Rebels and saw they were determined to get back to GFL1 the goal of being the first became more real and as a result it became a firm target to shoot for. It's going to be a massive step up for sure but so was the jump from IAFL to GFL2 so I'm looking forward to the challenge of the top tier and seeing how I can fare up there. Best part is though that I hope other Irish players will see myself, Steve and Darragh getting out there and will follow suit, that way the game at home will garner more attention and will undoubtedly grow.
DI: Regarding the game back home, did you follow the IAFL this year?
RMcC: Of course! I had to keep an eye on the Dublin Rebels and how they fared this year. I knew how they were hit with injuries, retirements, and players leaving so I was always checking up on them and seeing how the were handling the season. I was amazed, quite frankly, that they won the Shamrock Bowl this year knowing the situation but that's just a testament to the hard work the guys put in and the spirit of the team; they rallied together after a shaky regular season wherein they struggled mightily at times. The post season is where they shine though, they gutted it out and thanks to their perseverence snuck out of the bowl with a one point win, awesome.
DI: Any plans for the off-season?
RMcC: Well I'll of course try and get home for a visit once in a while but basically I want to stick about Berlin and be with the team as we prepare for next year. All in!
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