Irish footballer Amy Boyle-Carr is one to always pursue new experiences - especially when it comes to sport.
The talented athlete grew up playing Gaelic footy, before giving soccer a go during her early teens.
She then made soccer her focus for a year and was selected to play in a FIFA World Cup Qualifier against the Netherlands in 2018, at only 17 years old.
But, missing Gaelic footy, Boyle-Carr hung up her soccer boots in 2019 to focus on playing Gaelic with Donegal.
Now, five years later, the 23-year-old is preparing to switch codes again - this time to Australian Rules - with the Adelaide Crows.
“I tried to combine Gaelic and soccer for as long as I could, but when things got a bit more serious, I actually picked soccer,” Boyle-Carr said.
“But then I decided I was missing Gaelic a lot, so I came back around.
“I think trying new sports opens your array of vision and makes you more adaptable.
“You get to meet so many different people with sport and I just enjoy playing any sport, and now coming into the AFLW, it’s definitely a challenge I want to take on.”
The Crows signed Boyle-Carr as a rookie ahead of the 2024 AFLW season, with vision of her playing Gaelic Football for Donegal impressing Adelaide Senior Coach Matthew Clarke.
“I was definitely shocked when they called last October and even now it still feels a bit surreal,” Boyle-Carr said.
“Yvonne Bonner (former Crows and GWS AFLW player) was drafted from the same Gaelic county that I’m from and we played together for a few years.
“When the Crows were looking at the vision of Yvonne, I appeared in a few of them, so that’s when it kind of happened and it took off from there.
“It’s just an amazing opportunity… especially being asked to come out by a team like the Crows who are so successful.”
Despite being rookie listed in December, Boyle-Carr only arrived in Adelaide last week after completing her Gaelic footy commitments.
She said she instantly felt welcome, with many of her new teammates meeting her at Adelaide Airport.
“A few of them told me they were going to be there (at the airport) but I didn’t realise it was going to be like that, with the posters and everything like that,” Boyle-Carr said.
“It’s a reception that I was really lucky to get and even everyone from home has been messaging me saying ‘that’s such a good reception and you seem to be in safe hands’.
“I have been in contact with CJ (midfield coach Courtney Cramey) and Doc (Clarke), every two weeks we’d have a catch up from about January, running through vision and one of the players would jump on as well to get to know them.
“I am looking forward to easing into things a bit more and getting used to the set-up and I’m just excited to get into training.”
Adelaide will play two pre-season matches - one against Port Adelaide in Port Augusta on Sunday, August 11 - before facing Carlton at Unley Oval on Sunday, August 18.
The Crows’ 2024 AFLW campaign gets underway with a Showdown against Port Adelaide under lights at Alberton Oval on Saturday, August 31.
Full fixture available here.
