“It gives me confidence in my current career, and confidence that I’m working towards one after I stop playing.” – Ronan Boyce

Ronan Boyce is a professional footballer in the League of Ireland with St Patrick’s Athletic. Now in his seventh year as a professional, having started out with Derry City, Ronan has spent the past two years studying with Setanta College alongside his playing career.

Below, Ronan discusses balancing study with full-time football, what first drew him to strength and conditioning, and how he plans to use his Setanta qualification once his playing days are over.

Discovering Strength & Conditioning

Ronan’s interest in the field grew out of his own development as a young player.

“I started playing soccer for as long as I can remember and always had a desire to try to make it to a professional level and make a career out of it. When I first joined an academy set-up, I realised how vital a role strength and conditioning plays in sports performance.

I was about 16 when I first started being coached in it, and I started to see huge benefits to my performance at that young age. I’ve been curious ever since about the role strength and conditioning has in sport, and how it can improve individuals.”

A Full-Time Athlete’s Week

Fitting study around a professional football schedule takes careful planning.

“I’m currently a professional soccer player in the League of Ireland with St Patrick’s Athletic. We train mostly every day, with the game usually being a Friday night — but depending on the schedule we could be playing on a Monday as well, so you can have periods when there are three games in a week.

Usually after training in the mornings, I’ll study in the evenings, or on a rest day is when I can fit in the course. It fits into my schedule well; I plan my studying around games and training sessions.”

Career to Date

“I’ve been a professional soccer player for about seven years now — firstly with Derry City, then a move to St Pat’s — and I’ve been studying with Setanta for the last two years and counting. I’m really enjoying the experience, as it gives me confidence in my current career, and it also gives me confidence that I’m working towards a career after I stop playing.”

Why Setanta

For Ronan, the course was a natural fit for both his present and his future.

“My reasoning for starting with Setanta was just how perfect the course was for what I wanted to do. It helps with my current career in professional football — implementing what I learn into my gym routine, learning more about my body, trying to prolong my career and gain an edge while I’m still playing at this level.

Also, looking further down the line, football careers don’t last forever, so it’s something I’m very keen on moving into afterwards — helping other athletes get the most out of their careers and their potential in any way possible.”

Applying the Learning

“I really enjoy how I can take the things I’m learning about into my own everyday life to help with my current professional career, whether that’s trying to return from an injury or just to prevent injuries and become more robust. The flexibility of the course being online is perfect for me as a full-time athlete.”

Advice for Others

“My advice would be to try to learn as much as you can and enjoy the journey — I’ve loved it so far. Pick the brains of people who are in the field, and network with as many people doing the same thing as you, who are where you want to be in the future.”

Looking Ahead

“I currently want to keep learning as much as possible while still playing professionally. Then, in the future, I hope to be in a position to help and mentor athletes who have been in the same position as me, and be a positive influence on their careers.”

Learn more about Setanta College’s programmes here.