Kate McGowan - A testimonial

To whom it may concern, 

I have been a student here and a member of the DCU Athletics Academy for the past four years. I am writing to each of you in regards to Enda Fitzpatrick and I urge you to listen. The decision you have made to remove Enda as Director of the Athletics Academy was a huge shock and a cause for upset. 

I met Enda for the first time in Portugal on a training camp when I was only 15 years old. From that day, every time I encountered Enda he knew about each of my performances on the track. I can assure you that there is very few people in Irish Athletics that are as invested into scouting, recruiting and developing athletes to the best of their abilities as Enda is. He is an encyclopaedia of upcoming athletes in Ireland and is an invaluable resource to not only DCU but the entirety of the Irish University Athletics Association.

The December before I came into college I met a friend Joanna Duignan who used to be a student athlete here, at a competition. She told me about the set up they had in DCU including the training groups, House 14 and the support of the School of Human Health and Performance. She told me they weren't just a team but more like a family. I was amazed by the idea of this and in that instant I decided DCU was the place for me. This environment created is a credit to the work Enda has done in his time here in DCU and with the removal of Enda, you will also destroy our DCU Athletics Family.

I can vouch that if it weren't for this environment Enda has created I would have no incentive to go to DCU as opposed to any other university throughout the country.

Two years ago we experienced the most horrific event possible, Joanna Duignan who I spoke of earlier tragically took her own life on the 1st of May 2017. In the most unspeakable circumstances we as a family came together, we grieved and we supported one and other through the darkest time. I don't think Joanna would have had the confidence and trust she had in Enda in her time of need in any other college in the country. On her anniversary two weeks ago I was upset and the first person I felt like talking to about it was Enda, you're losing someone who students feel comfortable enough around to talk about anything with and these days that is more important than ever.

Enda's role goes so far beyond "Director of the Athletics Academy", he is personally invested in every single one of us and if Joanna were here today she would have been the best person to vouch for this. By removing Enda or restructuring how sport is dealt with in DCU you're also removing our main support system which would have detrimental affects on all student athletes in the university. I was shocked to have heard of such a big decision being made which directly affects each on of us without anyone asking us how we would feel about this or providing any kind of strategic plan to deal with the repercussions. 

I recently completed my thesis and included in this was an acknowledgements section, in this I expressed my gratitude towards the DCU Athletics Academy and it read as follows: 

"To the DCU Athletics Academy, I am forever grateful that my time at university was enriched with sport, and I was part of such a special family. I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to complete this degree whilst training and competing to the best of my ability. I don't think I would have had such a rounded experience at any other university and that is credit to the environment created here by Enda Fitzpatrick, so for that, thank you."

I ask you to take my concerns along with all others you have received into consideration. There is no job description for this role as it has been shaped and transformed by Enda himself. DCU Athletics will not function without Enda Fitzpatrick.

Regards,

Kate McGowan. 

sign the petition