Studying on the bus, missing school & training by himself – Sligo Rovers' Conor Reynolds balancing pro football with Leaving Cert preparation

Irish Independent

14-05-2025

In three weeks time, the Rice College student will know all about a different kind of pressure as he sits his Leaving Certificate exams.
The Westport man is currently trying to balance professional football with school and his Leaving Cert studies.
It's tough, he admits, but Sligo Rovers' rising star is making it work, such is his determination to do well in his exams, and to progress his football career.
Thanks to the support of his school, he misses one day a week in order to attend training with Sligo Rovers, having signed a professional deal with the club last year.
And thanks to a supportive John Russell, Reynolds trains just once a week with Rovers so that he can focus on school and his studies.
Rice College have made provisions to allow Reynolds to miss one day of school, with the teenager catching up in the evenings when he gets home from training.
With whatever free time he has, the Sligo Rovers academy graduate does his own training in the evenings after school.
For away trips, he gets off school early, and tries to study on the bus on the way.
"It's tough at the moment,' Reynolds said. 'It can be draining enough at times. I feel that they both work well together. With the football you can get your mind off school and when you're doing all your studying you take your mind off football for a while.
"It's all about balancing the two, it's been tough but I've really enjoyed it. As it's going on I'm getting used to it. It's only three weeks now. I just have to keep going now. I can't wait to get the exams out of the way.
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"I end up missing a full day of school which is tough. The day of school you miss is the toughest one because you have to go home after training and catch up on work, and study for exams on top of it. It's tough, but I like it. I find it nice. I'd hate to be in school the five days a week!
'I would do a bit at the pitch myself. At the moment, it's so limited. You don't have free time. I like it that way.'
There are weeks where Reynolds gets to train twice, depending on how the days fall.
And there are weeks when there is some sleep deprivation, like last week when he travelled to Tallaght to take on Shamrock Rovers, and got home late before having to get up for school the next morning when his team-mates were able to recover.
'I got home at about 12.30am but it was nearly 2am when I got to sleep, wired after the game. I was in school then for 8.50am, I was drained after that. But I'm getting used to it now.'
Balancing the two has been made possible by a number of factors. The support of his manager John Russell and assistant manager Ryan Casey has been vital, but the co-operation and support of his school and his family have made the balancing act a lot easier.
'I couldn't ask for more, between John and Case and everyone. They've been so accommodating. They've been telling me to take time for the leaving if I need it. They've been so helpful, I couldn't have asked for more really from them.
'The school have been very good. They wouldn't have a problem with it at all, Conor Walsh (Sligo Rovers goalkeeper and Rice College alumnus) might have been training more (with Sligo Rovers) than me but they were very good to him too so it was handy for me then.'
Others may ask to take a break from football for the duration of their exams, but Reynolds has no intention of doing so.
The long bus journeys to away games in recent weeks haven't been wasted. Thanks to a partnership between the League of Ireland and education provider Grinds 360, Reynolds - and all other academy players - can avail of free access to the online service which provides on-demand educational content to students to assist with school and exams.
'I try and do a bit on the phone when on the bus to games with Grinds 360 app, it's been very good. The league has a sponsorship deal with them, we get it all for free, I get to watch videos and all. That helps.
"But it's hard when you're getting ready for a game, thinking about that, study is really the last thing on your mind. I'm trying to do a bit when I'm travelling, but you end up just chatting on the bus and it can be hard to get study done.'
The 18-year-old has been a stand-out player for the Bit O'Red since earning his place in the first team this season. Rovers are in a tough patch at present, with just two wins all season, but Reynolds has been a bright light in an otherwise dark season.
It hasn't been all sunshine and roses, though, with Reynolds sent off minutes into his first appearance of the season in Turners Cross back in March.
Once his suspension was complete, Reynolds came back into the fold and came on for Ollie Denham in the 4-2 defeat to Bohemians at Dalymount Park in April.
The Westport man has played seven league games since his return against Bohs, but hasn't been able to complete a full game, largely due to the fact he hasn't been training full-time.
'He's going to be in full-time with us in the summer once he gets his exams done, we think he can go to the top, he's going to be a really top player,' Russell said.
'We've produced a lot of top players over the last number of years, he's the next one on the conveyor belt.
'At the moment he's juggling a lot, he's giving us everything. He's not able to finish the games at the moment, which is a bit of a challenge, he's got a bright future.'
Reynolds had to come off during Saturday's defeat to Bohemians suffering with severe leg cramps, after playing at centre-back where he shone yet again.
While coming through the academy, the Mayo man regularly featured at centre-back along with right-back.
The run of games has been tough on the body for the young man, particularly when he doesn't have the luxury of recovery time like his fellow professionals do.
But he's embracing the chaos.
'It's been tough. I'm really enjoying it. The legs are kind of suffering as games go on but the more I'm playing the legs are adapting more to it.
"It's about trying to get as much out of a game as I can and then training and trying to build on minutes and hopefully I'll keep getting fitter and keep playing.'
With Rovers struggling at the minute, the pitch is where Reynolds is feeling the pressure at the minute.
Although, as the exams get closer, and it feels more real, the nerves will kick in.
'To be honest, completely (more pressure on the pitch). The last thing I'm thinking about at the minute (is exams), and it shouldn't be that way. All I want to do is play football and help the team. It's hard.
'The pressure will start to hit me in the next week or two. We finish school in a week and a half. That's when it will properly hit. At the moment it's nearly like a fever dream.'
The timing of the mid-season break means Reynolds won't miss any games for the first week of his exams, and he is hopeful that he will be able to play the home game against Waterford on June 14. He won't be finished, but he won't be far off either.
And while it's hard at times for Reynolds to focus on his studies when the football season is so intense, it's important to note that this young man is fully intent on doing well in his exams.
Reynolds clearly has a big future in professional football, but he is determined to go to college and get a third level degree, too.
'I definitely want to do well in the Leaving. It's been a long year in terms of study as well, trying to do well. The college here in Sligo, the courses are really good so I'd probably like to do something there.'
He limped off during Saturday's defeat to Bohemians at The Showgrounds due to cramping, with Harvey Lintott also forced off.
Russell finished the game with a makeshift back four, with left-winger Will Fitzgerald having to fill in at right-back and Reece Hutchinson playing centre-back
'Sickening to be honest I now,' Reynolds said of losing the game so late.
"I thought as a whole team we played well, and then there's that moment at the end. When you look at it now, it's so disheartening. I definitely thought it was there for us, no words. Completely sickening.'
And like his manager John Russell, Reynolds believes the wins will come if Rovers stick together.
'At the moment it's tough. We have to stick together. It's a good group we have and I know we will stick together, and wins are going to come, it's about sticking together, keeping going, which I know we will. Wins are bound to happen then.'