Young Sports Star of the Year Finalist: MVP Tolan excels in two sports
There is something very special about athletes who can not just compete but excel across a range of disciplines and Emma Tolan from Virginia is one such high achiever.
The teenager has proven herself to be an outstanding performer in both basketball and ladies football in recent years.
In football, she won a county senior medal and an Ulster minor club medal in 2022 and, last year, picked up another county minor medal and helped Lurgan ladies return to the Ulster final, where they narrowly lost to Carryduff.
In recent weeks, Emma also won an Ulster Minor Platinum medal with Cavan and will look forward to the All-Ireland semi-final in a few weeks’ time. In basketball, she has been a stand-out player not just nationally but internationally.
Last summer, the youngster enjoyed a hugely successful tournament with her country in the U18s FIBA European Youth Championships in Bulgaria as well as previously winning the Four Nations title, where the Virginia lady was named All-Star Starting 5 player at the tournament.
She was selected for the Irish U18 team again this year and was superb as they won the Four Nations tournament again in Scotland. Emma’s versatility and skill were instrumental, with her impact felt on both ends of the court, as Ireland beat England 91-67. They went on to beat Wales 107-25 and Emma scored 16 points in a remarkable comeback win against Scotland.
Tolan's outstanding displays throughout the tournament earned her recognition on the All-Star team, a feat she also achieved last year. Furthermore, she was bestowed with the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, a testament to her exceptional talent and contribution to Ireland's success.
Adding further to her honours, Tolan was captain and MVP in the final (scoring 25 points) as Virginia College U19 basketball team won another All-Ireland, this time against Mercy Mounthawk from Tralee.
“It can be quite tough to manage both sports especially when the two seasons cross over but it's a matter of managing your training and rest days as much as possible,” she told the Anglo-Celt during the year. “Overall, you just have to look after yourself.”