Next up for Women in Sport Week, we shine a light on Kylie Murphy, a respected figure in the footballing community known for her exceptional versatility and steadfast leadership on the field. Kylie’s football journey began with Wexford Youths in the inaugural Women’s National League (WNL) season in 2011–12, marking the start of a distinguished career marked by notable achievements.
Throughout her time with Wexford Youths, Kylie has earned numerous accolades, including WNL titles in 2014–15 and 2017, as well as FAI Women’s Cup victories in 2015 and 2019. Her standout performances have led to prestigious awards, including the WNL Player of the Season in 2021 and the inaugural Women’s Personality of the Year award from the Soccer Writers of Ireland in 2022. With over 250 appearances and 100 goals for Wexford Youths, Kylie continues to lead by example as their captain, inspiring teammates and supporters with her unwavering commitment to the game.
- What’s the best piece of advice you have gotten in your career?
The best piece of advice I probably have gotten in my career is honestly to enjoy it because I’m coming towards the end of probably playing soccer, not too far off it. I suppose sometimes you can get caught up in wanting to win and you’re striving for perfection all day, every day. It’s probably something that maybe doesn’t exist because everybody’s partially imperfect, and we all make mistakes and things like that. So the best advice I’ve ever got is to always make sure you enjoy it because there’s certain moments within your weeks, months, years, just moments where you’re just probably taking it for granted and not realizing that at the end of the day you get to go out and do what you love at the highest level that you can. How lucky are we to be able to do that? So yeah, this is definitely just to enjoy it and make sure that it’s always somewhat fun. I know there has to be a certain aspect of it where it has to be professional and it has to be all or nothing but if you’re not enjoying it at the end of the day, what’s the point in doing it? So yeah, that’s probably the best piece of advice I’ve ever done.
- What advice would you give to young aspiring female athletes looking to reach high-performance levels in their respective sports?
The best advice I’d give to young athletes trying to get to the top level would probably be to just kind of take it day by day. It’s definitely not a Sprint, it’s a marathon. There’s going to be so many ups and downs in anybody’s whole career, loads of setbacks, things like that, but it’s just how you adapt to those setbacks and how you react to them because life controlling off a lot of stuff at you in general, outside of sports, within sports, and outside of sports. So you just have to be able to deal with things as best you can and have a really good balance and just keep your head down and keep focused. You know when you think you’re doing enough you’re probably not. You need to dig that extra bit deeper and things like that. So that’s probably the best piece of advice I could give.
- In your experience, how has the landscape for women in sport evolved, and what positive changes do you anticipate for the next generation of female athletes?
Yeah, I think the landscape of the game has changed drastically. I suppose from when I was a young kid, when we didn’t have dressing rooms or pitches maxed out or things like that, and it’s changed drastically, and it’s absolutely amazing. I think that it’s just growing bigger and bigger by the day. I do think there’s still a lot more to go, but it’s great to see that it’s moving in the right direction and there’s just going to be so much out there now for kids and any boys or girls growing up that they’re going to be able to see women on the TV and as they can now see women on the TV and it’s just going to get bigger and better and there’s going to be more coverage and more media. It’s just it’s amazing and to think about where it came from in, in a matter of, I suppose, even in a matter of last maybe three years, it’s it was growing but very, very slowly and it’s just took a huge jump there now in the last couple of years and the funding that’s going into women’s soccer and women’s sport in general is just it’s fantastic and it’s really, really good to see, and really exciting for like you said, the next generation coming is they’re literally going to have the world at their feet and it’s just going to take a bit of talent and a bit of hard work. And you can see kids can make it to anywhere they want to make it to they can really dream big and you know it’s there’s there’s such a good pathway there now which is incredible to see.
As Women in Sport Week celebrates the achievements of female athletes, Kylie Murphy’s story serves as a testament to dedication and excellence in football. Her contributions to Wexford Youths and the wider footballing community highlight the significant impact of women in sports. Through her exceptional skills and steadfast leadership, Kylie embodies the spirit of Women in Sport Week, encouraging aspiring athletes to pursue their passions and embrace opportunities in football and beyond. Let us commend Kylie Murphy and other trailblazing women who continue to inspire and pave the way for future generations of athletes with their enduring dedication and passion for the game.