Enya Breen is getting ready for the Women's Rugby World Cup, and while there is a certain amount of nerves associated with this, she has a special way of keeping her mind and body calm.
Ireland is due to play two warm-up matches in August; the first against Scotland at Virgin Media Park, Cork, on Saturday 2. The following week, they will head to Belfast to meet Canada at Kingspan Stadium.
After failing to qualify for the 2022 World Cup, this time around, the team is coming back stronger than ever, wanting to take on any challenge that comes their way.
Canterbury of New Zealand, a long-standing partner of the Irish Rugby Football Union, unveiled the official Ireland Women's Rugby World Cup jersey for the tournament on Wednesday and the team will wear it for the first time when they take on Japan on August 24 at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Getting ready to take part in her first Women's Rugby World Cup, Enya spoke to EVOKE about how she refuses to let nerves get the best of her.
'Journaling beforehand just helps me get everything that's in my head out, and I can just focus on the game,' she told EVOKE.
Enya added: 'I've done it for a good few years now, but I think I probably started just by journaling outside of rugby, trying to do a daily journal and also maintain my mental health.'
In recent years, the game has not only become about keeping your body fit and healthy, but also your mind, with Enya saying how the side's sport psychologists encourage the team to jot down their thoughts; to get all the thoughts in their heads out and on to paper.
With the good times come the bad, and being able to deal with victory for Enya is just as important as knowing how to tackle loss.
As the team get ready to take on other teams, the Cork woman will have her journal close at hand before heading out onto the pitch.
The Irish Women's Rugby jerseys will be available at Intersport Elverys and Canterbury online from July 25, starting from €80
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