PAUL BRADY
Paul Brady: No, Not The Song writer
After Michael Jordan's forty-nine years (and counting) of world records and an unfathomable number of TV appearances, his name became a two-word adjective to describe a very rare yet exceptional athlete--the kind that is “changing the face of the game.” Paul Brady could be the Michael Jordan of handball, but quite frankly, there comes a time in everyone’s career when he simply wants his success diverged from another.
Consequentially, Brady decided once and for all that he would not lose again.
"At that stage, before Seattle, I had lost to Chapman around five or six times, and I began to question what I was in handball for," he said. "I'd been playing on the pro circuit for two years at this stage, so the novelty and excitement of just competing there had begun to wear off. I told myself that I wasn’t going to waste my time and money traveling out there anymore to lose.
"From now on, I decided, every time I traveled I was there to win. I wrote down that I was going to beat Chapman in the Showdown and win that $50, 000. I wanted it really badly and I felt that this was the time I'd been waiting for."
His big moment came in 2005 when he won the USHA National Four-Wall Championships. He did it again in 2006. And then again in 2007. All the way up to 2010. That was when American magazine Handball dubbed his achievement as “Super Sixth!”
“I was focused on getting my sixth, to earn it by having to go through a great champion like Chapman, and to have a place next to Jim Jacobs and Fred Lewis in history is an honor,” Brady said after his victory in 2010.
The following year, Brady was sidelined by a fractured finger, but he returned in 2012 with even more vigor, determination and, not to mention, style. Three months after the Cavan man had picked up his eighth Irish Championship title in a row, the defending champion claimed his seventh USHA Four-Wall National Championships Men's Open Singles title in Los Angeles by easily dispatching Armagh's Charly Shanks in the final, 21-10, 21-10.
With the US National Championship over, what comes next is October's World Championships in Citywest. "I'm really excited about the worlds," he said. "The way the championships have been publicized in Ireland is something new, I've never seen such publicity. Handball is booming in Ireland."
Prior to the 2012 US National Championships, Brady secured a Canadian Nationals victory at his first attempt.
“I played well enough in Canada but I'm well aware that tougher challenges lie ahead in the coming months so I'm always looking for improvement," he said. “I'd never been to the Canadian Nationals before and it was a title I wanted to win before I retired."
Brady was born on September 20, 1979 in Cavan, Ireland. Some may say he was born into the sport, as his brother Philip Brady plays handball as well. However, it was not until he was twelve years old when he began to immerse himself into the sport. He started off playing doubles, not so much singles.
“I just was not strong enough to play singles and not having success in doubles found it frustrating," he said. "It was killing me to lose games and going home in the car after games. I didn't have much success at juvenile level."
Indeed, Brady was not the most successful junior basketball competitor. Today his resume is quite impressive, but the nine-time All Ireland Senior Singles Champion was not always top dog. In fact, his story from underdog to his title as the "Best Handball Player in the World" consists of a lot more than a strict regimen. When Brady first began competing in the Pro Stops and the GAA Handball All Ireland Senior Championships, success seemed far fetched. He struggled a lot, losing in the Irish singles and doubles events.
Brady's success streak did not begin until 2002 in Minneapolis, where he defeated Vince Munoz in the final. That Pro Stop victory fueled him with confidence for the next decade.
Brady went on to win the GAA Handball All Ireland Senior Singles Championships nine times; GAA Handball All Ireland Senior Doubles Championships six times; World Senior Singles Championships three times; World Senior Doubles Championships once; and United States Nationals seven times.
“Nothing else matters in life to me at the moment than to win these tournaments," Brady said. "'Make hay while the sun shines was the phrase.' The bottom line is no matter what happens, whatever I have to do; wherever I have to go to be a better player to win, I will go and do it. That is what it boils down to for me."
Brady possesses an underlying passion to win, not just to beat his opponents, but to define himself in history while recreating the caliber.
"Each generation, in every sport, has players who are remembered as the best," he said. "I want that to be me. Now that I've reached this position, I’m not going to let it slip. Where do I go from here? I want to do it all again."
In a few words, Brady is ambitious, unyielding and, in the words of Handball, an “explosive powerhouse, the sort of player who comes along once in a generation." He is easily characterized as someone who is highly disciplined and dedicated. But there is also something uncannily simpleminded--perhaps even refreshing--about his approach to his ambitions. It's very technical and straightforward, a "just do it" Nike-like manner.
Brady, of course, plays to win. Who doesn't? But what sets Brady apart from everyone else is that he knows when and how he will win. He sets his goal high: to be the best in the world, not just the best that he can be. He then trains to acquire the skills he needs to implement the shots he needs to defeat his opponents. That, along with some mental strength, gives Brady the confidence to know that if he is playing well, he can win.
"I am meant to be the best player in the world," he said. "I believe that. It is who I am, and I going to fight to keep my identity. That gives me a lot of motivation."
After Michael Jordan's forty-nine years (and counting) of world records and an unfathomable number of TV appearances, his name became a two-word adjective to describe a very rare yet exceptional athlete--the kind that is “changing the face of the game.” Paul Brady could be the Michael Jordan of handball, but quite frankly, there comes a time in everyone’s career when he simply wants his success diverged from another.
Consequentially, Brady decided once and for all that he would not lose again.
"At that stage, before Seattle, I had lost to Chapman around five or six times, and I began to question what I was in handball for," he said. "I'd been playing on the pro circuit for two years at this stage, so the novelty and excitement of just competing there had begun to wear off. I told myself that I wasn’t going to waste my time and money traveling out there anymore to lose.
"From now on, I decided, every time I traveled I was there to win. I wrote down that I was going to beat Chapman in the Showdown and win that $50, 000. I wanted it really badly and I felt that this was the time I'd been waiting for."
His big moment came in 2005 when he won the USHA National Four-Wall Championships. He did it again in 2006. And then again in 2007. All the way up to 2010. That was when American magazine Handball dubbed his achievement as “Super Sixth!”
“I was focused on getting my sixth, to earn it by having to go through a great champion like Chapman, and to have a place next to Jim Jacobs and Fred Lewis in history is an honor,” Brady said after his victory in 2010.
The following year, Brady was sidelined by a fractured finger, but he returned in 2012 with even more vigor, determination and, not to mention, style. Three months after the Cavan man had picked up his eighth Irish Championship title in a row, the defending champion claimed his seventh USHA Four-Wall National Championships Men's Open Singles title in Los Angeles by easily dispatching Armagh's Charly Shanks in the final, 21-10, 21-10.
With the US National Championship over, what comes next is October's World Championships in Citywest. "I'm really excited about the worlds," he said. "The way the championships have been publicized in Ireland is something new, I've never seen such publicity. Handball is booming in Ireland."
Prior to the 2012 US National Championships, Brady secured a Canadian Nationals victory at his first attempt.
“I played well enough in Canada but I'm well aware that tougher challenges lie ahead in the coming months so I'm always looking for improvement," he said. “I'd never been to the Canadian Nationals before and it was a title I wanted to win before I retired."
Brady was born on September 20, 1979 in Cavan, Ireland. Some may say he was born into the sport, as his brother Philip Brady plays handball as well. However, it was not until he was twelve years old when he began to immerse himself into the sport. He started off playing doubles, not so much singles.
“I just was not strong enough to play singles and not having success in doubles found it frustrating," he said. "It was killing me to lose games and going home in the car after games. I didn't have much success at juvenile level."
Indeed, Brady was not the most successful junior basketball competitor. Today his resume is quite impressive, but the nine-time All Ireland Senior Singles Champion was not always top dog. In fact, his story from underdog to his title as the "Best Handball Player in the World" consists of a lot more than a strict regimen. When Brady first began competing in the Pro Stops and the GAA Handball All Ireland Senior Championships, success seemed far fetched. He struggled a lot, losing in the Irish singles and doubles events.
Brady's success streak did not begin until 2002 in Minneapolis, where he defeated Vince Munoz in the final. That Pro Stop victory fueled him with confidence for the next decade.
Brady went on to win the GAA Handball All Ireland Senior Singles Championships nine times; GAA Handball All Ireland Senior Doubles Championships six times; World Senior Singles Championships three times; World Senior Doubles Championships once; and United States Nationals seven times.
“Nothing else matters in life to me at the moment than to win these tournaments," Brady said. "'Make hay while the sun shines was the phrase.' The bottom line is no matter what happens, whatever I have to do; wherever I have to go to be a better player to win, I will go and do it. That is what it boils down to for me."
Brady possesses an underlying passion to win, not just to beat his opponents, but to define himself in history while recreating the caliber.
"Each generation, in every sport, has players who are remembered as the best," he said. "I want that to be me. Now that I've reached this position, I’m not going to let it slip. Where do I go from here? I want to do it all again."
In a few words, Brady is ambitious, unyielding and, in the words of Handball, an “explosive powerhouse, the sort of player who comes along once in a generation." He is easily characterized as someone who is highly disciplined and dedicated. But there is also something uncannily simpleminded--perhaps even refreshing--about his approach to his ambitions. It's very technical and straightforward, a "just do it" Nike-like manner.
Brady, of course, plays to win. Who doesn't? But what sets Brady apart from everyone else is that he knows when and how he will win. He sets his goal high: to be the best in the world, not just the best that he can be. He then trains to acquire the skills he needs to implement the shots he needs to defeat his opponents. That, along with some mental strength, gives Brady the confidence to know that if he is playing well, he can win.
"I am meant to be the best player in the world," he said. "I believe that. It is who I am, and I going to fight to keep my identity. That gives me a lot of motivation."