“Wow,” she says and then takes a second or two to think. “Where do I start?”
It’s an understandable response from Kascie Weir after being asked to put the last 10 days of her life into words.
So much has happened for the 18-year-old in that time that it’s necessary really to take time to remember what has gone on and to reflect.
It’s been a week or so of firsts — a first senior international call up, a first cap in the 2-0 defeat to Poland and then came the real shock, a full Northern Ireland debut when Tanya Oxtoby named the Glentoran Women striker in the starting line-up to face Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Weir was so close to adding ‘first international goal’ to that list, having three chances come her way during an impressive first half. That is sure to come, with her career trajectory now expected to keep going upwards.
“I came off and I was gutted because I had a good three shots and the goalkeeper saved a couple,” says Weir, who jetted from Albania to England after being called from the Under-19 squad before then flying to Poland.
“I just need to put them away next time, but I am buzzing with my performance.
“This week has just been mad, I’ve been in Albania, Poland, England, Northern Ireland. I would say it will sink in more next week and I will be like, ‘Wow, what a week I have had’.
“We were going through set-plays on the morning of the game when I saw my name in the starting team.
“I was straight onto the phone to my dad telling him and I was absolutely buzzing to start for the senior team. It’s a dream come true.”
Weir was rightly buzzing. Had Northern Ireland capitalised on the chances that were created, not just those for Weir, in the first half they would have been comfortably ahead rather than just 1-0 to the good and the two quick-fire goals from Bosnia that turned the game around within four minutes of the second half wouldn’t have been so significant.
Neither would there have been the need for Simone Magill, backed by two Ellie Mason assists, to lead the comeback with her late double strike to secure a 3-2 win and the first points of the Nations League campaign.
A teenager with a very level head and her feet firmly planted on the ground, Weir is, however, ambitious and hungry.
She has short-term goals and the trail blazed by others has her sights set on long-term success too.
“I just want to build on this in the coming season, hopefully get more starts for the Glens and build from there, try get into the senior team more often. Just play my game and hopefully that will get me recognised more,” says Weir, who no longer has Kerry Beattie blocking her way to becoming a regular with Glentoran.
“I do see a bigger opportunity for me this season.
“Hopefully I get more starts. I will just see how pre-season and then the season after that.
“Hopefully it goes well, I can start banging in the goals and go from there.
“I need to score goals — link-up play, score goals that will get me into the team.”
Following former team mates Beattie and Joely Andrews into full-time football is the ultimate aim. For now though passing her A Levels and getting the grade that will take her to university — yes, she is combing international football with school work — is the goal.
“Maybe in a couple of years’ time hopefully there might be a move to England or Scotland. That would be great,” she says.
Weir’s rapid progress is an example for her Under-19 colleagues and others who are in the somewhat limbo position of being too old for that level while still challenging for a shot in the senior squad.
“Super,” was how manager Tanya Oxtoby described Weir’s performance.
“I think people are learning with me now that if they are good enough they are old enough. She has impressed since she has been in with us, she earned her start and I though she did an excellent job.
“You will see a few more for sure. We are in a really good place and there are a few who are just transitioning out that are probably ready to start to be integrated into the squad so we are definitely in a really good space in that regard.”