THE Ladies Gaelic Football Association has confirmed
the 17 clubs who have been selected to take part in the Gaelic4Teens programme
over the coming months.
Following a hugely-successful pilot in 2017, Gaelic4Teens almost doubled in size last year, and the number of participating clubs is on the rise again in 2019.
The programme will help clubs to retain their
current playing bases while also recruiting players in the 13-17 age bracket,
which has been identified as a group with a high drop-out rate.
The 17 clubs taking part this year are as follows:
Munster: Cooraclare and West Clare Gaels (Clare),
Listowel Emmets and Castlegregory (Kerry), Kilrossanty/Brickeys (Waterford),
Slieve Felim Rapparees and St. Patrick’s, (Tipperary).
Leinster: Robert Emmets and Trinity Gaels (Dublin),
Trim and Drumbaragh (Meath), Killeshin and Graiguecullen
(Laois), Edenderry (Offaly).
Ulster: Ballyhaise and Knockbride (Cavan), Emyvale
(Monaghan).
The programme will work closely with coaches,
influencing the content of their coaching sessions as well as establishing the
best ways for coaches to communicate with their players.
The programme will be monitored and evaluated to
ensure that it achieves the aim of having a direct impact on the retention of
players.
As well as tailoring training sessions, there will
be a focus on education that will see well-known players Cliodhna O’Connor
(Dublin), Sharon Courtney (Monaghan), Orlagh Farmer (Cork), Jackie Kinch
(Wicklow), Sinead Delahunty (Tipperary), Bronagh McGrane (Louth) and Fiona
McHale (Mayo) provide expertise and advice to participants for the duration of
the programme.
The research that prompted the development of the
Gaelic4Teens programme revealed that players play for enjoyment, to keep fit
and healthy, to relieve stress and because their friends also play.
The reasons highlighted for giving up the sport are
that they don’t get enough playing time, there is no fun at training, that it
is too competitive and that they are treated differently.
The programme begins next weekend at two venues –
Saturday February 16 at the Kilcock GAA Grounds in county Kildare and Sunday
February 17 at University of Limerick.
