THE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND a report that seeks to arrest the drop-out rate of children playing Gaelic Games in their teenage years are emerging.
A presentation on the academic studies of coaching and participation was held last month in Abbotstown, chaired by Dr Peter Horgan, who is heading up the current research, due to be presented in Croke Park this week, with a report published at a later date.
The findings were presented to GAA Head of Games staff, with subsequent discussions.
These presentations are heavily researched, nuanced and partially in response to sociodemographic changes.
There was a presentation outlining different versions of games, different sizes of pitches and varying numbers of players. Various metrics were looked at, including the number of touches of the ball players got and even distances covered.
What they are trying to achieve is to provide enough playing time to different types of players and clubs.
One would be the large club, typically urban, who field at underage level and have a surplus of substitutes who often do not all get meaningful game time.
The other would be the smaller unit, usually but not always rural, that are struggling for numbers. Their plight is one of constant amalgamations with other clubs throughout their underage careers, until transition to senior level with a ‘parent’ club.
What is being proposed is to complement the existing competitions by adding more activity in a different framing.
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Therefore, the smaller clubs can field in various games or blitzes that allow for teams of, for example, 9-a-side, on smaller pitches. This would allow them an opportunity to play underage matches in their club colours and foster their own identity.
Some of this thinking and subsequent innovations have emerged after the GAA’s Demographics study: ‘Nobody Shouted Stop – Until Now.’
Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
The flip side of the small, rural club struggling for numbers is what has become commonplace in bigger towns where there can be an abundance of children looking to play, but only so many spaces on a team.
As one attendee at the presentation launch tells The 42: “You could have two clubs who have 25 kids at U13 level each and they’re local rivals. But say only 15 players in each team get playing time in that match.
“Well, hold on, have we got another format that either immediately after that game that the two sets of ten players who didn’t feature, can we have something for them? In a slightly different format?”
They continue, “The non-competitive nature of that is you maybe don’t record the result of the 9 v 9 game. Or there isn’t a league table. So it is less competitive because you are not recording but at the same time, I would like to think that the nine or 10 kids on either side will be ultra-competitive when they are playing against each other.”
The research on the drop rate is measurable on the Foireann App, which records the numbers of club membership.
An important element to note is that the research was commissioned some time ago and predated the wider Games Development Review, but is not to be confused with agreed GAA policy.
Wexford county board chairman Micheál Martin, who is also the chairman of the Coaching and Games committee, told The 42 there is a pilot scheme to co-fund, or offer financial assistance, to units that wish to buy full-size, portable goals.
“For example, you cannot play an 11-a-side game on a full pitch. The pitch is too big,” Martin said. “And that is absolutely going to be needed in the future.”
Even before details of the research emerged, some counties had already travelled down this road with their players in the 13-17 cohort.
South Kerry in particular and Kerry in general have been working on this. Former Roscommon player Cathal Cregg, the Connacht games development manager, has been hosting events at the Connacht GAA Air Dome in Bekan, Mayo.
‘Non-traditional’
“The notion of ‘non-competitiveness’ is not being considered,” said Martin.
“But it is in ‘non-traditional’ formats, to run alongside traditional formats and to give different opportunities to try and make sure to retain participation.
“I’m not sure if I would be giving research all the credit here. Counties have already started doing this ever before research, because they are responding to local need.
“We are coming to county AGM end-of-the-year time, so a lot of these ideas come organically from clubs saying, ‘listen, we have a problem here,’ and the county board can try to solve it. That’s the way it should work.”
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'Non-traditional' GAA games to be rolled out in an effort to address drop-out rate
THE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND a report that seeks to arrest the drop-out rate of children playing Gaelic Games in their teenage years are emerging.
A presentation on the academic studies of coaching and participation was held last month in Abbotstown, chaired by Dr Peter Horgan, who is heading up the current research, due to be presented in Croke Park this week, with a report published at a later date.
The findings were presented to GAA Head of Games staff, with subsequent discussions.
These presentations are heavily researched, nuanced and partially in response to sociodemographic changes.
There was a presentation outlining different versions of games, different sizes of pitches and varying numbers of players. Various metrics were looked at, including the number of touches of the ball players got and even distances covered.
What they are trying to achieve is to provide enough playing time to different types of players and clubs.
One would be the large club, typically urban, who field at underage level and have a surplus of substitutes who often do not all get meaningful game time.
The other would be the smaller unit, usually but not always rural, that are struggling for numbers. Their plight is one of constant amalgamations with other clubs throughout their underage careers, until transition to senior level with a ‘parent’ club.
What is being proposed is to complement the existing competitions by adding more activity in a different framing.
Therefore, the smaller clubs can field in various games or blitzes that allow for teams of, for example, 9-a-side, on smaller pitches. This would allow them an opportunity to play underage matches in their club colours and foster their own identity.
Some of this thinking and subsequent innovations have emerged after the GAA’s Demographics study: ‘Nobody Shouted Stop – Until Now.’
The flip side of the small, rural club struggling for numbers is what has become commonplace in bigger towns where there can be an abundance of children looking to play, but only so many spaces on a team.
As one attendee at the presentation launch tells The 42: “You could have two clubs who have 25 kids at U13 level each and they’re local rivals. But say only 15 players in each team get playing time in that match.
They continue, “The non-competitive nature of that is you maybe don’t record the result of the 9 v 9 game. Or there isn’t a league table. So it is less competitive because you are not recording but at the same time, I would like to think that the nine or 10 kids on either side will be ultra-competitive when they are playing against each other.”
The research on the drop rate is measurable on the Foireann App, which records the numbers of club membership.
An important element to note is that the research was commissioned some time ago and predated the wider Games Development Review, but is not to be confused with agreed GAA policy.
Wexford county board chairman Micheál Martin, who is also the chairman of the Coaching and Games committee, told The 42 there is a pilot scheme to co-fund, or offer financial assistance, to units that wish to buy full-size, portable goals.
“For example, you cannot play an 11-a-side game on a full pitch. The pitch is too big,” Martin said. “And that is absolutely going to be needed in the future.”
Even before details of the research emerged, some counties had already travelled down this road with their players in the 13-17 cohort.
South Kerry in particular and Kerry in general have been working on this. Former Roscommon player Cathal Cregg, the Connacht games development manager, has been hosting events at the Connacht GAA Air Dome in Bekan, Mayo.
‘Non-traditional’
“The notion of ‘non-competitiveness’ is not being considered,” said Martin.
“But it is in ‘non-traditional’ formats, to run alongside traditional formats and to give different opportunities to try and make sure to retain participation.
“I’m not sure if I would be giving research all the credit here. Counties have already started doing this ever before research, because they are responding to local need.
“We are coming to county AGM end-of-the-year time, so a lot of these ideas come organically from clubs saying, ‘listen, we have a problem here,’ and the county board can try to solve it. That’s the way it should work.”
***
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