A NEW REPORT produced for the GAA on underage coaching, competition structures and retention has called for a “fundamental reorientation of the purpose and design of youth Gaelic games”.

The report, Shaping the future of juvenile Gaelic games: Evidence to inform a youth games framework, was published on Friday.

It states: “The current structures of youth Gaelic games are serving a minority of early developing, physically mature, highly skilled players while systematically failing the majority.

“The research calls for a fundamental reorientation of the purpose and design of youth Gaelic games.”

The authors of the report insist:

“This is not a call to remove competition. Young people value competition. It is a call to ensure that competition serves development, participation, belonging and long-term retention — rather than functioning as a filtering mechanism that progressively excludes those who need the most support.”

- Framework - 

After researching the cause and reasons for underage dropout, one of the issues identified was the competitive nature of games.

“A pervasive win-at-all-costs ethos was seen as a very significant barrier to participation among 13-to-17-year-olds,” the report said.

“This culture was rooted in adult expectations and coaching traditions and was seen as fundamentally misaligned with the developmental needs of young players.”

The report recommends that the GAA should introduce a national, evidence-informed Youth Games Framework for U13–U17 players, including:

• Meaningful game-time guarantees for every registered player
• Formally embedded modified game formats (primarily 11 v 11 and 9 v 9 on appropriately scaled pitches)
• Nationally standardised pitch and goal dimensions by age group and format
• Reformed grading systems that create close, meaningful competition
• Enhanced, compulsory coach education in inclusion, adolescent development and player-centred coaching
• Better fixture planning with greater regularity and cross-code coordination
• Structural protections for late developers, on-age players, and players at key transition points
• Flexible club structures supporting multiple teams and reduced amalgamation pressure
• Robust, longitudinal monitoring and evaluation from the outset Youth Gaelic games should remain competitive, but not at the expense of participation, development, enjoyment, belonging and long-term retention.

Shane Flanagan, GAA director of coaching and games development, stated: “The central proposition of this report is that the U13–U17 phase requires a clearer, graduated Youth Games Framework.

“Such a framework should bridge the gap between Go Games and adult formats through age-appropriate progression in player numbers, pitch dimensions, goal sizes, rules, substitution systems and competitive emphasis.

“It should preserve competition but ensure that competition serves development rather than replacing it.”

- Player development - 

The Executive Summary notes that the continued success of Gaelic games depends on “creating positive, developmentally appropriate playing experiences for young players”.

Therefore, there needs to be some fresh thinking around game formats to “reflect the physical, technical, tactical and psychological needs of children and adolescents rather than replicate the adult game”.

The research examined the possibility of modified games “in supporting player development across juvenile Gaelic games.

“The study explored how modifications to player numbers, playing areas and competition structures could enhance player involvement, skill development, enjoyment and long-term participation for players aged 13–17 years across hurling, football, camogie and ladies’ Gaelic football”.

As for the growing tension around increased competition and expectations from coaches, the recommended action is to “make inclusive, player-centred coaching mandatory in all coach education.

“Train coaches in adolescent development, communication and managing mixed-ability groups. Evaluate coaches on player retention and development, not only results. Introduce mentoring for youth coaches and establish sanctions for exclusionary or abusive behaviour.”

In the area of player drop-out, “insufficient and unequal access to meaningful game time was identified as the most salient factor underpinning dropout among young people aged 13–17.”

“Traditional 15-a-side formats on full-sized pitches were consistently argued to be developmentally inappropriate for early and mid-adolescents. Large pitches favour physically advanced players while disadvantaging smaller, later-maturing individuals.”

- Resistance - 

Some “strong support” has been suggested in the report that a “transitional structure” could be created to bridge the Go-Games model, to full competition, for the 11-14 cohort.

Solutions or actions could come in the form of modified games, suggested as 7-, 9-, 11- or 13-a-side, which are “considered more developmentally appropriate, inclusive and enjoyable, with greater opportunity for meaningful engagement. Benefits extended beyond weaker players to mid-ability groups.”

However, the authors of the report have noted that such an addition could prove difficult.

“There may be considerable resistance to modified games, primarily rooted in cultural tradition and adult expectations rather than evidence. Coaches’ attachment to adult-based models and parental pressure for winning were the primary sources of resistance discussed.”

The report says any future changes to youth GAA “will require appropriate consultation, practical assessment and, where necessary, further piloting and evaluation”. 

The research involved interviews with provincial GAA staff, games development managers, and a public consultation that heard from almost 1,500 respondents.

There was also field-testing on new game formats conducted at Abbotstown. 

The full report can be read here.