That’s a good read . The GGA zealots won’t like the last bit-
I am struck in all of this by the simple fact that the voluntary aspect of the GAA is replicated across many other sports. There are volunteers coaching children in soccer and rugby and boxing and athletics and onwards out across the modern world of sport. They live the same experience. I think as much of them as I do of the people who I’ve had the pleasure of meeting in the GAA.
They, too, know that twelve years don’t be long in passing.
A very good read. I would absolutely empathise with the fact you run out of energy for it…the practicalities rarely allow in a small club but 2 years on and a year off would be ideal
Great article.
Delegation is the key to having the energy to stay going. Shame parents into getting involved if you have to. Divey out the small stuff to those who get involved. Refs fees, Pitch allocation, match fixtures, jersey preparation… alot of this stuff can be farmed out but it needs to be organised properly. I got people involved before but probabaly assigned them too much and they jumped ship. More people and smaller tasks is a better approach.
Its exhausting at times but addictive too.
Surely there’s some sort of well-meaning blow-in chump you can pass the shite on to? A dub would be the icing on the cake.
+1
The blow-in Dubs display an insatiable eagerness to break into muldoon cliques so they are mad to take any ould task at all. Then a regular hearty pat on the back and reassure them of what a great job they are doing will keep them interested. They’ll pipe up the odd time with some mad bastard ideas and it can be difficult to tell them that the muldoons won’t buy into that stuff but they learn over the years.
Was recently talking to a lad from college who was a city dweller and big rugby man, now well up in a pharma multinational.
He moved to a rural area and ended going to a GAA club meeting with his new wife, despite never having pucked a ball in his life. He threw in a few comments querying the strategic direction of the club and what pathways they had in place for player and club development. He said at the end of the meeting they tried to make him chairman so he never went again.
Ah Jaysus, that’s rookie shit, you NEVER scare a man like that away. Bring him in quietly, a sub committee or two on a strategic plan. Before he knows it he’s arranging the end of year dinner dance and running the club fundraiser
Anyone here use gps trackers for stats?
I would have experience with them. Big investment for a club to purchase, the thing is you need one fella (usually S&C coach) to analyse and keep a track of the key metrics (distance, high speed running, sprints, top speed)
If you are paying an s&c coach (which many clubs do) then try to incorporate it into their role.
Personally, I would see more benefit it investing money in continuous fitness testing (3 times a year) and proper stats for players. Obviously, the big clubs have all of the above.
We have the S&C coach. What kind of investment are you talking?
Maybe around €200 per player for the unit and vest. Some of the providers offer a subscription model too.
I’d consider it a nice to have rather than an essential. I think players would get more value from video analysis / veo setup.
GPS vests cost about €200 per unit approx.
Some clubs buy a smaller amount (3/5) and randomly put them on players to get average load per session.
The VEO is a serious job…if it had a better zoom function it would be unbeatable
Any club with their heads screwed on will be investing the JP money in GPS and VEO.
Proper capital development
These new luminous green sliotars; what are the best ones out there at the moment? €45 - 50 per dozen seems to be the going rate.
Yes. Apex and stat sports do junior ones that fit 5-9 year olds
Currently just the 8 WhatsApp groups to organise this year.
I’m growing jaded with the admin and just want to coach*
*this is my last year doing it.
I’ve no idea how lads have the time to coach any serious team and have a job/life.
It’s the bit Muldoons will never get about the big Dublin clubs .