Why are we not thinking of these things

[Truth as i see it]

This is just something that i came across on the Midlands twitter page, Westmeath are making some very shrewd investments in facilities and structures that will benefit them in the next few years and i cant help but think, why are we not thinking of initiatives like this.


Athlone Institute of Technology and Westmeath GAA have launched an academy which will help develop up to 80 young players each year.

In 2014 the focus is on coaching and sports science support for Under 13 hurlers and footballers.

Trials for the academy will take place across the Lake County next month with a further testing session in Athlone IT in March to determine selection.

Emmett Egan, sport scientist at AIT, explained the rationale for developing the academy. “Understanding the changing needs of the young player at each stage of their development is crucial towards helping produce a talented, successful and injury-free player. It is important to understand that the development of the player is paramount in this regard. They must be schooled in all the necessary skills in their formative years to have the right set of tools – both physical and technical. Young players must be able to pass, tackle, block, kick and catch correctly, as well as learning how to improve speed, stamina, flexibility, agility and balance in a safe and progressive manner.”

AIT’s expertise in sport science and coaching will be a key feature of the academy, said Mr Egan. “The approach of the coaching staff will be completely player-focused and absolutely everything associated with the project will be in the best interests of these young hurlers and footballers. The coach is crucial to the development of each player, and our coaching approach is based on sound scientific principles,” he said.

Sean Sheridan, chairman of Westmeath County Board, said that: “Investment in youth is a must and without it success will always be a step away. Our under-13 squads this year start a process that will ensure that the right steps are taken in their development and also in Westmeath’s development plan at under-age into the future for both football and hurling.

“The Westmeath County Board and AIT enjoy a very good working relationship and we appreciate all the help and assistance provided to us. We continue to work together always looking to improve, so we are delighted to partner with AIT on what is a new initiative for the GAA in general, and, in particular, for Westmeath. We recognise that it will take a huge effort from all, but with the facilities in AIT, which are second to none, along with sport science expertise, we believe it’s well worth the effort,” Mr Sheridan stated.

The players participating in the AIT-Westmeath GAA Academy will be profiled according to their agility, reaction, speed and power using state-of-the-art equipment. Training sessions will involve a combination of physical development, player education and pitch-based skills.


I know that the county does not posses a college to develop such programmes but when i see the ideas and initiatives that Roscommon and Westmeath are coming up with i cant help but think whats stopping us from developing some ideas ourselves

Its not all about money, the motivation and the injenuity is obviously there in these two counties to think outside the box and develop these ideas, i cant help but think that the current county board are incapable of thinking of something as creative and innovative as this

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

Yes but we have the expertise with the likes of Joe Quinn. So if he was properly utilised and supervise and educate coaches to implement the program that he could prepare then we would be making progress. The link to AIT will encourage players to attend u13, as parents would see this as an opportunity to engage with a third level institute, and set them up to aspire to college training and education.

[jimbob17]

very interesting to see how they are thinking ahead. And they are still only playing catch up with Dublin and Kildare who have similar initiatives in place a few years, maybe not at 13, but certainly from 14-15 up. I know for certain that there are people in the county with expertise in sports science and coaching to carry a similar venture through and there are a few lads with similar credentials to Joe Quinn that are totally under-utilised, even in their own clubs. Id need more than 2 hands to count lads in the county with degrees in sport science and coaching from the likes of UL and DCU and some are doing nothing in this area. Ive been saying this for years that these people need to be tapped into but the county board cannot see it.

I heard a story recently of an effort made a few years ago to put over 50 lads from an Offaly Underage year cohort on strength and conditioning programmes free of charge to the county board and the board blocked it as they said that 50 from one year group would never get to play senior for the county. Not alone this, when it went ahead for the 26 lads on the panel, people in the county board were reluctant to let the parents into o connor park to go to a meeting under the stand on the evening of the introduction because they thought that some would try and get into an intermediate football group game for free. Phonecalls had to be made to let the parents in! You can take it that this is a fact as the lad who told me was fairly in the know of what is going on. I was shocked to say the least...... and we wonder why we are where we are!

[Truth as i see it]

Its just very frustrating to me that they are incapable of thinking outside the box, even simple ideas like building a coaching data base that would be updated each year for future coaches to tap into could be set up at a very low cost but there's no indication of any movement from the board to move it forward in that direction

Credit where its due though Padraig Boland has been calling for clubs to look after their underage structure and he is even visiting clubs himself to talk to clubs about doing more but i just think its not enough, we need to put together a step by step plan so that when the next chairman takes over whenever and whoever that might be he will have a structured frame work on which which to build on

Right now it just feels like they're doing a bit here and a bit there and while Alan Mulhall is doing a fantastic job of coaching and promoting the game (along with Pat Cleary) i just feel like we're really only scratching the iceberg in terms of what needs to be done to progress the county down the line

People on this site are always coming up with good ideas, why don't we set up an ideas forum and send the results to the county board?

[Truth as i see it]

actually forget that idea i forgot you need to do it through a club motion to get it through to the county board

Sorry my bad

[jimbob17]

I can't believe so few are commenting on this issue as the way things have gone in other counties, failure to follow suit will determine that the chance of success at senior level never comes. If we are not doing the right things, how can we be successful. Action or stagnation. Its either one or the other and i think we have been too stagnant for too long.....