I don't have any arguments either. For balance I suppose I should point out the S&C stuff the U17 hurlers did at Athlone RTC last year. Other hand, I'm aware of grumbling by parents and others on time spent doing S&C work that could have been spent doing ground hurling drills (God help us!).
I think the single biggest problem is the lack of will to change. And that applies to the grassroots as much as anyone else. But brilliant piece.
jimbob17 wrote:While there is an element of positivity about our hurlers this year, there are bigger issues at play. I know its been discussed previously but its very relevant. We are in the position now in hurling because on one reason alone. Our underage hurling structures have been mismanaged for years - and have always been. Other counties have moved with the times. We have few decent coaches in our county working at youth level. I'd say there are countless clubs in Kilkenny Wexford and Dublin with higher numbers of decent coaches than we have in our whole county. There is an apathy towards improving coaching standards in the county and we as a county are paying the price.
We have an amount of average players - nobody really stands out in club championships- not like they used to at least. I'd say at least 50 lads have played league or championship in the last 3 years. County lads dont stand out any more in club level - From fitness point of view alone they should be standing out. That's not reflective of an elite level set up.
Lads waltz from minor into senior panel and then whinge when they dont get to play. Minors and U21 have done nothing in the last 10-12 years. Cant remember them even beating a wexford or Dublin and lose regularly to "lesser" counties. We are in disarray. Very often, lads arent treated right at underage and by the time they get to adult level, they just couldnt be arsed being involved in another "joke set up" as has often been the case. There is no prestige in being involved in Offaly hurling.
Standards and expectations are set very low and we get our just rewards. We are getting little or none through to play Fitzgibbon hurling - a significant bridge to inter county senior. Lads that wouldnt get near a fitzgibbon team in a WIT, UCC or UL are making our senior panel. Kildare Westmeath Carlow and Laois are outperforming us regarding Fitzgibbon numbers of late.
Skillful, tricky lads come through that don't have the speed or power, yet they are not given the tools to improve this area. Strong powerful lads come through that don't have the skills and we don't have the knowledge to impart how to develop these. What are the county board doing with regard to developing lads physically for county level. I know of other counties that have employed people to manage underage strength and conditioning programmes. If we were anyway smart, we should be getting good young sport science people involved and drive the thing from the bottom up.
I was at a level 1 coaching course there 2 yrs ago and some clubs had nobody in doing them. They were good courses and I learned a bit but there were lads there who really opened my eyes about our dearth of coaching practice. I know everyone is there to learn and improve and it was great they were there but some of the stories relayed were horrific - lads talkin about doing laps etc, horrendous stuff . There is another level 2 course that I intend to do in the next while and was talking lately to someone in Kilkenny from an intermediate club about it. He said that 4 or 5 from his club alone has a level 2 course done and at least 40 have the level 1 done. there is huge appetite for doing the whole coaching thing right down there and he reckoned Wexford werent too far off them in what they were at. I'd say Dublin are up there too......
He also that said nobody would get near being involved with a county team at any level without having a level 2 course or at least level 1 with a lot of experience at playing and coaching at adult club level. I doubt thats the case in Offaly where they are struggling to get anyone in some ages. He was surprised when i told him what was going on in Offaly with little appetite for attending the courses and little demand for them. Sure its no wonder we are where we are. We are not getting our heroes of yore to contribute anything. Now some might not be brilliant but there are good lads there that need to be tapped into. It seems Birr are on the right track again and this is badly needed as they have produced very little for us for the last few years.
Meanwhile, we go to play likes of Clare, Limerick and wexford - counties we should be able to compete with at the very least and get trimming after trimming. Last year was hugely embarassing. Eamon Kelly and his crew will ship some heavy water but I cant help thinking that it is worse its going to get. Laoise have gone and built their ship from the bottom up. We might sneak a win over them short term, but longer term, they are way ahead of us at the moment.
We will probably stay up but the scary thing will be how far we are off the Clares and Limericks. Lets hope that bridge can be closed with hard work but it'll take more than that if its to be sustained longer term.......