Cork GAA club launches coaching programme 

North Cork club launches four-year schools programme to encourage young children to take up physical activity

John O'Donoghue, Dara Lynch, Stephen O'Brien and Cillian Geaney during the GAA Cul camp at Inniscarra GAA club. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

A GAA club in north Cork has launched a four-year schools coaching programme to encourage young children to take up physical activity — an initiative the club said is even more important post-lockdown.

Mitchelstown Ballygiblin Juvenile GAA club has kicked off its in-school coaching programme for junior to second class students of Bunscoil na Toirbhirte, Scoil na mBráithre and Ballygiblin national schools.

Thanks to support from Horgan's Delicatessen supplies, LAYA Healthcare and Lehane Motors, and some private donors, the club has engaged two coaches, Luke Hanna and Dylan Price, who are studying sports and leisure at third level, to work with the schools for the next four years.

Their emphasis will be on fun and enjoyment through physical activity, done through the medium of Gaelic games.

“The enforced lockdown has emphasised for us all the importance of young people being active in a social environment with their peers and has emphasised for us all the huge array of benefits that this brings,” club chairperson Mary Hannon said.

The creation of the coaching programme was informed by the results of a survey of first to sixth class students by club coach and local primary school teacher, Ryan Quirke, found that just 27% of the boys surveyed played hurling, 31% played football and 32% played soccer.

Ms Hannon said the findings point to a worryingly high percentage of children who are not involved in any sporting activity at all.

“We were obviously concerned from a Gaelic games perspective, but even more so from a health implications aspect," she said.

There were concerns also that during lockdown, many people just got out of the habit or routine of participating in physical activity.

The coaching programme, which was launched by Kerry football legend and Sunday Game panelist Tomás Ó Sé, introduces children to basic skills, including jumping, catching, and hopping, before moving on to finer skills.