Radical overhaul of youth structures key feature of plan

A MAJOR overhaul of structures for underage, minor and junior divisional competitions was the most radical element of the Cork GAA Strategic Vision and Action Plan (2010-2015), formally launched last night.

The plan recommends that a pilot programme for the next two years at underage level which would see the Cork Minor Board and County Bord na nÓg merge into one new body, Coiste na nÓg, which will take responsibility for all underage affairs for the U14, U16 and minor grades.

This proposal will see four new regions developed for underage competitions in Cork with the central region will be a county-wide region that will cater for the strongest clubs in the city and large urban areas.

The other three regions will be for clubs not in the Central Region, with the West Region including clubs from Carbery, Beara and West Muskerry, the East Region including clubs from Carrigdhoun, Imokilly, East Muskerry and Seandun, and the North Region including clubs from Avondhu and Duhallow. These proposals will be put to the county board delegates for approval and it is intended they would be piloted until 2012, before being evaluated for the 2013 playing season.

At adult level, it is proposed to establish a countywide Junior B championship instead of the current divisional format, and county-wide Junior A and Junior B league competitions. It is proposed that these leagues will be split into four new regional areas – central, north, east and west – with the composition of these four areas to be determined following consultations between county board and divisional officials.

The plan serves as a blueprint mapping out the future of GAA at all levels in Cork and has been published after an exhaustive consultative system with relevant stakeholders within the county. The plan is split into 11 separate sections – Games Development, Administrative Structures, Games Schedule, Communications, Supporting Volunteers, Finance and Fundraising, Planning and Infrastructure, Welcoming People from Different Traditions into the Association, Urbanisation, ‘Club, Culture and Community’, and Ensuring the Safety of Young Players.

County board chairman Jerry O’Sullivan insists the timelines mapped out for the plan will be rigorously adhered to. “The plan will be reviewed at the end of every year and there are aims we have to meet at the end of every year. We can see then if things have to be tweaked or changed. There’s been a huge amount of work and effort put into this document, and we wouldn’t have put so much time in if we weren’t going to develop it. We’ll be doing all in our power now to make it work.”

The plan also proposes in the Games Schedule area greater support be given to the second-level schools programme with a scheme to be implemented whereby no club games at U16 and minor level will take place on Monday and Tuesday nights between September and December. Clubs will also be instructed to put in place a liaison person to support the schools.

“The views of the post-primary committee, which is a unified body, have been taken very seriously,” said board secretary Frank Murphy. “They were incorporated into the section on second-level schools. The idea of having no club games on Monday and Tuesday nights has come from them, they have asked for this to enable them to prepare properly and effectively for colleges games which are normally on Wednesday afternoons.”

In Games Development, the board is seeking that by 2015 to have the Go-Games model in place in all schools and clubs, that a Nursery programme will be implemented in every club and that participation in Cúl Camps will grow in excess of 11,700 participants. It is also targeted that by 2015, all clubs and schools will have a training plan in place, every club will have a coaching officer and all juvenile referees will be assessed annually.

In Finance and Fundraising, a three-year marketing plan to optimise the value of the Cork brand will be rolled out. In Planning and Infrastructure it is envisaged that the two sand-based pitches being developed at the North Monastery grounds will be opened in 2011, while every club will also be expected to have a club and cultural officer. The board also plan to promote the concept of ‘Have A Go’ days to welcome new people from different traditions into the association.