Forum to discuss issues of concern to clubs

It’s good to talk — and who better than Mick O’Dwyer to get the conversation started.

The Kerry GAA county board have taken the proactive step of organising a club forum on Saturday, with the legendary Waterville man confirmed as the keynote speaker.

The Kerry county committee have organised the forum as they feel that county board meetings and the annual convention were not the ideal places for clubs to communicate their problems.

The forum will deal with issues that are of major concern to clubs and it is hoped the input from club officers from around the county will help bring these issues to the fore. Topics such as club sustainability; underage structures; championship structures; club administration and coaching will be covered on Saturday in a workshop system.

Each workshop will last for 30 minutes. A sample question to kick off a discussion could be: Should clubs be able to exist without underage teams?

The board’s idea is that a summary of the main suggestions on each topic will be delivered on the day with a more comprehensive report to follow, provisionally by the end of February.

The forum takes place Saturday, at the Manor West Hotel in Tralee. All club chairpersons and secretaries are asked to attend as well as a Coiste na nÓg representative from the club. Attendees must be at the venue for registration at 9.30am.

The forum will begin at 10.15am.