Burnout report proposes U-19 championship

The abolishment of the minor and Under-21 grades and the introduction of an Under-19 championship at inter-county level was one of the key issues which emerged from the report of the GAA's Player Burnout Taskforce launched yesterday at Croke Park.

GAA Player Welfare Officer Pauric Duffy believes that addressing the issue of players on multiple teams is key. Over the past year it has been reported that some players, including Laois dual minor player John O'Loughlin, have been involved in anything up to 12 different teams at once.

This is something which Duffy hopes this report can help address.

"We have to do something about the impact of the multi-team issue on players, especially the likes of those doing exams," he said.

"There is pressure coming from all sides both academically and also from managers and the introduction of an Under-19 championship would aim to address this issue."

Duffy feels that the reduction in the number of competitions would help facilitate this process.

"We have to cut back on the number of competitions in our games, especially for those in full-time education. However we also need to ensure that we are still fully supportive for the development of our games at both second and third levels."

The task force was chaired by former Dublin manager Dr. Pat O'Neill and included representatives from Croke Park, second level and Higher Education as well as players and managers from the inter-county scene.

The report draws heavily on the work of Tyrone ladies footballer Lynette Hughes, who researched the area of player burnout in her PhD which was partially funded by the GAA through Croke Park and also the Ulster Council.

Among the 534 inter-county players surveyed, almost 10% were in the final stages of suffering from burnout which the report defined as a reduced or total withdrawal from participation in Gaelic games as a result of the psychological, physiological and physical demands associated with excessive training and/or number of games.

Head of School of Health and Human Performance at DCU, Dr. Niall Moyna is a member of the task force and he outlined the symptoms of player burnout.

"For the most part, it's when a kid or young adult no longer enjoys playing our games. The first symptom is probably underachievement and under-performance and players are lethargic and tired and then they starting getting chronic injuries," Moyna said.

"For a lot of them the only cure for them is surgery so it is something we felt urgently needed to be addressed."

Moyna believes that a reduction of the number of games which players take part in is crucial to addressing the issue.

"I think by reducing the number of competitive games that they play and allowing them adequate recovery, one of the biggest problems that these young kids have is they don't get adequate recovery."

Among the other proposals included in the document, which has already been brought in front of Central Council, is to create a closed season in November and December from inter-county activity including games and collective training.

Also in line for a cut is the amount of competitions players can participate in during their initial year at third level. The task force propose to confine first year players to fresher competitions and to eliminate their involvement from the likes of the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups until second year.

The document also outlines proposals in relation to development squads, which it states can only be for players participating in their own age group.

Burnout Report (Key Issues) -

* Significantly reduce the number of players suffering from burnout

* Reduce pressure on exam-tied players

* Introduction of an Under-19 championship

* Abolishment of the Under-21 and minor championships at inter-county level

* Confine players to their own age grades at both Development Squad and Under-19 levels

* Closed season from all inter-county activity in November/December

* Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups to be free of freshers' involvement