I have been following and playing football in Cavan for many years, seen alot of very young good players come and go very good players. Over the past few years I have been involved in the training of teams at all levels.

Seeing what i have seen I am really concerned for the well being of your young players and the further of these young people.

Take a young boy age 16 for example that is a very good footballer and I know there are alot of them around. This young lad is playing Club U-16 he will also be playing u-16 for his county, next up is the club minor and in cases of the very good footballer and i have seen it county minor, this young lad is also playing with his school. And club u- 21 if not more

in the above example you have a young man playing with 6 different teams all looking to win and all training around the same time of the year. you have 6 different mangers maybe some of these mangers using these teams as a steping stone to bigger jobs and rightly so. My point is each manger is trying to get the most out of this young player. He has 6 mangers each with their own program and different stages of their season doing pre season, speed work etc. Non of the mangers are talking to one another ( in most cases )to see what this young lad is doing.

( as more boys and girls are participating in organized and recreational sports, there seems to be an increasing number of young athletes who specialize
in just one sport EG. GAA starting at an early age or compete for multiple teams year-round without adequate time for recovery between sport seasons.
According to some observers, this type of intense training and competition can result in injuries, illness, or burnout, which may have a detrimental effect on
the young athlete's ability or desire to participate in sports as an ongoing lifestyle choice) (Not my words)

if you ask any young player to play a game of course he/she will but I think the time has come were we the mentors have to all get together to see who is doing what. So what your culb might not win the u-14, u-16 and so on this year, but we have a duty od care to these young boys/ girls a duty that we took on when we take a job with a club.

Over training has many effects on these young people if the intensity, volume, or frequency of training exceed the capacity of an athlete, extreme fatigue, injury, or illness can result . On a short-term basis, excessive training is called overreaching. For example, if a Gaa player participates in several days of intense and high-volume training (without adequate rest and recovery between workouts), it is likely that performance will begin to decrease. The rationale
behind this type of training is to overwork an athlete to build up tolerance and then taper to allow time for recovery and rejuvenation.

This maybe not what people want to hear as a new season is near but look at the injuriers and retirments in the last while Declan O'sullivan kerry, Shane Walsh waterford none of them 31 years old yet. Injuries to Michael Meehan Galway, Dermot Earley kildare, all should have been able to play alot more football,not to mention club men of your own that can not carry out any more.

we need to teach young players about the best ways to prevent injuries like ACL, shoulder, back etc. look more at Flexibility also to help them play for as long as they can, not just take as much out of them as early as we can get it.

Hope i didnt go on to much.

I would love a little feed back on this to see if its just me or can other people see it to.

The further is Blue

mick211 (Cavan) - Posts: 8 - 27/11/2014 08:37:35    1675124

Mick we talk about this every year and nothing is done about it.
There is an U13 final tonight at 19-30 in Breffni and next Monday the 1st of December there are two more finals. Not only will they be suffering from burn out but sadly their education will be suffering also. Time to put a stop to all this amount of activity for sadly we will end up with more partially educated youngsters with no future ahead of them and also big time burn out. Time everyone thought about our children's future instead of looking for plaudits at the children's expense for their own personal gains. I trained them looks good on their CV's. Put an end to it sooner rather than later.

mowbar (Cavan) - Posts: 452 - 27/11/2014 18:46:11    1675248

Mowbar thanks for the feed back...I to have been saying this for some time while watching it carry on....in the next few weeks I will be putting the welfare of your young players to the county board and asking for a reply. This is the only place that it will be changed a lot will be told by the response I get for them.. if anyone from the county board would like to leave a reply here I would love to here from them..

mick211 (Cavan) - Posts: 8 - 27/11/2014 19:43:20    1675255

For the last 40 years lads have been playing almost 3 games a week and it didn't do them 1 bit of harm . It's the training methods that have changed . Too much time spent in the gym not enough time spent enjoying the skills of the game on the practice field. I remember playing Minor junior b colleges and maybe a sub on the senior team for a tournament game on a Sunday night. It's the training that's changed .. Lads pushing themselves to extremes in gyms are what brings on the injuries. The skills of the game are getting left behind and been replaced by strength and conditioning. Madness really. U12 u13 u14 it's competition the main thing when practicing the skills and enjoying it should be the number 1 priority. Lads should be down the field practicing frees and kicking with both feet not pumping iron in a gym

dirtybag (Cavan) - Posts: 242 - 27/11/2014 20:55:37    1675265

to be fair though. under 16 players are not allowed to play under 21. (you are not allowed to play 2 grades higher than you are eligible for.) teams have been thrown out for breaking this rule. (and yet some people think that this rule should not apply). also under 16s should not be playing Junior grade. I actually think it's the minor players who get the worst deal. they could be playing club,county,school and also club under-21,junior and or senior..

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 27/11/2014 21:02:45    1675267

Your right about the under 16's sorry. Still my point remains young people are doing far to much. I don't think that the training in itself is wrong im part of that system myself and have seen some great sessions. But everyone is entitled to have their say that the great thing about the GAA. Maybe your right and Im wrong. I think an easy way to put what im saying is if you had a RACE HORSE and you know 4 great trainers would you give the horse to the 4 of them at the same time and let them do what they want with it with out talking to each other. If the answer is NO then the question is why. As for young players getting back to the basics your right ball work is very important.

Mick

mick211 (Cavan) - Posts: 8 - 28/11/2014 11:51:48    1675311

young lads are getting too much training at the minute. They train with their club and if they are good enough, their county. Take a talented 16 yr old. He plays club u16 and minor. County u16, school junior and senior. He is expected to attend all trainings for all teams and play out of his skin for all of them. These young lads do not get a chance to recover from knocks, training and games. One of the most important aspects of physical exercise is recovery. If the body cannot recover then it becomes weary. Not just physically but mentally.
At present young lads are training 12 months of the year and playing all year. No down season. They are training for school teams and playing games for them during the week and I hear the minors are training at weekends also ( i could be wrong on this)

Different training schedules, different coaches, different demands.
Remember these are young people who are still developing physically and mentally. Its no wonder young lads drop out after minor or in their early 20's. It's because they have had enough.

Move it on a few years and the same talented player is on the county u21 panel, college team,club u21, club senior and possibly junor B if he's not in the top 12.
It's a joke. The county board are putting on more games. Bring the championship back to knock out, finish it earlier, get the leagues completed earlier, play the u21 championship over easter, may, june and august bank holidays and have everything wrapped up by september so that there is some reprise

StirringIt (Cavan) - Posts: 374 - 28/11/2014 13:45:36    1675337

There is also a trend in Cavan where any decent young player has to be brought into the Senior Panel as soon as he out of Minor, and then when he 25 or 26 he is tired or burned out.

I remember Cian Mackey was brought into the Cavan Senior Panel when he still a Minor and came made a few apperances that year in championship against Meath and Mayo. That'S a lot to be expected of a player that age to keep to the rigours of Senior for the next 10 or 12 years.

Paddy McBrearty played Minor and Senior on the same day against Antrim in 2011 for Donegal, which was Ott.

FoolsGold (Cavan) - Posts: 2763 - 28/11/2014 14:35:10    1675345

Mackey a good point. The year out actually improved him as a footballer. Hopefully Givney Tierney Killian Clarke will benefit from it.

doratheexplorer (Cavan) - Posts: 1467 - 28/11/2014 15:08:18    1675353

Is Killian Clarke back for the full year?

dirtybag (Cavan) - Posts: 242 - 28/11/2014 19:07:03    1675399

The people who should be reading these posts and other important articles on this subject either ignore all that's being said here or are more concerned with administration than players. That's the way it is in most counties. When the Wexford Co Board tried to intervene there was a flood of criticism from various counties. As far as a lot of people are concerned, especially the ones that never kicked a ball, players are just gladiators that are there to entertain us. If they get injured etc. well just go and replace them with others. If they have issues about unemployment etc well that's just too bad. As for taking a break well just look at the reaction to Killian Clarke opting out last year!

Young players are just merchandise as far as I can see. When you add to that the cult of the manager in the GAA it's no wonder we have a crisis.

Niall Moyna is right when he says that one fine day someone will sue the GAA over this and then they'll waken up - when it's too late.

RoyalBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 198 - 29/11/2014 10:15:21    1675440

can you sue the GAA for over-training you? Its not compulsory to train or play so how can the GAA be blamed if someone takes it upon themselves to train too much and too hard?

wishfulthinkin (Cavan) - Posts: 1680 - 30/11/2014 21:44:21    1675689

Fair point wishfulthinkin;
It's not something I'd have thought possible myself but according to an article in the Irish Independent a few weeks ago it's a possibility on the grounds that the evidence is already out there but it's being ignored. I can't imagine the mayhem if that started.

Just watching the U-21 games in the 3G yesterday it struck me that a bunch of lads playing would have almost no break this year. I'm thinking Liam Buchanan, Jonathan McCabe, Enda Flanagan and probably some more - all of whom will be starting to train for the Hastings Cup come 1st January. The red cards given will at least mean that the lads will have a few less matches before then.

RoyalBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 198 - 01/12/2014 13:59:18    1675757

Wishfulthinking......your missing my point young players are being ran into the ground...and as someone that has played for many years like yourself I hope...if a player goes to a manger and says I'm not training this week what do you think he would be told..they need to be looked after..

mick211 (Cavan) - Posts: 8 - 01/12/2014 20:56:27    1675861

That's where the Stephen Hunt ideals come into it...you have to be mentally strong to say no!

Parents have to step up too..

Alot of kids these days are participating in rugby,soccer,handball,golf,boxing,athelics as well as hurling and football so not entirely the manager of one of the teams fault/responsibility.

And i'm not trying to be argumentative. I've played and am still playing and agree that it's too hard to miss a game or training whether it be for work or homework or rest..specially if your not one of the chosen few who seem to get picked regardless!!

wishfulthinkin (Cavan) - Posts: 1680 - 01/12/2014 21:50:43    1675880

It's not just young players. Senior players too. League final still not played. U21 semis to be played. It's nearly xmas and when it's done their playing again and training for next year. Some teams had to play 3 games in a week this year in champ. Disgrace.

doratheexplorer (Cavan) - Posts: 1467 - 01/12/2014 21:58:56    1675883

Definitely applies to senior players as much as anyone else; and parents are far from blameless in my experience with under-age teams. Some want their children in every competition that there is and get very touchy if they are challenged about this.

It's all a mess but I'd have no belief that anything will be done about it. The powers that be don't listen much to grassroots opinion.

RoyalBlue2 (Cavan) - Posts: 198 - 02/12/2014 11:26:18    1675921

Not At Rarely Some Often Very
All times Often


Do you feel run down and drained of physical or emotional energy?
Do you find that you are prone to negative thinking about your sport?
Do you find that you are harder and less sympathetic with people than perhaps they deserve?
Do you find yourself getting easily irritated by small problems, or by your team-mates and coaching staff?
Do you feel misunderstood or unappreciated by your team mates or coaching staff?
Do you feel that you have no-one to talk to?
Do you feel that you are achieving less than you should?
Do you feel under an unpleasant level of pressure to succeed?
Do you feel that you are not getting what you want out of your sport?
Do you feel that you are in the wrong team or the wrong sport?
Are you becoming frustrated with parts of your sport?
Do you feel that organizational politics or bureaucracy frustrate your ability to perform to your best?
Do you feel that there is more training to do than you practically have the ability to do?
Do you feel that you do not have time to do many of the things that are important to perform at your best?
Do you find that you do not have time to plan as much as you would like to?

iheardthat (Cavan) - Posts: 89 - 03/12/2014 08:13:05    1676187

the is a burn out template from the ulster council you should contact them if you are concerned about players and get your players to fill it out

Weighted
Answer Number Weight Total
Not at all: 1 0 0
Rarely 0 1 0
Sometimes 4 2 8
Often 9 3 27
Very Often 1 4 4
15 39

iheardthat (Cavan) - Posts: 89 - 03/12/2014 08:30:14    1676192