With the age grades being changed with minor and under 21. My question is do the clubs have a a say? A decision like the one taken is meant to be voted at county board level by club delegates so as the county delegates know what way to vote at Congress. A club delegate is meant to vote as to the instruction from the club members. If that happened then it would be democracy. This doesn't happen this is why we are getting are games messed about with for the wrong reasons. A few people are voting with their own opinion and not that of the vast association. I certainly know that our club members where never ask their opinion on the grade change. if the majority of people don't want these changes why do they come in?
Shaggy, you're on the ball there. There's a difference between a democracy and a functioning democracy. Unfortunately the GAA is the former. Administration (at club, county and national level) is dominated by life-long administrators who can become absorbed in what they do and this a bit detached from reality. Those who can play, play. After that, those who can coach, coach. Administrators are sometimes aloof from the "active" GAA members. The one exception is the Presidency, where a high-level playing career helps in terms of profile (Nicky Brennan, Joe McDonagh etc). But if you took the top 10 positions at county board level in each county and asked how many played county, you'd get a very low number!
A good club would have regular meetings where all members could attend and where motions etc were discussed so that the delegate was acting on the members' wishes. Not often the case.
No GAA is not a "true" democracy. I have been a club delegate and I can tell you that the CB executive can "spring" on the attending club delegates attending a meeting an issue (like this one) and they are asked to take a vote. In fairness county boards will usually circulate an agenda in advance of a meeting and a club delegate should ask the club executive for direction on how to vote. "Votes" are representative only and were the County Boards fail miserably is not on big issues but on local county club issues, clubs have very liuttle input into the operation of county teams, appointees, coaching, financial support etc etc.
In reality what you get is a very uncontentious sort of democracy, I scratch your back and you scratch mine. For actual players it can be traumatic if playing with County teams, the sacrifice and what if they don't like the coach and the coach doesn't like them them? what if they have a genuine grievence? They complain to their club coach who complains to the Club delegate who complains to the executive who decide it isn't really worth falling out with CB over this etc etc I would say about 99% of genuine complaints are not addressed. This leads to a lack of accountablilty, county teams been run to the detriment of club teams, individual players get crushed if they moan/complain, we get coaches and teams that don't really and truly represent the county.
So in a situation like this i.e. changing grade ages from U21 to U20 that is a done deal - everyone nods and says this is for the common good - the reality is no one asks the players or actual club coaches if this is a good/bad thing. On the really big issues Club Exec's get their own way, CB's get their way, GAA get their way. It is not a democracy there is nothing dynamic or progressive, everything is regressive and oppressive, games are getting choked to death by unimagintative coaching and this mentality has infected all levels of the game now, both on and off the pitch.
Gaa democracy With the age grades being changed with minor and under 21. My question is do the clubs have a a say? A decision like the one taken is meant to be voted at county board level by club delegates so as the county delegates know what way to vote at Congress. A club delegate is meant to vote as to the instruction from the club members. If that happened then it would be democracy. This doesn't happen this is why we are getting are games messed about with for the wrong reasons. A few people are voting with their own opinion and not that of the vast association. I certainly know that our club members where never ask their opinion on the grade change. if the majority of people don't want these changes why do they come in? shaggylegend (Monaghan) - Posts:1431 - 01/05/2016 09:26:02 They don't and they don't have to. The changes are only at inter county level so why should clubs have to decide on it. The decisions don't have to be made in a manner like this all the time. It was still a democratic decision.
Shaggy, you're on the ball there. There's a difference between a democracy and a functioning democracy. Unfortunately the GAA is the former. Administration (at club, county and national level) is dominated by life-long administrators who can become absorbed in what they do and this a bit detached from reality. Those who can play, play. After that, those who can coach, coach. Administrators are sometimes aloof from the "active" GAA members. The one exception is the Presidency, where a high-level playing career helps in terms of profile (Nicky Brennan, Joe McDonagh etc). But if you took the top 10 positions at county board level in each county and asked how many played county, you'd get a very low number! A good club would have regular meetings where all members could attend and where motions etc were discussed so that the delegate was acting on the members' wishes. Not often the case. 1914 (Clare) - Posts:59 - 02/05/2016 11:19:20 That this decision was made by the central authority shows that its a functioning democracy. Admin is dominated by people in positions a long time but where are all the people lining up to get involved? Lots will criticise those "life-long administrators" but how many will get involved. Having played inter county has no relevance to a persons ability or desire to be involved in the administration of the GAA.