Very concerned about what this committee have reported,while some of what they've is true and im sure the percentages are correct also. What concerns me is their reasons for this. Hurling? Poor coaching? Poor planning? Did they properly research this because from my experience none of there we're a problem. Poor planning I'd agree with slightly fixtures can be a problem. Poor coaching is just a lazy conclusion with no real proof and as for hurling being the reason well for that Just crazy talk. So what do people really think is causing the problem? For me other sports have become as good an option as the gaa. It's simple we've to compete and sell our sport to parents and kids.

username.if (Meath) - Posts: 67 - 25/08/2015 17:55:57    1776146

I don't think his point was that hurling is causing people not to play football. He meant that some players might not have a huge interest in football but would play hurling if he had a club. Since large parts of the county have no hurling clubs, this isnt an option for them, so they play no Gaelic games whatsoever.

CastleBravo (Meath) - Posts: 1643 - 25/08/2015 18:44:16    1776171

Same %s apply across the country so not a problem specific to us. Media coverage, promotion of games, UK soccer, € being invested in rugby, kids teams being relegated by adult club teams to mud patches to play and train..... situation likely to get worse when FAI move their season to directly clash with GAA.

Co Board did try to run a non-competitive U12 Summer League a few years ago and the players and their parents showed no appetite for it so it's not competition as every other sport is competitive at juv level.

We're selling a product, we must make it the product of choice.... branding and user experience must be enhanced and
more desirable.

MeathGAAHead (Meath) - Posts: 87 - 25/08/2015 18:45:06    1776173

65% of kids in Meath play Gaelic Games at aged 14

17% of kids in Meath play Gaelic Games at aged 18

Now thats a problem

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 25/08/2015 18:52:02    1776177

That's not a good statistic ziggy, we're losing almost 75% of our underage players in just 4 years, now I know figures are likely to decline as people get older but I'd be curious to see how we compare to the top teams, are they also losing 75% of players between the ages of 14-18?

Htaem (Meath) - Posts: 8657 - 25/08/2015 19:44:20    1776214

That's a fairly damning statistic Ziggy. Lots of reasons for it I'd say with the usual suspects of college, drink & women (always the women's fault for some reason) being implicated.
I'd also say that a large part of it is that there are very few opportunities for average to poor minor players to keep playing.
If you are in charge of U-12 or U-14s and 25 of them turn up to a game, you will do your best to get them all a bit of a game (or at least you should do - I've a few idiot coaches leaving the same 15 on for a full game with 10 others standing idle).
By the time you get to minor, things have gotten much more serious. No team is going to give a lad 10 minutes of a run out just because he turned up. You tend to have about 20 players ranging from 16-18 years old who will get all of the game time.The others then tend to drift away.
So I suppose if you think about it, the stats aren't too surprising. If there are only 20 places available, then that is likely to be about 20% of the population of that age in the parish. The % will be higher in small rural clubs, and lower in urban areas, but it will average out to the figure quoted.
Is it possible to organise B leagues to keep lads playing for longer? Or how else do we give opportunities to lads who want to keep playing, but aren't quite good enough to be part of their clubs first choice panel?

anfearbeag (Meath) - Posts: 1134 - 25/08/2015 20:10:41    1776231

Proves a point here lads with these stats that clubs have a lot to answer for in relation to the condition & demense of football in this county, Mick o Dowd has being saying this since his appointment , in my own club we failed to field a under16 team twice this year, worrying to say the least as it will more than lightly continue for this bunches minor years.This shows that the challenge of this is huge not alone for us but for the county as we are considered a large urban club but it's now we need Boylan as director of football to lead the charge to the clubs along with the county board.Hopefully this is not another PR exercise like their was in Knighsbrook hotel a few year ago about getting Meath back on track, this time lets make it happen and let's all row in behind them .

cilles man (Meath) - Posts: 142 - 25/08/2015 21:08:59    1776261

The Co Board do run a reserve league in some ages and do allow some clubs enter 2nd teams into Div4-5-6- or Reserve. Very few clubs have 30 lads available to them to field 2 teams and usually when a club has 2 teams both teams are scheduled to play at the same time (to stop the strong lads playing on both teams) meaning that clubs really need 40 players to have a few subs which creates the dilemma do I go as a sub with the As or play with the Bs.
It can also be like the junior A championship when a big clubs 3rd team play in Div5 against a small rural club and win every game.
There is a strong case for merging smaller clubs which have 10 or 12 players each. 3 of these clubs would give a panel of 36 players but these merged clubs should be encouraged to have 2 teams rather than 1 to give strong and weak players the opportunity to play week in week out at an appropriate level.

MeathGAAHead (Meath) - Posts: 87 - 26/08/2015 10:13:44    1776342

For Gods sake no one said Hurling was the problem what they said was that if their was under age hurling clubs in non hurling areas that this would or could help retain players example if 3 or 4 Meath clubs from non Hurling areas joined up to form underage Hurling teams some like ladies football do.
Coaching is indeed a problem go to underage games. Some "managers" ridiculing referees, their own players and opposition players and managers, why would not young lads want to quit with this carry on. This is a traditional problem in the GAA over the years.
Also the figures quoted of only 170 or so Level 1 coaches in the county the big proportion of them in the larger clubs with I believe large tracts of rural Meath with very few quailified coaches which is the point that was made

I am not saying that just cos you do a course all of a sudden you are a Muireno but at least you have a chance of picking up something how often have you heard at juvenile level when a player kicks or passes with his weaker Hand or Foot he gets lambasted.
Coaching and Games need more personal the people that there cannot physically do what is required and Meath County Board needs to invest big time here. Strangely the Coaching Officer seemed to think this was directed against his efforts instead of rowing in behind and coming out stating the obvious

"Yes we are understaffed we am fighting for years for more help, time to put the Euros on the table and get the coaching appointments made and more importantly get the Clubs to get their coaches into the coaching courses to help us in our battle to retain players"

PS The amount of people who did not know what it was about was staggering. It was stated that it was rolled out to underage clubs in Jan/Feb six or 7 months ago and yet over half of the speakers admitted they had not read the document which leads me to think how many of the non speakers read it most likely even less. This is typical of GAA Clubs adopt head in the sand and come shouting for the fire brigade when the fire is almost out.

Ah sure lads it will be alright we are great we will always survive we are the GAA attitude. This has washed for a long time but but the figures quoted the old machine needs a lot of new parts or the phrase "Do what you always do, Get what you always got" will come home to roost.

numberedjerseys (USA) - Posts: 348 - 27/08/2015 09:20:41    1776889

I do think that you do need many qualified coaches and numbers are very important, however just because they have a piece of paper does not mean that they are qualified. Historically the best coaches managers/have no pieces of paper and to name a few: M. O'Dywer/Sean Boylan/Mickey Harte/P. McGrath and I could go on. I have come across instances of guys with pieces of papers query other guys who have played at the highest level and who have years of coaching experience. Unfortunately there are many coaches with pieces of paper (level this and that!)who have a poor idea of how to coach the basics: of catching/first time ball control/accurate passing and tackling. The best coaches over the years that I have come across are the ones who have played football and are good at the implementing the basics skills. I am aware of guys coaching in clubs who are not qualified and have never played , do not know the rules and have no pieces of paper. The piece of paper is very important for the guys who never played and unfortunately there are some ex-players who do not make good coaches.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 27/08/2015 11:24:04    1776986

8 points and I didn't need a committee to come up with these on how do we could keep players………

1. Improve coaching in the clubs
Agree with others that a piece of paper does not make a person a good coach but there is a chance if people have been through the various courses that some of the knowledge and advice will stick.
Mandate that manager/head coaches involved with club teams from U14 up have Award1 qualification. Need to give the players in every club the best coaching available. Only cost would be the cost of running courses.

2. Introduce regionalized coaching camps at each age
Most clubs struggle for numbers during the summer and some all year round. Get the county coaches & players to lead training camps (2-3hours) for 50-60 players in each of 4-5 locations around the county twice a month from May-Sept.
Would benefit the players and may help unearth some additional undiscovered talent. Would cost a few euro for travelling expenses.

3. Schools
Age based Meath competition but number of teams from each school based on playing numbers in each secondary school rather than elite squads. EG If St Pats Navan has 100 1st yrs who play GAA they should be ENCOURAGED to enter 4 teams in a school league, four 25 player squads. If a school only has 50 GAA players then they enter two teams not 1 elite 30 player squad. The players benefit as they get to play with the school and the school benefits as they get to see all their potential players playing rather than restrict themselves to 1 or 2 trial days for their Leinster competition teams when lads slip through.
County coaches to visit and coach at secondary schools.

4. More playing time….
All U13 to U18 comps in all divisions to be played to the maximum number of players available up to 15 with unlimited subs. Only restriction being for cards.
If there are 17 players available on each side play 15 aside even in the lower divisions rather than 11 or 13 aside to prevent lads having to stand on the side-line getting cold. Get them on the pitch. If theres a genuine injury fair-play rules apply and other side removes a player if no subs available.
If there are only 11 or 12 players available in each team get them all on the pitch even if its officially an 11 aside Division. Madness seeinga an 11-aside game with subs for both teams sitting on the sideline.
Enforce the every player plays rule. Only problem here is that some players are great for turning up for matches and not so good at showing up for training. No cost.

5. Regular games and reliable schedule
Prevent clubs messing with fixtures. If a game is scheduled for Sat at 3pm its played on Sat at 3pm. Clubs play or they lose the points. Parents and players need to plan their lives outside of sport too and games bouncing around simply puts people off.

6. Merge smaller clubs
Clubs should be allowed merge and encourage to play in as high a division as possible improving the overall standard of football rather than chasing cups in a low division.
This would also allow 2 clubs with 20-22 players each field 3 teams (Div1, Div3 and Div6) rather than 2 teams (Div 2 and Div3) each week as all the subs would be playing on rather than sitting in a dugout.
Could be contentious and not to peoples liking.

7. Media
Use all media (old and new) to promote games. Kids like nothing more than to see their name of picture in the Chronicle. Should aim for at least 1 full page each week (even better if its 2 pages) dedicated to underage GAA.

8. Finals
The Co Board have got much better at this. All finals to be played in Pairc Tailteann. Some great club grounds and pitches in Meath but most kids aspire to play in Navan. Match programme required for all finals. Would probably be a revenue source.

QED. My work here is done, now on to solve the national debt.

AnFearBan1234 (Meath) - Posts: 110 - 27/08/2015 13:58:31    1777076

Anfearban
Some excellent points but number 6 is not going to happen. Parish politics rather than the greater good will prevail.

MeathGAAHead (Meath) - Posts: 87 - 28/08/2015 10:45:13    1777376

MeathGAAHead quote:- encourage to play in as high a division as possible improving the overall standard of football rather than chasing cups in a low division. I agree with that but most of our senior panel is chosen curiously enough from everywhere but the senior division. Point No.6 could be changed to allow say 3 junior teams to combine for the senior championship and 1 junior with 1 intermediate- similar to Kerry.

browncows (Meath) - Posts: 2342 - 28/08/2015 12:19:12    1777425

It is reported from the Retention meeting that a very well known All Ireland winning footballer made a statement to the effect that all hurleys in Meath should be burned.

This, if true, is a very very serious statement and the person that made it should retract the statement or resign from the committee.

oldsam_newsam (Meath) - Posts: 638 - 31/08/2015 12:47:24    1778892

Major drop off after U14. U14 & u16 leagues finishing now with U15 starting.
If a marginal player is a sub on the U14 teamsheet he is looking at very little game time at all from now as he goes to U15 team to Christmas and then with u16 team until this time next year when his own age group are u15s when he may get to play again.

Thats a full yr at the drop-off point when no football is provided for marginal players thus encouraging them to move to other sports which provide u14/15/16/17 teams running side by side or to simply stop playing sport.

Only the big town clubs in Meath which enter teams in the reserve group can field age specific teams which also provides year round games for all. EG this years U14s play u15 reserve in autumn this year.
Could the GAA run all age group specific leagues Mar to Aug and end each year with an age specific championship Sept to Nov. Discuss!

MeathGAAHead (Meath) - Posts: 87 - 03/09/2015 13:37:52    1781267

Time you read the document this is the kind of thing they are suggesting

numberedjerseys (USA) - Posts: 348 - 03/09/2015 18:38:10    1781593

We all know now what was said about hurling and camáns in particular by a Steering Committee member to be fair to Retention they were all up for promoting Hurling everywhere

numberedjerseys (USA) - Posts: 348 - 03/09/2015 18:41:29    1781594