"Some children are late developers in the sport"
April 18, 2018
Monaghan's Conor McManus celebrates.
©INPHO/Tommy Dickson.
By John P Graham
County star Conor McManus was at the Monaghan County Training Grounds yesterday to launch the GAA Super Games Centre in partnership with Sky Sports.
The Super Games Centres, which are happening all over the country, were set up to reduce youth drop out and encourage "play to stay" amongst the youth, specifically between the ages of 12 and 17, where youth dropout is most prevalent.
Sky Sports is sponsoring the Super Game Centres initiative by not only arranging these visits with Sky Sports mentors, but also providing kits and equipment to an estimated 9,000 young people countrywide.
Speaking about the initiative and his involvement, McManus said that he was "delighted to support the GAA Super Games Centre in Monaghan, the beauty of which is that everyone is welcome to take part".
The initiative encourages players to organise games themselves, there is minimal or no coaching input involved and everyone gets the chance to play irrespective of their skills level, ability or previous playing experience, so it encourages participation at all levels, which in turn keeps them playing sport that they can enjoy.
The initiative in Cloghan yesterday involved pupils from St Macarten's College, Monaghan, Our Lady's Secondary School, Castleblayney and Patrician High School Carrickmacross, these were pupils who were not making the college teams at their age level, and may or may not be involved at their age level with their own clubs.
"Bringing it to the grassroots like this is bringing it to the children who are not prominent with their clubs and schools and it will help to get them involved and get them active and make them feel a part of the team at either schools or club level and it will encourage them, in my opinion, to stay involved and to keep active, because the more we can keep these young people involved and keep them active the better.
"Some children are late developers in the sport and this initiative will make sure that they get a chance and it will help to make them feel important and the more of that we can have for them, the better."
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