Replying To StoreysTash:  "How? Specifics please. What parts of coaching from u14 to u16 is nowhere near good enough. What competition structures need to be changed and how?
Have you refereed?"

Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Yeah, the last part is my line of thinking, go back 10-20 years and Oulart were a top-class side and that was a result of the effort they put in at coaching underage sides but the problem was that no-one really replicated that elsewhere and therefor no-one was able to challenge them at Senior level, a bit like Ballygunner in Waterford now

You go to KK around the same time period however and they had a great team in Ballyhale but Loughlin's and the Village would always put it up to them, whoever won KK always had a great chance of winning Leinster and the AI, that was because their success was driven by multiple clubs rather than just one

Although it's not as if all clubs in KK drove their success. How many hurlers have Tullogher produced outside of Walter Walsh? It's not as if Mullinavat, Kilmacow, Mooncoin, Ballyragget, Cloneen, Barrow Rangers, Graiguenamanagh, Lisdowney, Blacks And Whites, Slieverue, or Windgap have been regularly suppliers to great KK teams this side of 1990

Would nearly said most great KK sides (At least since I've been alive) have been driven by Ballyhale, Loughlin's, Village, Carrickshock, and Tullaroan, with help from the likes of Glenmore, Danesfort, Fenians, Clara, Dunnamaggin, Graigue-Ballycallan, Young Irelands, and Dicksboro

Not all 40 clubs need to up their game for us to get a lot better as county (Although I'd love it to happen as we would dominate then)

But if we had 10+ clubs put in massive work like Oulart did back in the day, I'd say we'd see a big improvement"

Replying To Viking66:  "There's a small problem there though, not many clubs have Senior AI and Leinster winning players, who then went on to manage Senior and Intermediate Club winning teams at County and Leinster level willing and available to coach their u12s......"

Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Tbf, to play devil's advocate, children love playing games and they would practise a lot of the key skills in matches, might get better buy-in that way as much as other key skills might be neglected by not doing drills

A lot of coaches these days will talk about the importance of small-sided games so that they practise skills that are relevant to actual games

Would be much easier to oversee matches than come up with drills too

A bit simplistic but if every school in the county just did mini-matches one day a week and then across three different age groups, that would probably represent progress on what we're currently doing"

Replying To countyman2022:  "There are coaches reading out of books before they go to train these young lads. Coaches who have no knowledge of basic game tactics eg. going thru the lines to avoid sweepers. Don't have adequate skill set to train basic drills. Regards structures- at underage we have a set up that everyone wins. Whole way to minor we have div 5 shields. Everyone gets a medal or a final basically. No cut throat and no consequences to results. Drops standards. At adult- after 150 championship games the last 2 years, nobody was knocked out. Think about it. No jeopardy. Less intensity to the games. Again- no consequences to anything. Standard drops. This year- 10 teams will drop out after 150 games. I have not reffed, but have hurled at all levels. Go to Kk or Tipp and hurl a match. Actually play it. Complete different levels of intensity, pace and tackling. Hard tackling allowed. The amount of senior and inter championship games in Wexford in recent years that have become free taking competitions is beyond belief. Reffed softly. Non contact at times. This affects the standard and by time players get to inter county level, they are waiting for the free to be given. Then been cleaned. These things all add up."

Replying To countyman2022:  "There are coaches reading out of books before they go to train these young lads. Coaches who have no knowledge of basic game tactics eg. going thru the lines to avoid sweepers. Don't have adequate skill set to train basic drills. Regards structures- at underage we have a set up that everyone wins. Whole way to minor we have div 5 shields. Everyone gets a medal or a final basically. No cut throat and no consequences to results. Drops standards. At adult- after 150 championship games the last 2 years, nobody was knocked out. Think about it. No jeopardy. Less intensity to the games. Again- no consequences to anything. Standard drops. This year- 10 teams will drop out after 150 games. I have not reffed, but have hurled at all levels. Go to Kk or Tipp and hurl a match. Actually play it. Complete different levels of intensity, pace and tackling. Hard tackling allowed. The amount of senior and inter championship games in Wexford in recent years that have become free taking competitions is beyond belief. Reffed softly. Non contact at times. This affects the standard and by time players get to inter county level, they are waiting for the free to be given. Then been cleaned. These things all add up."

Replying To ElGranSenor:  "But I don't think playing background is all that important tbh, most important things really are drive, motivation, the will to drive the club forward, dedication, and energy, would say all of those things determine the quality of coaches, great players are made, not born and the same is true for coaches

Although that said, those with a history of success are more likely to be more motivated and driven IMO"

Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Yeah, the last part is my line of thinking, go back 10-20 years and Oulart were a top-class side and that was a result of the effort they put in at coaching underage sides but the problem was that no-one really replicated that elsewhere and therefor no-one was able to challenge them at Senior level, a bit like Ballygunner in Waterford now

You go to KK around the same time period however and they had a great team in Ballyhale but Loughlin's and the Village would always put it up to them, whoever won KK always had a great chance of winning Leinster and the AI, that was because their success was driven by multiple clubs rather than just one

Although it's not as if all clubs in KK drove their success. How many hurlers have Tullogher produced outside of Walter Walsh? It's not as if Mullinavat, Kilmacow, Mooncoin, Ballyragget, Cloneen, Barrow Rangers, Graiguenamanagh, Lisdowney, Blacks And Whites, Slieverue, or Windgap have been regularly suppliers to great KK teams this side of 1990

Would nearly said most great KK sides (At least since I've been alive) have been driven by Ballyhale, Loughlin's, Village, Carrickshock, and Tullaroan, with help from the likes of Glenmore, Danesfort, Fenians, Clara, Dunnamaggin, Graigue-Ballycallan, Young Irelands, and Dicksboro

Not all 40 clubs need to up their game for us to get a lot better as county (Although I'd love it to happen as we would dominate then)

But if we had 10+ clubs put in massive work like Oulart did back in the day, I'd say we'd see a big improvement"

Replying To ElGranSenor:  "At underage age level though, shield competitions extend the playing season so more lads are playing hurling and footballer for longer, how do you propose on getting them to play the same number of months in the year without a shield competition?

And it also introduces more trophies and finals, that's what kids love to play in even if it is a Division 5 Shield, most of them won't end up being any good anyway regardless of whether there's a shield or not but at least they might look back on some sort of success they once had as a youngster if there's a shield competition"

Replying To Paull:  "When I spoke about KK I was referring to Kilcormak Killoughey not Kilkenny. One club / team is what is the engine behind Offalys resurgence. Nothing more. No secret coaching or development plans. Take that team out of the equation and Offaly would do well to stay in the Joe McDonagh."