I read this article with a mixture of disbelief and laughter!!

It must be the most uninformed comment I`ve seen on Hogan Stand (Forum or Front Page) in all my years...Anyone who has read any type of best practice in sport for children will recognse the benefits of Go games and taking competition out of the games..

leftcorner (Wexford) - Posts: 302 - 18/09/2009 14:35:20    429858

im only a year out of minor and we won every age group the whole way up at least once. we loved the competitive aspect of things and I don't think it would be anyway near as enjoyable for the kids if there was no prize achievable at the end of all their efforts. its what makes it worth it

MLR (Carlow) - Posts: 77 - 18/09/2009 14:56:24    429884

Its PC gone mad and has taken over in America. Games where no one keeps score and copies not marked with red pen are examples

The Face (Monaghan) - Posts: 890 - 18/09/2009 14:58:58    429890

Competition is the Key to improve skills, i have great memories of playing in competitions as a young kid, i wouldnt trade it for the world. It devlops your team skills, non competitive would not develop these youngsters

paddyogall (Mayo) - Posts: 5110 - 18/09/2009 15:03:07    429902

I suggest some of you go along to an under 10 championship match in most counties. Keep a note of two things. 1. The way some parents and mentors bully the children is horrifying.

2. Pick the two corner forwards on each team and count how many times in a match that they actually touch the ball. Then compare it to a Go Games match.


Children play for fun. Managers play for medals.

thistle_harps (UK) - Posts: 879 - 18/09/2009 15:13:11    429915

That article was posted on the Carlow page.

As the worst county team in Ireland, bar Kilkenny, surely they should at least give it go - they are obviously not doing things right as it is.

wingwonder (UK) - Posts: 535 - 18/09/2009 15:17:45    429921

left corner, I'm not sure what coaching of kids you do. But i look after a number of age groups at our club in Manchester England. We have gone down the road of none competitive games over the last 2 years and it has driven the game backwards. As the report has said we have struggled to keep the kids interested and many clubs are now struggling to field at the 10's and 12's age groups. I can assure you it will have detrimental effect on your game as well. There are many other sports that kids can play where there is a challenge and they will take them up rather than the our beloved GAA games. I believe it is a massive step backward as i am speaking from experience. Go Games has a place but it is more about training, it is impossible to beat the actual playing of a game and i think you will see that in the future. A recent government report in England has stated that over 20 years of none competitive sports in schools has had a negative effect on the kids as they grow up. We are breeding kids who do not know how to win. It has been agreed that a competitive edge will be introduced again. The nicey nice approach is all well and good, but at what point do you start to have to realise that you sometimes have to work hard to get what you want. I have 3 boys aged 11, 8 and 5, they love playing proper matches and this is what they look forward to. In fact my 11 year is saying he is not interested in playing Go Games anymore and has asked me if he can play cricket or Rugby. Just because he does not see the point of continual training with no specific aim. Training for matches was always what kept his interest. We reformed our underage at our club about 6 years ago, it was difficult at the start as numbers were low and the kids were just learning the ropes. I remember the first time we got into the oppositions half and we all cheered and then we got our first score after a few games and again another big cheer. We took many big beatings but never did the kids heads go down. We stook at it and now we are one of the best underage clubs in the County. If you look after your kids, Loosing is something which you teach your kids to except but use it as a tool to improve them and always look for a positive in all games. Winning and loosing is a big part of life learning how to cope with both aspects is crucial. A good coach should building this into all his training making sure they have fun on the way.

Mancirish (UK) - Posts: 2200 - 18/09/2009 15:21:13    429928

thistle_harps
County: UK
Posts: 216


I think we have all played Under 10 here and know whats going on but calling it bullying is a bit far fecthed dont ya think

paddyogall (Mayo) - Posts: 5110 - 18/09/2009 15:21:52    429929

Does anyone know who is at the back of this ridiculous thinking ? if we go down this road we will lose all the young lads to soccer.

Mulligan Eamonn (None) - Posts: 896 - 18/09/2009 15:22:30    429932

As a coach of an under 10 team, the best thing about is the competition. Leftcorner, unfortunately here, i totally disagree with your comments. The kids want competition, even in training, they love games where there is some form of incentive at the end of it. Now, what I would say is that there is no need for clubs to be putting pressure on young lads by demanding that they bring home the under 12 A county (like the D'unbelievables sketch) and there might not even be a need for a county championship at that age. Our team play in a development league, that I and others in other clubs set up. We play games regularly, they are never cancelled because we play a game with not always 15 players on the field (in fact very rarely - if one club has only 10 players in the summer, if their parents are on holidays, we play 10 a side - now they are back at school two clubs might have 22 players and we would play two 11 a side games), have the one hop one solo rule for football (no soloing for hurling) and unlimited subs (we usually try to avoid having subs at all -everyone should be on the field). we always record the score, sometimes we lie about the score (if we win heavily or get beaten heavily so as not to damage confidence) but alwasy keep none the less and there is always a final with medals etc. The kids love it. Competition should be taken away from under 10 managers but not the children. Regular competitive games is what they need.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 18/09/2009 15:38:11    429957

Paddy . young players in tears is bullying in my book and i have seen it with my own eyes. Competition is fine from 13s up if you can find the right coaches. I am a big believer in the go games model and have come from a background of coaching underage at competative level and to be honest have been guilty of looking for cups rather than improvemnt and enjoyment for the kids.

thistle_harps (UK) - Posts: 879 - 18/09/2009 15:47:28    429975

I'm playing u14, u15, u16 and minor this year and if they stopped keeping score or just took away the competitivness in the matches there would be no point in playing. No point of speanding hours running around a pitch at night in January/February. I don't know why these people think that taking away competitions in juvenielle games is going to help. Trust me it won't.

Royal_Girl2k9 (Meath) - Posts: 2107 - 18/09/2009 16:24:17    430020

there has to be competition for the young lads but competition without pressure they have to be compeditve in themselves so you dont put pressure on them,the go games have some good not so but some rules i feel not great

ianog (Down) - Posts: 416 - 18/09/2009 16:46:36    430046

Kilkenny and Tyrone are just two of the counties who do not have Under 12 championships. Go Games/Small Sided Games are backed up by best international research (not one off ill informed comment) They guarantee that
1. All players Play
2. Children get more touches of the ball/More chances to score
3. Skill Development takes precedence over winning.

Adults Structures of 15 aside games are not suitable for children- FACT

leftcorner (Wexford) - Posts: 302 - 18/09/2009 17:18:34    430067

Left Corner and Thistle_Harps:

The only two talking sense on this thread. The rest of you are entitled to your opinions but obviously haven't a clue about the development of sports in young children! Take it from someone who has worked in this area and knows what he's talking about!

SeamieMac (Donegal) - Posts: 15 - 18/09/2009 17:40:02    430093

Bennybunny

Our team play in a development league, that I and others in other clubs set up. We play games regularly, they are never cancelled because we play a game with not always 15 players on the field (in fact very rarely - if one club has only 10 players in the summer, if their parents are on holidays, we play 10 a side - now they are back at school two clubs might have 22 players and we would play two 11 a side games), have the one hop one solo rule for football (no soloing for hurling) and unlimited subs (we usually try to avoid having subs at all -everyone should be on the field). we always record the score, sometimes we lie about the score (if we win heavily or get beaten heavily so as not to damage confidence) but alwasy keep none the less and there is always a final with medals etc. The kids love it.

I would favour this model for U10 and u12 with full championship from U14. I think some level of competition is needed to keep the kids interested. I've helped out at U 10 level and the things you see are incredible, some parents and coaches push kids waaayy too hard I've seen parents from some places run on and abuse refs! At that age kids should be learning about training and begining to learn about competing.

Any underage coach should be familiar with the Long Term Player Development Model that is used by almost evrey sports body in the developed world. The ages vary depending on code, but I think GAA is something like this.

1. FUNdamental (U6,U8 possibly U10)
2. Learning to play and practice (U10,U12)
3. Training to Train (u14,U16)
4. Training to Compete (Minor,U21)
5. Training to Win (Senior)
6. Retirement and (Retention)

roundball (Tipperary) - Posts: 2514 - 18/09/2009 17:49:14    430099

absolute nonsense, this is like telling primary school teachers to mark all homework correct so as to not make children cry.

kilglasskrazy (Roscommon) - Posts: 80 - 18/09/2009 18:57:37    430131

the go games are uselless and the standard is drooping as a result

bigman2 (Tipperary) - Posts: 1202 - 19/09/2009 12:34:03    430423

Not having proper competitions at u6/u8 is grand but when kids get older they get more competitive so most of them would probably just find it boring

Royal_Girl2k9 (Meath) - Posts: 2107 - 19/09/2009 13:08:06    430450

In Leitrim this year the u-12 lwague was done away with and replaced by blitz's. The no. of players per side depended on the no. of players each club had available. If both clubs had 18 two 9 a side games were played simultaniously. Every child got a game and all were kept interested. This was ran for 6 weeks with no postponements in May-early June.
The u-12 Championship started at the end of August and the standard is better than other years. I think this is the way forward, non-competitive games early in the year followed by a proper championship later.

Dr.Shephard (Leitrim) - Posts: 2187 - 19/09/2009 14:24:20    430486