Go Games - Good or bad - discuss...

[Milltown Row2]

Twitter has been an interesting read the past few days.

There's a lot of adults in Ireland that truly detest how their GAA clubs/mentors treated them as youngsters.

There's just something doesn't sit right about this blame game with me.

I was the most mediocre footballer / athlete who walked this earth. I was dropped more times than I can remember. Turned up for a bucket load of matches when I knew I wouldn't play. Threw the toys out of the pram once or twice, when I should have played. But I loved playing football, and blamed nobody but myself for not making teams... and then stuck at it til I was 43.

I'm not sure about this "I was never given a chance" mentality that pervades these conversations. Try harder folks.

There's a level that you are actually at and then there's a level that you think you are at... anyone that had a decent work ethic or ability got on, anyone who didn't usually fitted into the team that suited their abilities or work ethic.

People looking back complaining about how they were treated in relation to their game time needs to have a word with himself.

You're not factoring in Nepotism which is still a huge problem. There are lads sitting on benches that are every bit as good as those starting but they are losing out because the manager is sorting relatives/mates out first.

Important to have a strong games committee that people can go to with those concerns, but that goes both ways too though, "my Johnny is a better player than the managers son", sometimes its right and other times the parent has as much a tinted pair of eyes on as the manager!

But I've listen to that stuff over the years, if you are good enough you'll get game time, only a fool would put on weaker players and is usually caught out  very quickly from competition age up its a results business and coaching staff are judged fairly quick.

If they are doing this up to under 12 then they need a good slap too, I'm at a club that I had no older relations at I think I can only remember one game where I felt nepotism was employed, though if I'm being honest we were fairly equal so it came down to choice, though the only thing that maddens me was I was picked on the Thursday and told on the Sunday I wouldn't be starting lol! 34 years ago, was like yesterday 

[Itchy]

Interesting stuff from the cutting edge (Germany) for soccer, lots to be learned from this if people are interested to listen and learn

Germany progresses again. The last change while elite level successful wasn't sustained at either end.
The ability to self assess and accept change is a strength of very few organisations.

Feedback came from the children in pilots, not the parents or coaches!

- no keepers till 10/11
- short games from 6-9
- no 1 off games, just festivals
- more touches
- more opportunities to score goals
- Endzones and not goals at 6/7
- removal of 11-a-side tactical mentality
- take out heading
- no referees to free up people to ref at higher ages
-

The IRFU is actually one of them and have a very progressive approach to coaching, self assessment and children's place in sport in Ireland. Their success is obvious.

And the Germans will just do it. They won't implement it here and there or allow loopholes or ambiguity, they'll just do it.

Based on children's feedback and our scientific knowledge of what suits children at various ages, the Germans have changed;

https://twitter.com/movementcoachkm/status/1667061433798995968?t=4Yb5tO2KCs3PXW8DRNSNgQ&s=19

[giveherlong]

Was at an U8 camogie Go Games blitz over the weekend
Was all a ground based game with no ball lifted or struck from hand except a few puck outs
At what age do players start taking the ball to hand in the blitzes

[clonian]

Was at an U8 camogie Go Games blitz over the weekend
Was all a ground based game with no ball lifted or struck from hand except a few puck outs
At what age do players start taking the ball to hand in the blitzes

Not sure about camogie but in hurling it was mixed at U8s, some clubs played in the hand but some didn't. Some of the younger lads at u8 struggled while 1 or 2 of the older lads could run the whole game because the pitch was small. U9s worked better, that extra year evened it up a bit and the pitches were made that wee bit bigger.

[johnnycool]

Was at an U8 camogie Go Games blitz over the weekend
Was all a ground based game with no ball lifted or struck from hand except a few puck outs
At what age do players start taking the ball to hand in the blitzes

Not sure about camogie but in hurling it was mixed at U8s, some clubs played in the hand but some didn't. Some of the younger lads at u8 struggled while 1 or 2 of the older lads could run the whole game because the pitch was small. U9s worked better, that extra year evened it up a bit and the pitches were made that wee bit bigger.

U7.5 (In Down) is ground hurling with the FT large ball, U9.5 is the QT small ball and they can lift if both teams are in agreement, but no soloing, a tap is all they're allowed.

I wouldn't be rushing to lifting the ball unless most of the kids have a good ground stroke off both sides. Get a good stroke and the aerial strike will come much easier.

[marty34]

Was at an U8 camogie Go Games blitz over the weekend
Was all a ground based game with no ball lifted or struck from hand except a few puck outs
At what age do players start taking the ball to hand in the blitzes

Not sure about camogie but in hurling it was mixed at U8s, some clubs played in the hand but some didn't. Some of the younger lads at u8 struggled while 1 or 2 of the older lads could run the whole game because the pitch was small. U9s worked better, that extra year evened it up a bit and the pitches were made that wee bit bigger.

U7.5 (In Down) is ground hurling with the FT large ball, U9.5 is the QT small ball and they can lift if both teams are in agreement, but no soloing, a tap is all they're allowed.

I wouldn't be rushing to lifting the ball unless most of the kids have a good ground stroke off both sides. Get a good stroke and the aerial strike will come much easier.

Was chatting to a coach about this and his point of view was a bit different and I never thought about his take on it.

His thoughts were we are punishing the 'good' players all the time, as we are always looking at it from the less capable players' point of view.  We are holding the good players back.

He has a valid point.

[GoldCoastRossie]

I still think one of the biggest issues is that most GAA clubs only field one team. When I was growing up we had 30 players for 15 spots and since every game was competitive we couldn't give guys like me a game as the cost was too great if we lost so in 11 years from U10-U21 I played 7 times ( 6 at minor due to only 15/16 lads playing minor) and came on as a sub once. I was a crap footballer and I knew it but I trained every day of the week. It was disheartening every week we had a game and knowing you would never be thrown a jersey.

The other thing was the lack of games. It was only 6/7 group games and semi final/final in most age groups. I look at the local soccer clubs and they have full schedules of matches and seem to play lots of games with multiple teams.

[Cavan19]

I still think one of the biggest issues is that most GAA clubs only field one team. When I was growing up we had 30 players for 15 spots and since every game was competitive we couldn't give guys like me a game as the cost was too great if we lost so in 11 years from U10-U21 I played 7 times ( 6 at minor due to only 15/16 lads playing minor) and came on as a sub once. I was a crap footballer and I knew it but I trained every day of the week. It was disheartening every week we had a game and knowing you would never be thrown a jersey.

The other thing was the lack of games. It was only 6/7 group games and semi final/final in most age groups. I look at the local soccer clubs and they have full schedules of matches and seem to play lots of games with multiple teams.

In Cavan any club that has the numbers is fielding two teams at U13 and U15 not sure about U-17 though.

[johnnycool]

Was at an U8 camogie Go Games blitz over the weekend
Was all a ground based game with no ball lifted or struck from hand except a few puck outs
At what age do players start taking the ball to hand in the blitzes

Not sure about camogie but in hurling it was mixed at U8s, some clubs played in the hand but some didn't. Some of the younger lads at u8 struggled while 1 or 2 of the older lads could run the whole game because the pitch was small. U9s worked better, that extra year evened it up a bit and the pitches were made that wee bit bigger.

U7.5 (In Down) is ground hurling with the FT large ball, U9.5 is the QT small ball and they can lift if both teams are in agreement, but no soloing, a tap is all they're allowed.

I wouldn't be rushing to lifting the ball unless most of the kids have a good ground stroke off both sides. Get a good stroke and the aerial strike will come much easier.

Was chatting to a coach about this and his point of view was a bit different and I never thought about his take on it.

His thoughts were we are punishing the 'good' players all the time, as we are always looking at it from the less capable players' point of view.  We are holding the good players back.

He has a valid point.

Ask that same coach if he spends most of his time coaching the "good" players or the "bad" players, and I've saw plenty of these good players at U9.5 etc etc being overtaken by the bad players as they maybe develop later for whatever reason.
Not keen on any coach who pigeon holes youngsters tbh.

[LeoMc]

Was at an U8 camogie Go Games blitz over the weekend
Was all a ground based game with no ball lifted or struck from hand except a few puck outs
At what age do players start taking the ball to hand in the blitzes

Not sure about camogie but in hurling it was mixed at U8s, some clubs played in the hand but some didn't. Some of the younger lads at u8 struggled while 1 or 2 of the older lads could run the whole game because the pitch was small. U9s worked better, that extra year evened it up a bit and the pitches were made that wee bit bigger.

U7.5 (In Down) is ground hurling with the FT large ball, U9.5 is the QT small ball and they can lift if both teams are in agreement, but no soloing, a tap is all they're allowed.

I wouldn't be rushing to lifting the ball unless most of the kids have a good ground stroke off both sides. Get a good stroke and the aerial strike will come much easier.

Was chatting to a coach about this and his point of view was a bit different and I never thought about his take on it.

His thoughts were we are punishing the 'good' players all the time, as we are always looking at it from the less capable players' point of view.  We are holding the good players back.

He has a valid point.

Ask that same coach if he spends most of his time coaching the "good" players or the "bad" players, and I've saw plenty of these good players at U9.5 etc etc being overtaken by the bad players as they maybe develop later for whatever reason.
Not keen on any coach who pigeon holes youngsters tbh.

If he is pitching his session at the less developed players he is doing the more developed players a disservice and will hold them back.

Players will develop at differing ages and need to be challenged throughout their development cycle, playing at a level that lets them improve.

[marty34]

Was at an U8 camogie Go Games blitz over the weekend
Was all a ground based game with no ball lifted or struck from hand except a few puck outs
At what age do players start taking the ball to hand in the blitzes

Not sure about camogie but in hurling it was mixed at U8s, some clubs played in the hand but some didn't. Some of the younger lads at u8 struggled while 1 or 2 of the older lads could run the whole game because the pitch was small. U9s worked better, that extra year evened it up a bit and the pitches were made that wee bit bigger.

U7.5 (In Down) is ground hurling with the FT large ball, U9.5 is the QT small ball and they can lift if both teams are in agreement, but no soloing, a tap is all they're allowed.

I wouldn't be rushing to lifting the ball unless most of the kids have a good ground stroke off both sides. Get a good stroke and the aerial strike will come much easier.

Was chatting to a coach about this and his point of view was a bit different and I never thought about his take on it.

His thoughts were we are punishing the 'good' players all the time, as we are always looking at it from the less capable players' point of view.  We are holding the good players back.

He has a valid point.

Ask that same coach if he spends most of his time coaching the "good" players or the "bad" players, and I've saw plenty of these good players at U9.5 etc etc being overtaken by the bad players as they maybe develop later for whatever reason.
Not keen on any coach who pigeon holes youngsters tbh.

He wasn't pigeon holing anybody. He was trying to develop all his players, not just the so called weaker ones.  His points were valid.

Should all lads not get equal time and equal chances i.e. challenging the so called better players AND the so called weaker ones?

[Milltown Row2]

Think we are overthinking the whole thing altogether, good skilful players will always have that, either at under 8 or into senior, your grunts will develop also, they won't have that extra skill level or the spatial awareness the better kids have but they bring that toughness and consistency that is missing from the skilful ones.

Coach the basics and coach them well and the skills will come, without the basics you've nothing

I've seen teams with 90% grunts win championships, the 10% skilled players are needed but as a manager in the past I'd rather have mostly obedient grunts with good basic skills.