The future of laois hurling

[clonadmad]

inability to recruit suitable coaches for the inter-county squads has been labelled ‘one of the biggest problems in Laois GAA’.

So says secretary Niall Handy who made the comments in his report ahead of Convention.

Mr Handy made the statements during his report on the Minor footballers who struggled this year.

He explained how it was initially difficult to put a management team in place for this group – a problem that he says is all too prevalent.

He says that hundreds of ‘suitably qualified’ people have been approached to get involved with academy and inter-county panels.

But these people continually turn down the opportunity to come on board.

Mr Handy said: “It is one aspect of the “job” that really disappoints me, whereby on a weekend or maybe a Monday morning, after taking a “beating” at some grade of Inter County level, be it Minor, U-20 or Senior, you get the call or hear the jibes from the usual brigade.

“Whether it be the lads at the barstool counter, who seem to have an outstanding knowledge and expertise on football and hurling, to the usual press personnel, and of course the keyboard warriors, as to the faults and tribulations of our panel and management and Laois GAA in general.

Now while many would be nowhere near qualified to get involved as a mentor or any other potential role within a team,
the real disappointment is the hundreds of suitably qualified personnel that have been contacted to get involved in numerous different roles with our Inter County panels and academies in recent years, and offer the same disappointing excuse for not committing.

“If you were to ask me, what is one of the biggest problems in Laois GAA, I have no hesitation in stating that it is our inability to recruit suitable coaches / mentors for our Inter County panels.”

[Zooming around]

It isn't very dignified of a county secretary to be making comments like that in his annual report.

[Junior Ex Laoistalk]

It isn't very dignified of a county secretary to be making comments like that in his annual report.

Maybe not but unfortunately what he says is true

[clonadmad]

It isn't very dignified of a county secretary to be making comments like that in his annual report.

Maybe not but unfortunately what he says is true

Making the question should be asked

Why are well qualified people refusing to go in and help?

It seems a lot of those that do go in are very quickly disillusioned

Underage development squads particularly in hurling are in a very poor state in this couny and I can’t see it getting any better anytime soon.

[High Fielder]

Too easy to blame those who won't volunteer. A ridiculous statement coming from I'm assuming, one of the only well paid employees of Laois GAA. Not that I'm saying it's his fault either, because this issue could never be solved by apportioning blame.

My own opinion is that we are small time. The whole machine of Laois GAA is designed to keep costs down and balance the books. There's no room to employ more coaches, badly needed, or full time employees in the main offices. Also very badly needed. Marketing, admin, website etc. Therefore, if we think small, we are small, and there is no incentive for anyone to go in and volunteer because it's thankless and generally pointless.

We have massive skills shortages across all areas of Laois GAA that in my opinion need financial resourcing, not volunteerism. Where that comes from I have no idea, but that's my take on it.

[clonadmad]

Too easy to blame those who won't volunteer. A ridiculous statement coming from I'm assuming, one of the only well paid employees of Laois GAA. Not that I'm saying it's his fault either, because this issue could never be solved by apportioning blame.

My own opinion is that we are small time. The whole machine of Laois GAA is designed to keep costs down and balance the books. There's no room to employ more coaches, badly needed, or full time employees in the main offices. Also very badly needed. Marketing, admin, website etc. Therefore, if we think small, we are small, and there is no incentive for anyone to go in and volunteer because it's thankless and generally pointless.

We have massive skills shortages across all areas of Laois GAA that in my opinion need financial resourcing, not volunteerism. Where that comes from I have no idea, but that's my take on it.

Laois GAA has run a Surplus of over €881,000 the past 2 years.

Why isnt that money being spent prudently and in areas where there will be a return on investment ?

https://www.laoistoday.ie/2021/12/01/laois-gaa-report-surplus-of-over-e500000-in-latest-annual-accounts
https://www.laoistoday.ie/2022/11/23/laois-gaa-report-surplus-of-over-e370000-in-latest-annual-accounts

[Zooming around]

It isn't very dignified of a county secretary to be making comments like that in his annual report.

Maybe not but unfortunately what he says is true

Making the question should be asked

Why are well qualified people refusing to go in and help?

It seems a lot of those that do go in are very quickly disillusioned

Underage development squads particularly in hurling are in a very poor state in this couny and I can’t see it getting any better anytime soon.

A bit of personality and manners might help. We had great people involved and they were all basically ran out of it.

[SCFC]

There's no room to employ more coaches, badly needed, or full time employees in the main offices. Also very badly needed. Marketing, admin, website etc.

As we seem to have a few quid in the bank, I wonder would it be worthwhile for Laois GAA to employ a full time PR and marketing person. Someone good at a job like that could pay for themselves. A part time PRO is almost unrealistic in this day and age.
We seem to struggle to hold on to our coaches. There seems to be a problem retaining the good ones. New coaching officer incoming so hopefully he may bring some new ideas to the job.

[Zooming around]

There's no room to employ more coaches, badly needed, or full time employees in the main offices. Also very badly needed. Marketing, admin, website etc.

As we seem to have a few quid in the bank, I wonder would it be worthwhile for Laois GAA to employ a full time PR and marketing person. Someone good at a job like that could pay for themselves. A part time PRO is almost unrealistic in this day and age.
We seem to struggle to hold on to our coaches. There seems to be a problem retaining the good ones. New coaching officer incoming so hopefully he may bring some new ideas to the job.

Who's the new Coaching Officer?

[SCFC]

There's no room to employ more coaches, badly needed, or full time employees in the main offices. Also very badly needed. Marketing, admin, website etc.

As we seem to have a few quid in the bank, I wonder would it be worthwhile for Laois GAA to employ a full time PR and marketing person. Someone good at a job like that could pay for themselves. A part time PRO is almost unrealistic in this day and age.
We seem to struggle to hold on to our coaches. There seems to be a problem retaining the good ones. New coaching officer incoming so hopefully he may bring some new ideas to the job.

Who's the new Coaching Officer?

Alan Langton of Barrowhouse

[Laoisred]

I know of hurling coach, living in Co Laois. Has won club championships in his native county at Senior, u20, minor level. Has intercounty experience coaching at senior and u20 level. Wrote to county board a couple of years back saying he was willing to help out with a team but never got a reply.

[clonadmad]

I know of hurling coach, living in Co Laois. Has won club championships in his native county at Senior, u20, minor level. Has intercounty experience coaching at senior and u20 level. Wrote to county board a couple of years back saying he was willing to help out with a team but never got a reply.

Look at the numbers of Laois men every year coaching outside the county particularly in Kilkenny and ask why they aren't being retained or enticed to stay in Laois and work with development squads.

Kiely,Donohue,Cahill,Sheedy,Lyng all were involved at underage with their respective counties before they stepped into the big job, but this managerial pathway route seems to be ignored here.

[High Fielder]

It's incredibly hard to make a name for yourself in Laois. If you have any ambition, it's a real gamble getting involved at any level, simply because all our teams seem to be in decline. Nobody will remember that you worked hard or tried your best. People want winners, and there aren't too many of those in these parts. We find ourselves, at all levels, taking gambles on the unproven, because that's the market we're in.

Who do we blame for the above? Niall Handy says the lack of volunteers. You could turn that on its head and say Laois GAA does not create the right conditions for participation. It's not worth getting involved in. Coaches can't progress. Players can't win anything. Volunteers don't have the time and feel it's pointless. Etc. Etc. The answer probably lies somewhere between the two. It's everybody's fault, including the GAA itself which has made it impossible for Laois and counties like us to compete. We're not the only county in this position. Many of our neighbours are struggling too. Offaly are throwing money at the situation and seem to be getting some results. We don't have the same luxury. We're also, like everyone, fighting the battle against other sports, and with the size of our population, that's a battle we could do without.

You could write a book on this subject. Niall Handy writes his report and we debate on here daily. We've all made up our own minds and all of us think we have a handle on the issue. We probably don't. It's a complex subject.

[Laois man]

Many new faces in with the senior hurlers I wonder? Wexford on the 8th of January in the walsh Cup I see.

[Zooming around]

There's no room to employ more coaches, badly needed, or full time employees in the main offices. Also very badly needed. Marketing, admin, website etc.

As we seem to have a few quid in the bank, I wonder would it be worthwhile for Laois GAA to employ a full time PR and marketing person. Someone good at a job like that could pay for themselves. A part time PRO is almost unrealistic in this day and age.
We seem to struggle to hold on to our coaches. There seems to be a problem retaining the good ones. New coaching officer incoming so hopefully he may bring some new ideas to the job.

Who's the new Coaching Officer?

Alan Langton of Barrowhouse

What happened? Why did Langton not take up the role?