Go Games - Good or bad - discuss...

[hound of ulster]

Sorry B.C , Have tried to see your point of view, but im struggling,  well intentioned fathers coaching have nothing to do with Go Games , Go-Games is a format for games and is not a coaching concept. And im sure your not suggesting that only those that have been major players can be relevant coaches. if we where to rely on only major players coaching we would be in some shape.

[brokencrossbar1]

Fair enough lads I am fairly lonely where I am. I don't really care and I do feel that in the long run it will be shown that what is happening is that there is a general lowering of the skills level.  The irony is that it is members of 2 very consistent successful clubs don't agree with the concept. I think that says something.

[hound of ulster]

Sorry, of course your right, we somtimes forget our place.

[brokencrossbar1]

Hound you have your opinion I have mine, your post says more about you than me. I respect what you say but that doesn't mean I accept it. You get sarcastic thinking you're being clever. Maybe, maybe not. I simply made the point that myself and Milltown who have both been involved with the 2 most successful clubs in Ulster of recent times don't like Go Games. I have also said time will tell.  You're forelock pulling is a bit silly really.

[ONeill]

I take it bc that you think the current individual skill level amongst our underage players and young senior players is lower than that of a decade ago.

[David McKeown]

Hound you have your opinion I have mine, your post says more about you than me. I respect what you say but that doesn't mean I accept it. You get sarcastic thinking you're being clever. Maybe, maybe not. I simply made the point that myself and Milltown who have both been involved with the 2 most successful clubs in Ulster of recent times don't like Go Games. I have also said time will tell.  You're forelock pulling is a bit silly really.

With the greatest amount of respect BC whilst there are the two of you and no doubt a few others, there are equally as many if not more who swear by go-games and have researched the alternatives. Going back to my own sport, all the evidence is that small sided games improve technique, skill and tactical nous whilst full size games promotes athleticism, stamina and strength. Whilst both are needed in any successful team, the later can be more easily improved upon at a later stage of development.

[brokencrossbar1]

O Neill not harking to the good old days or anything like that but I have been involved in coaching teams at senior, minor, u16, u14, u12 and u10 over the last 5 years, in 3 different counties and what is apparent that the basic skills are being overlooked and the value of being the best is being undermined.  The kids do not have the freedom we had when I was playing underage but sometimes I feel that is an easy cop out.  The other sports we compete against are laughing at us. They can take them to tournaments in England, Scotland, Wales, France you name it soccer/rugby is played there.  We offer them a medal for 'competing' in a blitz in a wet Killeavey on a Sarturday afternoon!  We will lose the passion, the desire to win which makes us special.  Kids need to know the pain of lose to understand the joy of success.  Kids are competitive at 10, I know, I have coached them. My own son is 12 and from he was 7-8 he hated to lose. Whether it was Cross, Liverpool or just street football.  I know I am in the minority but frankly I am happy with not following the herd.  I know somewhere where they do not agree with the general concepts being espoused by the GAA and I will very happily keep support that. 

[ONeill]

Fair enough and excellent reasoning. However, take Cross out of that. Crossmaglen at all levels are going to challenge for honours and taste success more often than defeat. They're lucky to have that. What about the likes of Corrinshego, Derrynoose, Killean, Lissummon etc?

It's no coincidence that, on the whole (there are always exceptions), there are teams who have always been 'Junior' or 'Intermediate' despite the fact they have just as big a pick. The reason for that is that is that the young players from that team/parish have never been exposed to some form of an organised training scheme. They have been (loosely) managed by the sons and grandsons of men who continue to dominate the club. Go-Games offers the chance to break that cycle at that early age. Even if it means fathers with no experience whatsoever of senior football, it's a start.

I was a poor player. I put a lot of that down to the fact that I had zero (I mean zero) coaching. We never trained as a club underage. We never trained or had organised sessions at primary school. It came down to your father or brothers. Now, I know that may be a club problem but there are many clubs like that out there in the lower reaches. You talk of Milltown's thoughts on this and I remember talking to one of the McGourty brothers about my experiences. He refused to accept my 'excuse' on the basis that you could watch the likes of Kerry and Dublin on the Tv and go out and practice your own skills!

[hound of ulster]

for goodness sake man, Would you listen to yourself, I of course respect you opinion, but please dont try to elevate it above mine by using the sucess of you club, Maybe you dont realise just how patronising it comes across. The only way your success would be relevant was if you had used your preferred system of development and all other teans had used another{ie non competitive fully inclusive } and Cross had come out on top, This was not the case . you may well prove to be correct  in the future, but so might i and the others who feel that winning at that age isnt everything, And i will as you to bear one thing in mind there are more adults seem to have a problem with go games than Children, granted that those that had experienced competitive games  an had them taken away from them as happen in  Armagh 2 years ago may have a gripe but they will get over it, Those that havent will have no problem with them

[brokencrossbar1]

But does it O Neill? Systems are systems, mindsets can't be overcome by systems. The reason many clubs are stuck at a level is because they believe that is their level. I don't give a fiddlers f**k about a system that encourages kids to be mediocre.  That is what I feel Go Games is, an excuse for mediocrity.  If you believe that the fat kid from the farm who only likes tractors is good enough to be part of it then good enough.  I have been a winner all my life and that is not something that I was necessarily born with. I became like that because of what I was taught.  If you can make lads believe they are better than they actually are then you can take them to the next level and it doesn't matter if they are 10 years of age or playing for an AI.

[ONeill]

If you can make lads believe they are better than they actually are then you can take them to the next level and it doesn't matter if they are 10 years of age or playing for an AI.

Is that not the essence of these Games, including that fat kid?

[hound of ulster]

My God ,"The Fat Kid" . "The Pain Of losing" .  Wise up will ya,  We are taking about children here "children" who want to have fun "fun" ya  know somthing i wont even bother trying to put a point across, your last post spoke volumes.

[brokencrossbar1]

I can't work quotes when I am drunk and on a Blackberry but O'Neill the GAA is a sporting organisation not the f**king social services! I am fed up with the 'requirement' to be inclusive.  There is a B team for the 'fat' kid.  Time to stop being PC about it all and start being a bit more open about it. While we all want to be 'open' about it we all want our team to be winners. I don't care how many Go Games a coach organises he loves the win as much as the kids. It feeds his ego as much as the kids no matter how much he tries to be 'mature' about it. Human nature is to be competitive otherwise we wouldn't be here. I feel it is time to accept and realise that and build our games around it!

[hound of ulster]

Ah! the logic of the drunk. that explains alot  There should be a new Campaign   "Dont drink and post,  it wrecks credibilty"

[ONeill]

I still think you're looking at it from your fortunate personal experience and equating that to the way it should be.