Excellent article in Examiner on GAA injuries.

Ciarrai_thuaidh · January 31, 2012, 11:57:35 PM

http://www.examiner.ie/sport/gaa/gaa-injuries-the-tipping-point-181788.html

Written by Conor McCarthy, former Cork player. It raises some very serious issues about the training elite GAA players espeacially are doing these days.

muppet · February 01, 2012, 12:01:52 AM

Quote from: Ciarrai_thuaidh on January 31, 2012, 11:57:35 PM
http://www.examiner.ie/sport/gaa/gaa-injuries-the-tipping-point-181788.html

Written by Conor McCarthy, former Cork player. It raises some very serious issues about the training elite GAA players espeacially are doing these days.

Yes but we must pay the managers.

TheThirdManning · February 01, 2012, 12:51:40 AM

Agreed, excellent article. Not a side we hear about too often. Demands on inter-county players are at an all time high at present. In ten years time I will be concerned for the general well-being of the 18, 19 and 20 year olds of today who come through all the grades and different teams without ever being properly rested or given sufficient recovery time.

For example in, right now I know a few young players who are in Pre-Championship Mode with the College and doing snappy and sharp football based sessions/ Heavy Pres-Season with the Club/ Pre Season with County + lots of gym work and throw in county u21 team as well. It's madness.

There is no break in the calendar year for these young men .

screenexile · February 01, 2012, 09:23:41 AM

We have to put some kind of a cap on it! You can't have lads playing school's, club U21, County U21, Club Seniors possible County Senior as well all at the one time. What if they are a dual player also? It's ridiculous!!!

There are too many competitions. That was fine when the GAA was fun but now it's a serious results business and that kind of strain on a young body is no good. Some competitions need scrapped and that's the bottom line!

tbrick18 · February 01, 2012, 09:38:47 AM

Quote from: screenexile on February 01, 2012, 09:23:41 AM
We have to put some kind of a cap on it! You can't have lads playing school's, club U21, County U21, Club Seniors possible County Senior as well all at the one time. What if they are a dual player also? It's ridiculous!!!

There are too many competitions. That was fine when the GAA was fun but now it's a serious results business and that kind of strain on a young body is no good. Some competitions need scrapped and that's the bottom line!

Dont agree with scrapping competitions, but I'd be a firm believer in a player only playing at the level they are in the age group for...minors cant play above minor level, U21's cant play above U21 level.
Still be a hectic training regime but if you look at the players who would "burn out" its usually the ones who were fast tracked into senior from minor or under-16.

screenexile · February 01, 2012, 09:48:41 AM

Possibly but then you have smaller Clubs who can't cope with that either and need their U16s playing Minor etc.

Correct me if I'm wrong but do Rugby have a system where you either play for your Club or your school but not both?! It could be worth exploring!

TheThirdManning · February 01, 2012, 10:24:46 AM

I think anyone that is playing county u21 football should not be allowed play County Senior until they exit their own championship. I mean, is there really a need to have these players playing in the National league?

That would be one step in the right direction in my opinion.

ballymac · February 01, 2012, 10:45:21 AM

Would disagree with scrapping any competitions. If we are talking about county level players surely a restriction on the number of games played per month would be an easier method to regulate. If someone is involved in college u21 and senior football then priorities need to be made, who and when they train with etc. If playing at a high level then a maximum of 3 inter county games, or 2 inter county games and 2 college games per calendar month might be an example. Obviously training needs regulated but must players know how to regulate and control their own training.

Dinny Breen · February 01, 2012, 12:37:29 PM

Quote from: screenexile on February 01, 2012, 09:48:41 AM
Possibly but then you have smaller Clubs who can't cope with that either and need their U16s playing Minor etc.

Correct me if I'm wrong but do Rugby have a system where you either play for your Club or your school but not both?! It could be worth exploring!

Rugby is interesting, in Schools, rugby players that are part of the Junior Cup and Senior Cup squads are termed ring-fenced and are not allowed play with their clubs. However outside the JCT and SCT you can play for your club in what are deemed youths/schools leagues generally u15 and u17. JCT and SCT is quite intense and can involve 2 gyms sessions, 4 field sessions and 2 games a week, hence burn out in young players is a big problem and the majority give up post school. Any young lad aged 17 or younger cannot play Adult rugby, if the are 18 or 19 and are playing u/19 rugby they can play either adult or u19 but not both. 20/21 years can play u21 and adult.

Bingo · February 01, 2012, 12:45:30 PM

Quote from: Dinny Breen on February 01, 2012, 12:37:29 PM
Quote from: screenexile on February 01, 2012, 09:48:41 AM
Possibly but then you have smaller Clubs who can't cope with that either and need their U16s playing Minor etc.

Correct me if I'm wrong but do Rugby have a system where you either play for your Club or your school but not both?! It could be worth exploring!

Rugby is interesting, in Schools, rugby players that are part of the Junior Cup and Senior Cup squads are termed ring-fenced and are not allowed play with their clubs. However outside the JCT and SCT you can play for your club in what are deemed youths/schools leagues generally u15 and u17. JCT and SCT is quite intense and can involve 2 gyms sessions, 4 field sessions and 2 games a week, hence burn out in young players is a big problem and the majority give up post school. Any young lad aged 17 or younger cannot play Adult rugby, if the are 18 or 19 and are playing u/19 rugby they can play either adult or u19 but not both. 20/21 years can play u21 and adult.

That seems sensible and the GAA could well look at it down the line. I'm not sure the problem is when players are U16 and playing minors as well but its when they some out of that age group and are playing schools, minors, maybe county minors, junior, senior and then onwards into U21's, colleges, seniors etc.

Its the better players that are been exposed and pulled all directions with all managers using them for their own benefit. It be time that the decisions where taken out of players/managers hands. Plus it would give other players a chance to improve. EG if on senoir squad, not on U21 Squad. If on sigerison squad not on U21, no minor on county U21 squad.

Ard-Rí · February 01, 2012, 12:46:59 PM

I wouldn't necessarily agree with limiting competitions, but something should be looked at in the area of schools GAA, regarding underage players. Perhaps a very limited season with a school team in comparison to the club could be implemented.