Strategic Review of Gaelic Games in Laois 2017

Started by redsetanta, July 07, 2017, 12:14:25 PM

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Keyser Söze

To add a little to this I think the GDAs are often bogged down a little with paperwork. Some of it totally unnecessary and some of it which should be completed by others. These are supposed to be our best and most up to date coaching resources. They are needed out in the fields 5 days a week for 6-8 hours. Whether that is all day in schools or part of the day in schools and a few evening hours every now and again between them (coaching courses and club visits) I don't know but there is no need for them to be sitting inside in an office for 15-20 hours a week (which I believe they often are- whether it is their "fault" or not)
The greatest trick the devil ever pulled.......

clonadmad

Quote from: Keyser Söze on October 09, 2017, 06:32:32 PM
To add a little to this I think the GDAs are often bogged down a little with paperwork. Some of it totally unnecessary and some of it which should be completed by others. These are supposed to be our best and most up to date coaching resources. They are needed out in the fields 5 days a week for 6-8 hours. Whether that is all day in schools or part of the day in schools and a few evening hours every now and again between them (coaching courses and club visits) I don't know but there is no need for them to be sitting inside in an office for 15-20 hours a week (which I believe they often are- whether it is their "fault" or not)

Absolutely mental if true and if this is the case the clubs need to hear it and come up with solutions,this is a complete misallocation of resources

I've done a quick count,we have 44 juvenile clubs in the county and 68 national schools.

Thats 9 clubs and 14 national schools per GDA,23 in total,its hardly too much to expect that each one gets one visit per 6 week cycle during the school year,if things were tightened up

INTJ

Can't see how people are being held up 15-20h per week with paperwork unless it's from the CB. I worked as an RDO with the FAI and spent some time training for role in Belgium and Denmark and never had much more than 2-3h a week to do in office. Only time we got issues was when teams or venues  changed suddenly. We had a good bit of paper work at the start of the season yeah with kids forms containin personalinfo needing to be logged, garda vetting, consent forms etc but that all had to be done before the first session for us. The schools do present an issue with some teachers not wanting kids out at various time with the most anyone will do is 3 primary school sessions in a day (9-30-10-30, 11-12 12-1) after lunch primary schools were reluctant to let you in.  Then we would go home and generally take 2-3 club sessions per night in one club with differnt age groups. Training in schools can be disasterours especially small schools where you might have to take one class room that has from u from ages 7-11  it's pointless. Saturday was designated to training and upsklling club coachs and volunteers in the mornings and high potential sessions in the evening. I don't know what the gaa is at holding coach's up with paperwork.

clonadmad

Quote from: INTJ on October 15, 2017, 09:22:51 PM
Can't see how people are being held up 15-20h per week with paperwork unless it's from the CB. I worked as an RDO with the FAI and spent some time training for role in Belgium and Denmark and never had much more than 2-3h a week to do in office. Only time we got issues was when teams or venues  changed suddenly. We had a good bit of paper work at the start of the season yeah with kids forms containin personalinfo needing to be logged, garda vetting, consent forms etc but that all had to be done before the first session for us. The schools do present an issue with some teachers not wanting kids out at various time with the most anyone will do is 3 primary school sessions in a day (9-30-10-30, 11-12 12-1) after lunch primary schools were reluctant to let you in.  Then we would go home and generally take 2-3 club sessions per night in one club with differnt age groups. Training in schools can be disasterours especially small schools where you might have to take one class room that has from u from ages 7-11  it's pointless. Saturday was designated to training and upsklling club coachs and volunteers in the mornings and high potential sessions in the evening. I don't know what the gaa is at holding coach's up with paperwork.

The reality is that the Gaa isn't holding up GDA's with paperwork.

It's very illuminating to see the workloads of GDA's in other counties,compared to what's happening here.








merman

Brilliant to see Monica Delaney coming onto the County Board. She would be very well-received in the hurling areas and is certainly not afraid of hard work.

Still a lot of the same names looking to swap around positions but guaranteed at least 1 new face and if Fergal Byron leaves his name in the hat then he'll comfortably get in ahead of Jody Conway. I think the appointment of Coaching and Games Officer is the second most important position after Chairman. Everything starts from there. It's good to see someone new looking to come in and tackle it.


SCFC

Quote from: merman on November 17, 2017, 08:04:26 AM
Brilliant to see Monica Delaney coming onto the County Board. She would be very well-received in the hurling areas and is certainly not afraid of hard work.

Still a lot of the same names looking to swap around positions but guaranteed at least 1 new face and if Fergal Byron leaves his name in the hat then he'll comfortably get in ahead of Jody Conway. I think the appointment of Coaching and Games Officer is the second most important position after Chairman. Everything starts from there. It's good to see someone new looking to come in and tackle it.
I understand Byron is definitely running. If Conway gets it ahead of him, it's a joke.

Zooming around

Quote from: clonadmad on October 15, 2017, 09:51:05 PM
Quote from: INTJ on October 15, 2017, 09:22:51 PM
Can't see how people are being held up 15-20h per week with paperwork unless it's from the CB. I worked as an RDO with the FAI and spent some time training for role in Belgium and Denmark and never had much more than 2-3h a week to do in office. Only time we got issues was when teams or venues  changed suddenly. We had a good bit of paper work at the start of the season yeah with kids forms containin personalinfo needing to be logged, garda vetting, consent forms etc but that all had to be done before the first session for us. The schools do present an issue with some teachers not wanting kids out at various time with the most anyone will do is 3 primary school sessions in a day (9-30-10-30, 11-12 12-1) after lunch primary schools were reluctant to let you in.  Then we would go home and generally take 2-3 club sessions per night in one club with differnt age groups. Training in schools can be disasterours especially small schools where you might have to take one class room that has from u from ages 7-11  it's pointless. Saturday was designated to training and upsklling club coachs and volunteers in the mornings and high potential sessions in the evening. I don't know what the gaa is at holding coach's up with paperwork.

The reality is that the Gaa isn't holding up GDA's with paperwork.

It's very illuminating to see the workloads of GDA's in other counties,compared to what's happening here.

You seem to know a lot about what's in the Strategic Review. You're hardly on the committee or anything??????

I deal a lot with one of the GDAs and I met him at the U21 final on Sunday. I asked him about the stuff raised here. He said that he has 14 Primary Schools. He has just finished a 6 week block in half of them and has now started a 6 week block in the other half. Seemingly, not all schools take the coaching offered. He has 12 Primary School Coaching sessions this week, 2 Secondary School Sessions, an Award One course on Wednesday night, Laois U13 training on Tuesday night, U14 and U15 Squad Athletic Program on Thursday night and a Staff training course on Monday. He said he had 8/10 hours paperwork on top of that because this time of the year is when all reports are done up. On top of that he was expected (not part of his hours) to be at the U13 final on Saturday and the U21 final on Sunday. A total of about 52 hours. I joked back to him, "Do you ever get time off?". He smiled back "An odd time". Seems he and 2 of the other GDAs didn't get to take all their holidays last year either as well as not being able to take any holidays during the summer on account of Summer Camps. I have to say I found all this amazing and certainly an eye opener.

clonadmad

#53
You've defended the GDA's here before and your experience seems to be at odds with what a lot of club/schools are saying.

Croke Park is aware that there's an issue here,It will be interesting to see what the review has to say also.


Zooming around

Quote from: clonadmad on November 17, 2017, 11:00:29 AM
You've defended the GDA's here before and your experience seems to be at odds with what a lot of club/schools are saying.

Croke Park is aware that there's an issue here,It will be interesting to see what the review has to say also.

I wouldn't call it defending anyone. I don't really know any of them personally but have dealt with them during my time with our underage teams. I just have this nagging doubt that a lot of people who are giving out aren't armed with the full facts. As others have said maybe their workload and roster needs to be arranged a bit better but I couldn't for one second doubt the huge amount of hours they put in. Seems like a bit of a witch hunt.

How do you know about Croke Park? You must be very high up and well in. You seem to know everything.

clonadmad

Neither high up nor well in,was in Croke Park at one of those conferences during the year and got talking by chance to someone high up on the coaching side,I didn't bring up the topic either.

Helix

http://www.dttas.ie/sites/default/files/publications/sport/english/sports-capital-programme-2017-local-allocations/2017-scp-list-grants-publication.pdf

Intersting to see few GAA in Laois getting decent bit of funding from sports council capital grant for 2018 Rahdowney and Borris in Ossary Big benefactors.. Hopefully money used well!
It's hardly possible to build anything if frustration, bitterness and a mood of helplessness prevail

clonadmad

Did many Laois GAA clubs apply?,were many turned down?

Helix

It's hardly possible to build anything if frustration, bitterness and a mood of helplessness prevail