Meeting of Grassroots to Discuss our Strategy re GPA

[NAG]

Darbyo

I accept that your grant was paid like that and probably then handed over to the bar man in the hatfield.

But the principle of giving grants to students is completely different from that of giving grants to senior intercounty players.
It was supposed to be used or intended for fee's and living expenses although it was maybe put to better use!

The principle of the thing (that is student bursarys) is not wrong and although I would say this should be tightened up on.

[behind the wire]

il second that NAG. it was probably renshaws though. hatfield is only a recent thing.

[Bogball XV]

students get help with fees and accomodation costs, it is not money that they can do whatever they like with. it is completely different to getting money directly into the hand for playing gaelic football or hurling.

100% wrong, how do I know this? because I have recieved one myself from a provincial council in the form of a cheque. There were no strings attached to how I spent this money, I was just given it for playing GAA in a University. Cadbury's also give money to U21 INTER COUNTY players in all the Universities, should that be stopped? It is elitist (only IC players), ageist (only U21's), sexist(only men) and anti hurling (only footballers can apply).

How much do Cadbury's give Darby?

[darbyo]

There is absolutely no incosistency with my position, the bursary system is not infact pay for play because for some of the students, they have to make a choice to not have a job this bursary system facilitates our games at third level without which in the current economic climate it would probably not survive. This is completely different for guys in full time employment getting money into their pockets soley because they are intercounty players, there is no need to facilitate these guys as they are already covered by expenses and well looked after.

Few players that I know of (and I'm heavily involved in College football) couldn't work because of GAA commitments. And if this bursary system is to alleviate financial burdens then surely they should go the GAA players based on their financial standing not on their playing ability. In fact how did Universities field teams when there were few if any student bursaries? These bursaries have only become the norm in the last 10 years but colleges have been fielding teams for a lot longer

[darbyo]

It's €1000 Bogball but it may vary from Uni to Uni.

[take_yer_points]

For me I was the fence - I know a few county players and can understand why the few quid would be nice to have. On the other hand, I don't like the idea of pay for play - and in my opinion that's what it is.

The thing that's annoyed me is the GPA and the situation they but everyone in, ie. the strike. In answer to the question of what is pay for play I'll pose another question...

What was the strike? Seems to me it was the opposite of pay for play - ie. No pay, No play.

[full back]

Clubmember -

Thanx for ignoring me again. Im feeling a bit jilted at this stage  

I feel the same way believe
I asked Clubmember a question but as with certain people they ignore the question & ensure on getting a different point across

[behind the wire]

There is absolutely no incosistency with my position, the bursary system is not infact pay for play because for some of the students, they have to make a choice to not have a job this bursary system facilitates our games at third level without which in the current economic climate it would probably not survive. This is completely different for guys in full time employment getting money into their pockets soley because they are intercounty players, there is no need to facilitate these guys as they are already covered by expenses and well looked after.

Few players that I know of (and I'm heavily involved in College football) couldn't work because of GAA commitments. And if this bursary system is to alleviate financial burdens then surely they should go the GAA players based on their financial standing not on their playing ability. In fact how did Universities field teams when there were few if any student bursaries? These bursaries have only become the norm in the last 10 years but colleges have been fielding teams for a lot longer

i think you'll find that it wasnt much more than 10 years ago that university fees for all kicked in. that maybe had something to do with it. student life leaves you in an awful debt now. i couldnt have survived without my part time job. the gaa recognises this and are only trying to help its student members out in this way.

this is not the same as a grant for an ordinary player because the ordinary player will not be in debt as a result of playing gaelic games. (and yes i accept the apprenticeship argument)

[Bogball XV]

It's €1000 Bogball but it may vary from Uni to Uni.

I always miss out on these bloody things  How do they decide who gets it?  Do students have to start a championship match in order to qualify?  I don't mean to take this off topic, but I would have thought the whole process could get very messy, and potentially disruptive to panels, which is the biggest problem I have with grants (bar the involvement of Dessie et al).

[Clubmember]

Believebelieve

When did GPA members vote against pay for play? I thought it was never on their agenda so how did they get the opportunity to vote against it??
It was posted here before ....as far as I know at an agm and reason they voted on it was to clarify it not what they about.

Also if this is just a grant to cover expenses why is it performance related? If it is truly to help preparation why are all players not allocated the same amount of money each week while they are in the championship longer youre in the championship for, the more expenses you incur I presume? Most sports council grants are performance related i.e. if boxer wins medal they get extra etc.

My definition of pay for play is that it is money recieved for playing GAA over and above legitimate expenses.
Again a practice going on throughout the GAA as reffered to in your own point below.

And with respect to managers being paid I think this is the single biggest problem within the association at the moment and the few years that my club agreed to pay more than expenses I objected strongly at the time and also at the AGM at the end of the year.
In a democracy sometimes decisions are reached that not everyone agrees with – that's a fact of life. Anyone who doesn't agree can only raise the issue again and again or leave the organization if they don't agree with their core principles or if they feel there's nothing they can do to change them.

[Clubmember]

Post it again full back.

Not sitting at computer all day to read every single comment

[Maximus Marillius]

Lads I'll see there tonight. I will be the one wearing the Bellaghy top.

[full back]

Clubmember

Of course they do it for the love of the game - do you honestly think €2000 is going to stop them.

How can you justify this?
The players were going to strike unless they got the money

[darbyo]

i think you'll find that it wasnt much more than 10 years ago that university fees for all kicked in. that maybe had something to do with it. student life leaves you in an awful debt now. i couldnt have survived without my part time job. the gaa recognises this and are only trying to help its student members out in this way.

On the contary, you had to pay much more for a college place prior to 1993 (I think) than now. Now they are free (well €1000 approx. per year) in the 80's and early 90's it was double that at least.
                       As for the Cadbury's bursary Bogball, that is given to 2 U21 IC players picked by a committee. So if you don't fulfill the criteria that I set out before you can't apply. In fairness it hasn't caused any problems that I know of.              

[Clubmember]

They were willing to go on strike over the principal not the amount involved. Everybody saying this is professionaism and pay for play etc. I hardly think that aprox £20 a week is what they were striking over do you honestly think it would be worth the grief?!  It's a pity people didn't see that it's not all about the money but the principle of recognising players for what they are and what they bring to the association rather than telling them to shut up and sit in the corner and be happy with what all the "benefits" that they "all" enjoy