The future of laois hurling

[clonadmad]

The setanta programme and the development squads should become the most important teams in the county for the next 10 years. See what happens, its time to try something different. Laois people would be happy with a good minor or u20 team to follow rather than watch our seniors being hammered. How many thousands turned up to watch our minors last year compared to some senior games.
There needs to be a shift in focus asap

There's no need for a shift in focus

What's needed is to focus across all the grades and not downgrade or throw out one group of hurlers over another

The CB in the last 2 years ran a surplus of close to €900k,use some of it but also get organised and work smart

Some of the story's coming out of the development squads are barely believable from an organisational viewpoint

If true

If we do as you say, nothing will change
Drastic overhaul is required

Tell us what you would do then?

I don't think it is massive. Need to put the money into high class coaching in the clubs. Pay suitable people to build standards and inspire our kids. Make the jobs financially attractive but based on a renewable term based on standards. We always talk about S&C etc which is important but unless you have the raw material it is pointless. County level GDAs don't work. The current model in Laois is to rely on parents, who are doing their best, to bring on our kids and we then expect the development panels / minor setups etc. to do the rest.

There's already qualified GPO's working in Clubs and by the end of this year,any club that has put in for one will have one.

[SpeculativeEffort]

How about using the surplus of €900,000 to put GDA's in place to provide hurling to every child in every primary school in the county instead of listening to the Enoch Burke style chairmen (forcing their preferences on their whole club/community) etc of clubs who resist all attempts to promote the game. How are these dinosaurs allowed into positions of power? Small-minded, fearful, inward looking and continuously placing obstacles in the way of hurling development.

Spare me the 'hurling clubs do the same arguments'. I acknowledge that but it doesn't make it right.

[clonadmad]

How about using the surplus of €900,000 to put GDA's in place to provide hurling to every child in every primary school in the county instead of listening to the Enoch Burke style chairmen (forcing their preferences on their whole club/community) etc of clubs who resist all attempts to promote the game. How are these dinosaurs allowed into positions of power? Small-minded, fearful, inward looking and continuously placing obstacles in the way of hurling development.

Spare me the 'hurling clubs do the same arguments'. I acknowledge that but it doesn't make it right.

Which clubs would they be ?

[burdizzo]

How about using the surplus of €900,000 to put GDA's in place to provide hurling to every child in every primary school in the county instead of listening to the Enoch Burke style chairmen (forcing their preferences on their whole club/community) etc of clubs who resist all attempts to promote the game. How are these dinosaurs allowed into positions of power? Small-minded, fearful, inward looking and continuously placing obstacles in the way of hurling development.

Spare me the 'hurling clubs do the same arguments'. I acknowledge that but it doesn't make it right.

Which clubs would they be ?

Whiuch football clubs discourage hurling?? I can think of a couple, all right.

[clonadmad]

How about using the surplus of €900,000 to put GDA's in place to provide hurling to every child in every primary school in the county instead of listening to the Enoch Burke style chairmen (forcing their preferences on their whole club/community) etc of clubs who resist all attempts to promote the game. How are these dinosaurs allowed into positions of power? Small-minded, fearful, inward looking and continuously placing obstacles in the way of hurling development.

Spare me the 'hurling clubs do the same arguments'. I acknowledge that but it doesn't make it right.

Which clubs would they be ?

Whiuch football clubs discourage hurling?? I can think of a couple, all right.

Who are the worst offenders?

[SpeculativeEffort]

How about using the surplus of €900,000 to put GDA's in place to provide hurling to every child in every primary school in the county instead of listening to the Enoch Burke style chairmen (forcing their preferences on their whole club/community) etc of clubs who resist all attempts to promote the game. How are these dinosaurs allowed into positions of power? Small-minded, fearful, inward looking and continuously placing obstacles in the way of hurling development.

Spare me the 'hurling clubs do the same arguments'. I acknowledge that but it doesn't make it right.

Which clubs would they be ?

Look at the list of GAA clubs and then identify the football only clubs who have enough numbers to play Go Games football but have never attempted to play Go Games hurling. Most of these would resist the idea vehemently.

I would love if even one openminded such club read this post and thought 'why not give it a go next year?'

[clonadmad]

How about using the surplus of €900,000 to put GDA's in place to provide hurling to every child in every primary school in the county instead of listening to the Enoch Burke style chairmen (forcing their preferences on their whole club/community) etc of clubs who resist all attempts to promote the game. How are these dinosaurs allowed into positions of power? Small-minded, fearful, inward looking and continuously placing obstacles in the way of hurling development.

Spare me the 'hurling clubs do the same arguments'. I acknowledge that but it doesn't make it right.

Which clubs would they be ?

Look at the list of GAA clubs and then identify the football only clubs who have enough numbers to play Go Games football but have never attempted to play Go Games hurling. Most of these would resist the idea vehemently.

the fact that we cant name the worst offenders on an anonomous GAA Forum kinda says it all

And thats even before anything is even done to address it.

[burdizzo]

Well, I think Portarlington and Emo would both be happy to let their underage hurling set-ups wither. Yes, they do have underage set-ups, but this is more down to the enthusiasm and hard work of individual parents, rather than a club commitment, and I know, in Portarlington's case, obstacles have been put in the way of progress. Of course, it's fair enough in a way - it's football men who run these clubs - but it will be a pity to see all that effort fade away. Also, I did hear there were efforts to establish a hurling club in the north east of the county, but I think it came to nought. In any case, it would probably have gone the way of Slieve Margy - where, again, I'm sure the football clubs were happy to let it wither, but hurling clubs in the area may have been equally happy for that to happen, so they could hoover up a few players for themselves.

[SpeculativeEffort]

Well, I think Portarlington and Emo would both be happy to let their underage hurling set-ups wither. Yes, they do have underage set-ups, but this is more down to the enthusiasm and hard work of individual parents, rather than a club commitment, and I know, in Portarlington's case, obstacles have been put in the way of progress. Of course, it's fair enough in a way - it's football men who run these clubs] but it will be a pity to see all that effort fade away. Also, I did hear there were efforts to establish a hurling club in the north east of the county, but I think it came to nought. In any case, it would probably have gone the way of Slieve Margy - where, again, I'm sure the football clubs were happy to let it wither, but hurling clubs in the area may have been equally happy for that to happen, so they could hoover up a few players for themselves.

This line suggests that some club members opinions are more important than others. Its not 'fair enough' in any way. These are supposedly GAA clubs where actual club members are wilfully killing one of games of the association through obstruction, inaction or willful neglect. The people who play and promote hurling in these clubs have as much right to promote their chosen sport as any other member. Its the RESPONSIBILITY of the club executive to support these people in every way possible. Anyone who does the opposite is committing an act of treason against their own organisation.

[Jd]

It's very easy to accuse clubs of being closed to hurling but in my opinion it's not true. Clubs will let anyone start a hurling team and many have tried. They fail not through resistance of clubs but through sheer lack of people to run such teams. Take port for instance..... A big traditional football club with an decent underage hurling setup. How many people are driving the hurling?? 5 or 6 whereas there's multiples of that doing football. There are not enough people skilled in hurling to teach the skills to kids and even if you put County coaches in there still won't be enough to sign up to coach. You mentioned Emo/St Paul's, these kids are getting good coaching through Emo and Rath schools as both principals are hurling men but once again once it goes back to the clubs there's only small numbers there to coach. Also parents choose which sport the child has a better chance of progressing in as they can't be out 6 nights a week. It's not the clubs which are stopping hurling but tradition. Clubs will always revert to their stronger code just to keep things going but as with hurling clubs will always struggle to get enough coaches to teach the weaker one.

[clonadmad]

I'm normally very critical of the County Board but credit where it's due here

Most counties have been producing these booklets with years but fair play to whoever decide to produce it this year

https://laoisgaa.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/2023-Coiste-na-nA_g-Regulations-Summary.pdf

[SpeculativeEffort]

It's very easy to accuse clubs of being closed to hurling but in my opinion it's not true. Clubs will let anyone start a hurling team and many have tried. They fail not through resistance of clubs but through sheer lack of people to run such teams. Take port for instance..... A big traditional football club with an decent underage hurling setup. How many people are driving the hurling?? 5 or 6 whereas there's multiples of that doing football. There are not enough people skilled in hurling to teach the skills to kids and even if you put County coaches in there still won't be enough to sign up to coach. You mentioned Emo/St Paul's, these kids are getting good coaching through Emo and Rath schools as both principals are hurling men but once again once it goes back to the clubs there's only small numbers there to coach. Also parents choose which sport the child has a better chance of progressing in as they can't be out 6 nights a week. It's not the clubs which are stopping hurling but tradition. Clubs will always revert to their stronger code just to keep things going but as with hurling clubs will always struggle to get enough coaches to teach the weaker one.

I don't agree on this at all. There are 5-6 ppl involved in Port because they have ignored the atmosphere of 'we don't really want hurling here'. It is difficult enough to attract ppl to get involved without the idea that 'hurling is a foreign sport' (yes, hard to believe but I have heard that one a few times in a variety of clubs)
If you think hurling isn't impeded, tripped up, ignored and neglected from those within our own organisation then I suggest you must be viewing the situation from quite a distance.

Now that Port have established juvenile hurling where is their determination to build on it and form an adult club in the area? There isn't any. They will be happy to allow those lads tip away at hurling as an isolated player with some club nearby. Safe in the knowledge that hurling will be dead in 10 years and it will be a long time again before ppl try to resurrect it. Very similar to Slieve Margy.

[Jd]

What you say actually confirms what I said. There isn't the appetite in the traditional football clubs for hurling because there are not enough "hurling people" in these clubs. The football people don't care enough to try to develop it further and while I can't speak for all clubs I can honestly say that I have never seen anyone actively try to prevent hurling. It's not protests which kill hurling in the football areas but more apathy. Its the same as football in hurling areas. Unless a hurling person "blows in" to a football area or vice versa then it'll never start up much less grow. I love hurling but am from a football area. My young fella brings his hurl to school cos I almost bully him to but he himself has said there's more of the lads playing football so he'll l play that with his club

[SpeculativeEffort]

I didn't say there isn't appetite. There may be appetite in certain places but football focused club executives can gently persuade those people that it's not worth the hassle. Before they even find out if there is fuel for the fire, they put it out.

Are there underage hurling teams in your sons club?

[Jd]

There is indeed an underage setup but no adult. He doesn't play with the club as he prefers football....... Football area