The drop off of youngsters playing Gaelic Football

Started by From the Bunker, July 18, 2021, 12:23:20 AM

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From the Bunker

Unlike in my time. Underage football starts in most clubs at under 6.

From under 6 to under 11 there is a steady flow of players taking up the game and players abandoning the game. My young lad is under 12 and I'm finding there is a fair exodus beginning now. One of the main reasons is we have had the same age group together for 2 years. last year was under 12 and this year it's under 13. 

On the other hand Soccer is thriving. A and B teams, lads that are next to useless or handy enough but need a bit of confidence get their chance. Many of these will quit, but not until they are 16 and they realise that soccer is not for them.

My question is: Is it better to get rid of the driftwood early like our local GAA Club and concentrate on the talented players or should we waste time on players that will never amount to anything.

fearbrags

#1
Quote from: From the Bunker on July 18, 2021, 12:23:20 AM
Unlike in my time. Underage football starts in most clubs at under 6.

From under 6 to under 11 there is a steady flow of players taking up the game and players abandoning the game. My young lad is under 12 and I'm finding there is a fair exodus beginning now. One of the main reasons is we have had the same age group together for 2 years. last year was under 12 and this year it's under 13. 

On the other hand Soccer is thriving. A and B teams, lads that are next to useless or handy enough but need a bit of confidence get their chance. Many of these will quit, but not until they are 16 and they realise that soccer is not for them.

My question is: Is it better to get rid of the driftwood early like our local GAA Club and concentrate on the talented players or should we waste time on players that will never amount to anything.


You missed the part of some Parents  part of the management just to get their own children on ?  ;)

tiempo

Depends on the size of the club, what you are trying to achieve and what your ethos is. No right or wrong answers per se though generally accommodating lesser players can still pay off, if people get the feeling they are thought of as driftwood they won't hang around too long. Not all players will make it to club seniors or beyond but might have a huge role to play in other parts of club life in due course, hence why you call the youth the lifeblood of a club.

Remember a parent saying to me he'd coach teams if he had sons but he had daughters so wasn't gonna bother his arse. Sexist statement against his own kids, shitforbrains 101. The mum would be the best footballer in the house rite enuf, funny old game.

RedHand88

Quote from: tiempo on July 18, 2021, 12:49:32 AM
Depends on the size of the club, what you are trying to achieve and what your ethos is. No right or wrong answers per se though generally accommodating lesser players can still pay off, if people get the feeling they are thought of as driftwood they won't hang around too long. Not all players will make it to club seniors or beyond but might have a huge role to play in other parts of club life in due course, hence why you call the youth the lifeblood of a club.

Remember a parent saying to me he'd coach teams if he had sons but he had daughters so wasn't gonna bother his arse. Sexist statement against his own kids, shitforbrains 101. The mum would be the best footballer in the house rite enuf, funny old game.

He sounds lovely.

6th sam

#4
Quote from: fearbrags on July 18, 2021, 12:31:19 AM
Quote from: From the Bunker on July 18, 2021, 12:23:20 AM
Unlike in my time. Underage football starts in most clubs at under 6.

From under 6 to under 11 there is a steady flow of players taking up the game and players abandoning the game. My young lad is under 12 and I'm finding there is a fair exodus beginning now. One of the main reasons is we have had the same age group together for 2 years. last year was under 12 and this year it's under 13. 

On the other hand Soccer is thriving. A and B teams, lads that are next to useless or handy enough but need a bit of confidence get their chance. Many of these will quit, but not until they are 16 and they realise that soccer is not for them.

My question is: Is it better to get rid of the driftwood early like our local GAA Club and concentrate on the talented players or should we waste time on players that will never amount to anything.


You missed the part of some Parents  part of the management just to get their own children on ?  ;)

On the contrary I find that those who volunteer and invest in the club, result in their children being better players because of their exposure to more training -as they never miss training and watch club senior games/county games etc.
I've also seen a bizarre phenomenon whereby uncommitted parents expect the coaches to have their own children standing along the line to keep everybody sweet. Evidence would show that If parents want to ensure their child meets their potential, those parents should invest time in their child's sport: volunteer, educate themselves in the game, sponsor or help fundraising, or even positively support the parents who are investing time.
I remember a brilliant volunteer in our club, leaving his children along the line to give less committed players football, those less committed players drifted away anyway.
Youth football should be about opportunities and development for all, but in reality the more invested the parents , the more likely the child is to stay with the club.
At underage it's important to maximise participation but also to invest well in children who invest well in the club.
Some parents can't contribute time or money but as long as their children see them being positive and respectful of the club and coaches , that's great. Those who snipe in the background are selling their own children short, as only those with a positive view of the sport will meet their potential.

Eire90

Do not where to put this but what damage do you think a another hard  national lockdown would do to the GAA 

From the Bunker

#6
Quote from: 6th sam on July 18, 2021, 10:28:54 AM
Quote from: fearbrags on July 18, 2021, 12:31:19 AM
Quote from: From the Bunker on July 18, 2021, 12:23:20 AM
Unlike in my time. Underage football starts in most clubs at under 6.

From under 6 to under 11 there is a steady flow of players taking up the game and players abandoning the game. My young lad is under 12 and I'm finding there is a fair exodus beginning now. One of the main reasons is we have had the same age group together for 2 years. last year was under 12 and this year it's under 13. 

On the other hand Soccer is thriving. A and B teams, lads that are next to useless or handy enough but need a bit of confidence get their chance. Many of these will quit, but not until they are 16 and they realise that soccer is not for them.

My question is: Is it better to get rid of the driftwood early like our local GAA Club and concentrate on the talented players or should we waste time on players that will never amount to anything.


You missed the part of some Parents  part of the management just to get their own children on ?  ;)

On the contrary I find that those who volunteer and invest in the club, result in their children being better players because of their exposure to more training -as they never miss training and watch club senior games/county games etc.
I've also seen a bizarre phenomenon whereby uncommitted parents expect the coaches to have their own children standing along the line to keep everybody sweet. Evidence would show that If parents want to ensure their child meets their potential, those parents should invest time in their child's sport: volunteer, educate themselves in the game, sponsor or help fundraising, or even positively support the parents who are investing time.
I remember a brilliant volunteer in our club, leaving his children along the line to give less committed players football, those less committed players drifted away anyway.
Youth football should be about opportunities and development for all, but in reality the more invested the parents , the more likely the child is to stay with the club.
At underage it's important to maximise participation but also to invest well in children who invest well in the club.
Some parents can't contribute time or money but as long as their children see them being positive and respectful of the club and coaches , that's great. Those who snipe in the background are selling their own children short, as only those with a positive view of the sport will meet their potential.

Volunteers children will always fare better. They get first call to their favoured position. They get the benefit of the doubt if they have loss in form. They will get more game time. I know this because I see both sides, teams where i have kids where I'm not involved and where I am involved.

Sportacus

Quote from: From the Bunker on July 18, 2021, 12:23:20 AM
Unlike in my time. Underage football starts in most clubs at under 6.

From under 6 to under 11 there is a steady flow of players taking up the game and players abandoning the game. My young lad is under 12 and I'm finding there is a fair exodus beginning now. One of the main reasons is we have had the same age group together for 2 years. last year was under 12 and this year it's under 13. 

On the other hand Soccer is thriving. A and B teams, lads that are next to useless or handy enough but need a bit of confidence get their chance. Many of these will quit, but not until they are 16 and they realise that soccer is not for them.

My question is: Is it better to get rid of the driftwood early like our local GAA Club and concentrate on the talented players or should we waste time on players that will never amount to anything.
As long as you never come anywhere near my club you can tear away.

trailer

Listen plenty of underage managers would step aside if others put their hands up. Reality is who wants to manage an underage side if they haven't got sons or daughters on it? Managers are first to arrive and last to leave. They're searching of that one ball long after everyone has left. They're for the most part doing their best. If all players aren't getting equal chance till they are 13 or 14 then take it up with your committee.
Play them all. You'll need them all. But remember it's not the All Ireland and they're only kids.

Farrandeelin

Quote from: trailer on July 18, 2021, 04:28:25 PM
Listen plenty of underage managers would step aside if others put their hands up. Reality is who wants to manage an underage side if they haven't got sons or daughters on it? Managers are first to arrive and last to leave. They're searching of that one ball long after everyone has left. They're for the most part doing their best. If all players aren't getting equal chance till they are 13 or 14 then take it up with your committee.
Play them all. You'll need them all. But remember it's not the All Ireland and they're only kids.

Me ;D. I'm the only one with no young lad playing (yet anyway) on the level I help out.
Inaugural Football Championship Prediction Winner.

BennyCake

Would the amount of gym work be a factor in the dropout rate? I'd imagine there's not the same emphasis/need for gym work in soccer. Maybe the amount of S&C and time needed to dedicate to playing GAA is sickening youngsters and turning them away, or towards soccer?

From the Bunker

Quote from: BennyCake on July 18, 2021, 11:03:57 PM
Would the amount of gym work be a factor in the dropout rate? I'd imagine there's not the same emphasis/need for gym work in soccer. Maybe the amount of S&C and time needed to dedicate to playing GAA is sickening youngsters and turning them away, or towards soccer?

The expectation is lower in soccer. S&C does not exist at under 11 level in either sport. At least I hope not!

Truth hurts

Lads when do your clubs start taking matches seriously, like throwing subs on etc at u15 level if game is tight?

guy crouchback

its happening in the  team my lad plays with U11. players drifting away. in our club its by and large the coaches fault. its a pity, in a good few cases its lads that have loads of potential just not there yet, now they might never be ''there'' but they have potential.
but as others have said its easy to criticize from the sidelines the reality is any of the coaches would  probably gladly hand me the whistle if i thought i could do better. in my defense i do coach with another team in the club, with my younger lad and at this stage the best i can hope to do is learn from the mistakes of this bunch.

firstly they each have a kid on the team and each seem to believe that their lad is the next cillian o connor. this is bad enough but the real problem is they are bizarrely obsessed with winning U11 games. this results in team selection that leaves loads of player out and piles huge  pressure on those who play.
at one game the ''A'' team had 3 subs whilst the ''B'' team had 11 subs.
now the result of this Cody like desire to win is that so far they have lost every game they have played ( GO games, so no one keeping score only themselves). and worse the other result is good lads/girls walking away (luckily the girls walk around the corner to the girls club).
now my lad would not be the greatest but not the worst either, incredibly enthusiastic absolutely LOVES football and  has a super attitude, never gives up, never complains. but after one recent match he was down in the dumps and upset for a week. i was so mad i was going to talk to them but he begged me not to.  instead he killed himself training for a week at home and when he went back things were  a bit better (only because 3/4 other players were away on holiday) but it will happen again next week, nothing surer and to be honest i will not  have him like that again,  ill sooner  pull him out, he plays soccer and rugby as well and while football is his first love they will have to do.

its a huge pity but the reality is the coaches have no interest in lads they dont think will be good enough  and they dont care if they go in fact i think they are happier. nothing is going to change this attitude and the longer my lads sticks it out the more knocks he going to have to take before he eventually gets the message and gives up.



bigarsedkeeper

Quote from: guy crouchback on July 19, 2021, 09:37:10 AM
its happening in the  team my lad plays with U11. players drifting away. in our club its by and large the coaches fault. its a pity, in a good few cases its lads that have loads of potential just not there yet, now they might never be ''there'' but they have potential.
but as others have said its easy to criticize from the sidelines the reality is any of the coaches would  probably gladly hand me the whistle if i thought i could do better. in my defense i do coach with another team in the club, with my younger lad and at this stage the best i can hope to do is learn from the mistakes of this bunch.

firstly they each have a kid on the team and each seem to believe that their lad is the next cillian o connor. this is bad enough but the real problem is they are bizarrely obsessed with winning U11 games. this results in team selection that leaves loads of player out and piles huge  pressure on those who play.
at one game the ''A'' team had 3 subs whilst the ''B'' team had 11 subs.
now the result of this Cody like desire to win is that so far they have lost every game they have played ( GO games, so no one keeping score only themselves). and worse the other result is good lads/girls walking away (luckily the girls walk around the corner to the girls club).
now my lad would not be the greatest but not the worst either, incredibly enthusiastic absolutely LOVES football and  has a super attitude, never gives up, never complains. but after one recent match he was down in the dumps and upset for a week. i was so mad i was going to talk to them but he begged me not to.  instead he killed himself training for a week at home and when he went back things were  a bit better (only because 3/4 other players were away on holiday) but it will happen again next week, nothing surer and to be honest i will not  have him like that again,  ill sooner  pull him out, he plays soccer and rugby as well and while football is his first love they will have to do.

its a huge pity but the reality is the coaches have no interest in lads they dont think will be good enough  and they dont care if they go in fact i think they are happier. nothing is going to change this attitude and the longer my lads sticks it out the more knocks he going to have to take before he eventually gets the message and gives up.

Could the club not have 3 teams in that case?

Our club had too many for 1 team for the first time this year so entered a B team. A team carried 11 players and no subs, B team took whatever was left and maybe had a couple of very young U9s on the line in some games. It's worked well - not perfect by any means but better than we expected.

Football is very competitive in Down at U11s, in contrast the hurling is seen as a bit of a run out and lads enjoy it more. There's nowhere near the same yapping from the sidelines etc.