Feile future under threat

[heffo]

Being paid unsolicited by a third party in a club which already has dozens on unpaid Juvenile mentors.

The club already have paid coaches. This guy has won an AI medal and has kids playing for the club - he shouldn't be paid, no.

Agreed.

+1

Reason?

Maybe I'm being incredibly naive but has he no attachment to his club? He has a full time job, the role he's being paid for isn't full time and isn't more time consuming then the roles of dozens of people in the club.

IMO this is the sort of carry on that will divide a club. He has a skillset and should be giving his skills for free imo.

[Zulu]

If a wealthy man is willing to pay someone to do something then surely that's his prerogative. I don't know the ins and outs of this situation but as the club aren't paying him then I don't see how any volunteer coaches can be upset. The reality is that many clubs would benefit from good coaches being fully employed to over see their underage development and if outside benefactors are willing to fund this then good luck to the club.

[heffo]

If a wealthy man is willing to pay someone to do something then surely that's his prerogative. I don't know the ins and outs of this situation but as the club aren't paying him then I don't see how any volunteer coaches can be upset. The reality is that many clubs would benefit from good coaches being fully employed to over see their underage development and if outside benefactors are willing to fund this then good luck to the club.

We'll agree to disagree Zulu!

One of the posters here is from the club and if he reads the thread he'll give us the inside track on the effects of it.

[magpie seanie]

I was horrified reading this thread when I leanred rumours of an U-14 team "having training camp in Portugal" were true. When I read the article then I had no problem with it. Paddy Christie et al are working miracles in Ballymun and surrounds and fair play to them. Easy to see how the truth can be corrupted.

As Heffo mentioned though there is an issue here. Some clubs would need to cop themselves on. As someone who was lucky enough to play in this competition twice, winning our division the 2nd year (only Sligo team to do so ever!), I really feel the fun and community aspect needs to be maintained at all costs. We were very serious about winning but had great craic. It was brilliant.

[The Insider]

Hogan Stand:

Feile future under threat
27 February 2013

The future of the renowned Feile competitions is under threat because some clubs are too competitive.

GAA officials have raised concerns on the matter as Feile heads into its 42nd year as they feel that the competition has lost its ethos.

Feile is a competition at under-14 level that covers hurling, football, camogie and girls' football and it has become an important part of the GAA's culture.

At a recent Central Council meeting plans were discussed to remove the competitive element from Feile and also to ensure that clubs of every level get a chance to participate, rather than just the best teams in respective counties.

Reports of teams staying in hotels and warm weather training in an attempt to win the national Feile competition have lead to the current discussions.

I nearly choked when I saw the "too competitive" part. Kids around the age of 12 and over love competition. Nothing wrong with it IMHO.  There's a place for competitive games and there's a place for non-competitive games.

And what's wrong with teams staying in hotels? Would you prefer them to camp in tents in a field?

Has this story appeared anywhere else other than here? http://www.hoganstand.com/Waterford/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=186574

Don't know what they are basing this on. There are no quotes in this story, no byline for anyone to have to take responsibility for it, and only the vaguest hint of where it may have emanated from. 'A recent Central Council' meeting. I would not be taking anything from hoganstand.com seriously unless I saw it backed up somewhere else and names attributed to it. That story from the Examiner about Ballymun taking their Under 14s away is from nearly 2 years ago and there doesn't appear to be any connection to the Hoganstand's 'story'.

Move along, nothing to see here...

This matter was discussed briefly at a Leinster games development meeting last Monday night. The representatives from various counties spoke in favour of maintaining the present system but were more or less told that any decision would be based on implementing National Games Development committee policy. What they propose for 2013 was that counties would preferably consider selecting a club which had not previously played in the national finals . From 2014 it is proposed that a team which had won a Feile in each county would be debarred from playing in the National final for 5 years. While it was recognised that there is problems regarding the cost of the weekend to clubs, the positives should be recognised I have been at 3 , 1 with my own club and 2 representing a county board in Derry and Laois and the experience at all 3 was positive . Again the feeling of the meeting was the problem stemmed from allegations of what has gone on in division 1 .

[Westside]

I know a family who hosted a few young lads from Kerry. There was an underage disco one of the nights for all the Feile crowd and the Kerry lads were not allowed to go, had to be in bed by 9pm because they had a game the next day. That sort of thing is absolutely mind bending stuff, can you imagine letting your kids participate under the guidance of a person who would prevent them from attending a kiddy disco because they had a game the next day?! Whoever made that decision should be shot with a ball of his own dung and barred from the GAA for life.

There was also something about special diets they were on or something I don't remember the details.