THE general theme surrounding GAA conversations these days seems to be that the inter-county game has progressed light years ahead of anything that is happening at grassroots level in our clubs.
In terms of money and man-hours spent on preparation, this may be true.
But, for someone who was heavily involved in the inter-county scene until recently, I unfortunately had not been able to get involved in many of our club initiatives aimed at promoting our game to the youth in our community.
As our senior teams players representative on the club committee I was invited to attend our club underage registration night a few weeks ago by our games and coaching officer Tony Brady.
These nights did not exist when I was playing underage football so I assumed I would be having a brief chat with the kids in attendance, welcoming them to the club and wishing them luck for the year ahead without boring them to sleep.
What materialised proved to be totally different. I walked into the social club to find a room packed full of our underage players, parents, mentors and team sponsors.
As coaching officer overseeing all underage structures Tony had put together a very impressive and informative evening for all in attendance, where he and the various team mentors outlined their plans for age group during the year ahead.
The night was about much more than football, though, as codes of conduct and ethics regarding good practice of player, management and parental behaviour throughout the season were covered.
The club’s child protection and health and well-being officers were introduced while the club chairman also addressed the group to thank the parents for bringing their kids along to the beginning of what is hopefully the start of a long and enjoyable affiliation with our club.
The registration night proved to me how far our games have come from even my own underage days when our registration night was to turn up to the first game of the season and play.
A few clicks of a button on the GAA website and you will see a thorough breakdown of all structures and procedures expected from all clubs throughout the country.
The GAA states that they are committed to creating and maintaining the safest possible environment for all young people who wish to participate in our games and activities.
They encourage clubs to create an environment to allow all kids equal opportunities to enjoy their sport.
Like everything in life, there are always ways of improving our sport but the off-field guidance which has now become common practice in our clubs has to be commended. To top it off, I feel that for kids taking part in sport provides such a positive avenue in their lives.
Apart from the opportunity to gain recognition and be successful, which is what ultimately motivates the vast majority of us, taking part in sport, and more importantly in team sports, offers us the opportunity without realising it to help develop and nurture our social skills as well as health and well-being.
I was far from the perfect student – my grades and early exit from school would bear testament to this – but I feel the experiences I have gained throughout my life from being part of a team environment have helped shape me as a person off the field.
I have learned so many valuable lessons being part of a team that have been transferable into my working life.
You learn how to deal with pressure situations, take instructions from management, accept criticism when necessary, be disciplined, time management, look out for colleagues and not to go off on a solo run without a thinking of the consequences for your colleagues.
Throughout my career, I have seen many captains and mangers dealing with disciplinary issues in ways which could quite easily have been transferred into a working environment.
There are no classes or courses available that offer the same experiences you gain from being in the dressing room full of like-minded individuals.
I failed to become book smart at school, but the team environment has helped to make me street smart.
Before reading my next point, think about this. How often do you see kids walking the streets with a football in their hands these days? When was the last time your house was the victim of “knock door run” by a group of harmless teenagers?
These activities were common practice for me growing up as we tried the pass the time at weekends and during the summer holidays. These days, our kids are spending too much time indoors, watching TV or occupied by electronic devices.
Whatever the reason for child inactivity these days, I feel being involved in sport in some capacity has become even more important to try offset against another real aspect of modern-day life, which I believe needs addressing: obesity.
Put simply, obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in the world. While there are medical causes for obesity, the vast majority occurs when there is an imbalance between food intake and physical activity and has strong links to heart disease, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
It also places an economic burden of almost £0.5bn on our health system. At present, one in five teenagers (13-17 years) and one in 10 children (5-12 years) are overweight or obese.
Between 1990 and 2000 the prevalence of obesity in Ireland increased by 67 percent overall, and these numbers are on the increase.
Childhood is the best time to practise good eating habits with our kids. Children who are overweight are 50 per cent more likely to be overweight as adults and this brings with it the previously mentioned associated health risks.
As parents and peers it is our responsibility to help and encourage them along the right path to a balanced diet.
In society today when we are all on the go and living life at 100mph it is very hard to get your diet immaculate but with regular exercise and a balanced diet 80 per cent of the time I believe it will help us all live healthier lives.
For me, the £10 membership fee paid by parents on the club registration night a few weeks ago will be the best money spent on their kids this year. I would urge all parents to support and encourage their kids to get involved in sport in some capacity, be that team or individual. There is something out there to cater for everyone.
