06 November 2009
Antrim Club/School Link Update
Antrim County Board are continuously seeking to improve the coaching and games structures in Antrim GAA. One of our main focuses at the moment is to build a solid club/school relationship to cater for the needs of our juvenile section and to secure a future for all the clubs in Antrim.
We have recently completed phase one of this initiative by meeting forty three clubs individually over the past four months. These meetings have been extremely beneficial as the clubs were very forthcoming with their views and suggestions. I would like to thank the clubs for giving their time to meet with us.
Phase two of the club/school link proposal was to host two regional workshops. The first workshop was held in Gort na Mona Clubhouse on Wednesday, October 21st with 18 clubs represented. The second workshop was completed on Wednesday night in the Loughgiel Millennium centre with a further 15 clubs represented on a terrible winters night. The purpose of these workshops is to emphasise the importance of building a club/school link and how this can be achieved with the club, schools and coaching staff all working together. Again thank you to all club members who attended these workshops.
The next phase is to meet with the Principals and PE Co-ordinators of all the Primary Schools in Antrim. The first meeting has been arranged for Wednesday, November 18th in Hannahstown Parish Hall for South Antrim/Belfast Schools and the next meeting is proposed for November 25th.
Come January 1st we hope to be equipped to improve Antrim’s Club/School link by continuing to provide quality coaching programmes in Antrim schools and to give the children an outlet to continue their interest in Gaelic games in fun and safe environment in their local club.
Again, thank you to all involved.
Ciara Ferry,
Antrim Coaching & Games Development Manager.
