GAA supply all county teams with medic bags
In attendance are Matt Carr, Director, Sports Physio & Performance, left, and Sean Dunnion, Chairperson, GAA Medical, Scientific & Welfare Committee during a GAA Medical, Scientific & Welfare Committee at Croke Park in Dublin for the Sports Physio, Performance & UPMC Inter County Medical Bag Initiative. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile
By John Harrington
As part of the GAA’s commitment to player welfare, every senior inter-county team has been supplied with a state-of-the-art medic bag.
The initiative is a partnership between the Association’s Medical, Scientific, and Welfare committee along with sponsors Sports Physio and Performance and UPMC.
“It was an ask from the inter-county medics and something we hadn't done through the GAA for over 10 years,” says Chairperson of the GAA’s Medical, Scientific, and Welfare Committee, Sean Dunnion.
“It came to the Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee as something that would be very positive to do to support the inter-county medics.
“So, we partnered up with Sports Physio and Performance and UPMC and it was a great fit. We were able to supply a medical bag to each senior inter-county football and hurling team and also made available a grant to each of the inter-county squads to put supplies into the bag.
“We just felt it was very important to do that for every inter-county team and we also gave them a suggested list of contents that could be included within the bag so that every inter-county team arriving at training or matches would have a fully stocked bag with all their needs.
“We're very conscious of how much time medical practitioners give and how much effort is involved with an inter-county team in particular. They have to be there as much as the players.
“They're often the first to training and the last leaving. It's something small but we wanted to support them as much as we can and thought this was something we could do for them.”
Director of Sports Physio & Performance, Matt Carr, is delighted to be part of the collaboration.
The Tipperary native has given a huge service to Gaelic games in a personal capacity in a variety of roles with his GAA club Sean Treacy’s, and is currently also Chairperson of Slieve Felim Rapparees Camogie and Ladies football club.
“We've been working almost 20 years now with all the different club and inter-county teams with the GAA and it's fantastic to have this collaboration with the Association to provide these bags because obviously the medical side of team preparation is paramount,” said Carr.
“We're all involved with teams ourselves with our own clubs and player welfare and having proper medical kits on all sidelines is hugely important.”