Pop Up Hurling Camps prove to be a success in Fermanagh
Action from Fermanagh's GAA recent Pop Up Hurling Camp in Enniskillen. Photo by Mary McElroy, Fermanagh GAA Communications Officer
By Cian O'Connell
Innovative Pop Up Hurling Camps proved to be a real success in Fermanagh.
Organised for boys and girls between the ages of six and 13, the sessions were popular and Fermanagh GAA hopes to roll out further initiatives in the future.
Teresa McNabb, Fermanagh GAA Head of Games, was encouraged by the response. "It was very positive," she says.
"We ran the first one in the second week of July, and we'd 42 kids, which was very positive. A number of the kids that attended didn't belong to any club so it was a nice taster opportunity for children, while also those who play for clubs were fit to be challenged with their skills and play against hurlers from other clubs.
"So, it was a good opportunity for players to mix with different clubs and age groups.
"We ran another one in August. We had 34 kids at that. They enjoyed it. They got a chance to develop their skills and play fun games.
"Some of them are just starting out, others are continuing on. The additional coaching and contact time on top of what they're doing in the clubs went well."
McNabb acknowledges that the camps benefitted new hurlers and those already affiliated with clubs. "We called it a Pop Up Camp, but it was organised and planned obviously - it gave the feeling to come along, have a go," she explains.
"It was a relaxed summer piece for three days, a shorter period of time - two and a half hours at a minimal cost. It wasn't about the cost, it was about making hurling more visible, giving players more opportunities to have a go, to play, especially in the summer time when they're looking to do things and have fun.
"It was based in St Michael's College in Enniskillen, it was central which was easily accessible and affordable for parents. That was a big thing, being more visible and allowing them to play."
Providing chances to hurl is key according to McNabb. "We run a dedicated hurling Cúl Camp every year in the first week of July," she responds.
Fermanagh GAA staged successful Pop Up Hurling Camps during the summer months. Photo by Mary McElroy, Fermanagh GAA Communications Officer
"We're hitting maybe the low 40s, but it's about giving lots of different opportunities. We're not expecting to run one event getting 100 or 150. It's about loads of small opportunities as much as we can across the year. This was a good opportunity.
"The Pop Up Hurling piece probably came on the back of the hurling support initiative that came out of Croke Park at a national level.
"There was decent equipment given, we had other camps on that week, but it meant equipment wasn't an issue for us. We had equipment that came from Croke Park, we had a hurling person fit to lead it. So, that all helped putting these opportunities on.
"We try to look outside the box with different opportunities, we ran handball camps this year. Again, just to give more opportunities to try our other codes, to see if they like it or are interested."
Ensuring more contact hours and hurling sessions are organised is a mission Fermanagh GAA wants to accomplish. "We will look at the likes of Halloween, Easter, mid term breaks for other opportunities," she adds.
"We did a bit last year where we ran a block of coaching centrally in Enniskillen for an age cohort to come in. So, it isn't a club piece, it isn't an Academy piece, it's just club players or anyone who wants to have a go for five or six weeks of coaching.
"We will definitely look at trying to offer more opportunities at that young age from maybe five or six to 13 or 14 years of age.
"To get them more exposed to the game, and hopefully with the opportunities they'll get, they'll look to play with their clubs and kick on from there."
Assisting clubs and trying to enable young hurlers to train and play regularly is vital according to McNabb. "Our numbers are low - we technically have eight clubs, nine if we include MacNean, a Fermanagh/Cavan team," she says.
"We're probably looking at five clubs who would be consistent putting out Go Games teams.
"Then, it might depend on different age groups, some clubs might have an U14 team, but they mightn't have an U8s or U10s. It is just about trying to add more strings to the bow, to try to pull more in, where we can, to play."
