By Cian O’Connell

In Leitrim the planning and plotting continues.

The 'Friday Night Lights' idea for Super Games Centres has captured the imagination.

Stephen McGurrin, who works as a Games Development Administrator for Leitrim, is delighted by the response to the initiative.

On Friday week an event is scheduled for Under 14 and 15 footballers following the successful staging of an Under 13 evening at the end of last month.

“We aimed it at Under 13 and it definitely had the most interest so far,” McGurrin admits. “It was fully booked out. Our trouble now is that they are getting so popular we are starting to run out of space really. We are soon going to need another pitch.

“We have to cap them at 120 players. We had the Under 13s at the end of January, we ended up with a waiting list of players looking to get in. Unfortunately there was nothing we could do, 120 is the most we can do. It was brilliant.”

That so many emerging footballers from both small and large clubs get an opportunity to play is one of the chief attractions according to McGurrin.

“We had 13 clubs,” McGurrin says. “We have 23 adult clubs in Leitrim, at underage some of them would come together. So we would have about 16 and we had 13 represented.

“We did one night, we call it Friday Night Lights. We did one for the Under 13s and we will have one at the end of February for the Under 15s.

“There is huge buy in. The Under 13 League is about to kick off here, so it was just a nice run in for them to get together, to get going again for the season. We thought it was a nice time to plan one at the end of January.”

Playing numbers differ significantly in clubs so providing teenagers with an opportunity to play is critical. McGurrin is hopeful that further sessions can be organised in the future.

“It would vary a lot and that is where I think the Super Games is brilliant,” McGurrin remarks about the need to cater for everyone.

“The smaller clubs, especially, it is really helping them. There is no pressure on them, they might be struggling at times for 13 a side competition games, but for this they are fit to rock up with seven, eight, or nine players on the night. There is no pressure on them.

“Then on the other side you might have some clubs with two teams entering competition, St Mary's they would be entering three teams. So a few of them are getting big, while others would be struggling for numbers. The Super Games takes all of that out of it.”

Ultimately the evening is about matches and fun. That is why McGurrin is so encouraged about how Leitrim GAA has embraced the concept. “It has really taken off,” McGurrin acknowledges.

“The players are loving it, just being mixed up. You can even see from the first 12 minutes when we play through. Then we do the second 12 and third 12. The difference in the noise from the pitch with the players, it is crazy. They are getting used to playing with each other.

“They don't know each other before they arrive, maybe from playing against each other the odd time. Once they get comfortable playing together the only noise you here then is the young lads playing.”

So how do Leitrim stitch the event together? “The process we use is that we would have them all booked in online before they come,” McGurrin replies.

“If it is on a Friday I'd open up the Wednesday week before with online bookings. We'd send out word to the clubs. The coaches generally book, but they can send the link on to parents.

“Generally the coach will book in if they have 12 or 20 or how many is coming, they book them in online. So I'll know before the event right we are looking at whatever number.

“We had 120 obviously the last night booked in. We know what is coming. I know how many refs I need, how many pitches. Then on the night when they come we have wristbands for them.

“As they come in they will get wristbands for pitch one, pitch two, pitch three, four, five, six. That splits them up for us then as they are coming in.”

Clubs in Leitrim have enjoyed monitoring how the Super Games Centre is working. “It is good,” McGurrin states.

“Generally if they come together from a club they will be mixed up. It definitely takes that out of it. The coaches are starting to really to see the benefit. They are loving it and wondering when the next one is coming up, stuff like that.

“It is trying to fit it in around their season is tricky. We had a club led one in early January where we just assisted a club that invited two neighbouring clubs over. We tried that out, it went well.

“We had January for the Under 13s and the Under 15s we will have one for them now to target some of them at the end of February. When it ends we will try to get another one in the summer.

“November we find there is nothing much happening, only the weather can be a struggle at times. There isn't as many looking for the players then, there isn't as much demand for them. We pencilled in three for them and we are looking at three again this year.”

Challenges exist in Leitrim, but McGurrin is relishing trying to develop the underage game in the county. The Centre of Excellence provides a splendid venue too.

“We have three GDAs and a Games Manager,” McGurrin explains. “We are lucky to have a great Centre of Excellence with two pitches side by side so it works really well for rotating around. We could do with another pitch now.

“It is a pity it is full because we have young lads at home who should be there, but we don't want to let it go to 11 or 12 a side. You are starting to lose the benefits of it then if you start cramming.

“We play between eight and 10 a side. We cap it at 120 so we have 12 teams. We run six pitches. So three pitches across a full size pitch. We have six pitches going. Some nights you will have less, even the Under 15 one we probably won't hit the 120.

“The Under 13 age seems to be the one that is the most popular for some reason. We mightn't hit the 120 for the Under 15s so it might be nine a side or even eight a side. Whatever happens, but it will be max 10 a side.”

Last year Connacht GAA showcased what could be achieved with a Super Games Centre with McGurrin stressing valuable lessons were learned.

“Connacht ran the first one initially about this time last year or so,” McGurrin comments. “Cathal and the lads brought our staff over. We are using the same process they are using.

“They'd have trained us in, to show us the process for pulling it off and how to host the event. So they showed us the ropes and let us move on to get them in.

“It is going to get bigger and bigger without a doubt. The coaches and players are loving it, everyone is seeing the benefits of it, especially at that age. There is no pressure on them, they are happy to come, to play ball and that is it for the hour.”