Fighting mentors set poor example

OUR COISTE na nOg focus game between Oulart-The Ballagh and Buffers Alley last week, watched by reporter Dean Goodison and featuring boys from the ages of eleven to 13, was marred by a fight between two opposing mentors.

We did not want to ruin a first match report for many of these young lads by mentioning it with the details of the game, but this behaviour cannot be ignored.

The clue is in the word ‘mentor’. For some reason, a very small percentage of mentors think the position gives them power and rights.

What the role of a mentor actually gives you is responsibilities, especially when it involves an under-age team.

You have the responsibility to look after the players’ well-being and to set an example. For boys playing Under-13, to look across and see two adults dodging and throwing punches is completely unacceptable.

The only saving grace is that the other Oulart-The Ballagh mentors stepped in immediately and defused the situation admirably. The remaining Buffers Alley mentors were oblivious to the whole fracas until it was later brought to their attention.

It’s unlikely this altercation will appear in the report of referee Pádraig Byrne from Kilanerin as he did not intervene or even seem to note it.

However, it is a situation both clubs should take extremely seriously, especially when the welfare of pre-teens is involved.