A Duf job for new man as participation levels drop
WE’RE only a few weeks away from the announcement of the GAA’S new director general.
One thing that I felt was a bit off about the whole process was the fact that a recruitment company was brought on board. This job is not like your company CEO.
It’s different because the GAA is different.
At this stage of the process, it’s the outgoing and incoming presidents, as well as one other person I believe, who will be making the call and I’m sure they already know some of the main personalities in the frame.
It is, without a doubt, the most important appointment in the history of the GAA for me.
The direction the Association is going in is worrying. Paraic Duffy’s successor will have to pull a bickering family together.
It’s not at breaking point at the moment but if the new man doesn’t seize the initiative it’ll get there, and soon.
It doesn’t take an Einstein to pick out what the fundamental areas are and address them.
Clearing paths for the club and county scene is an obvious one and the new director general will have a lot cleared off his plate if he manages that.
In Meath, you have a situation where the fifth round of the club league takes place this weekend, while across the border in Westmeath the equivalent competition has yet to get underway. How crazy is that?
But the biggest worry for me surrounds the decline in participation levels. It’s epidemic proportions.
The drop-out levels among teenagers is frightening. Joe Brolly touched on it over the weekend, pointing out how a 2013 ESRI report stated that the drop-out rate in Gaelic football is 75 per cent before the age of 20.
That’s five years ago; I’d imagine it’s up around 80 per cent now. It’s an incredible statistic and one that the incoming director general should be particularly worried about.
There are various reasons for it. The young males and females of today are different people but there’s more to it than that and the lure of other sports.
There’s a feeling of disconnect and isolation among youngsters towards their local club. Out of 2,000 or so GAA clubs in this country, I would say around 25 per cent aren’t viable and if they keep going as they are they will inevitably become extinct.
More small rural clubs need to amalgamate. There are too many clubs struggling to field teams and pay bills. They should pool their resources.
It becomes a vicious circle as more and more young players drop out, leaving those behind demoralised and unwilling to carry the club on their shoulders. Then they throw in the towel.
Furthermore, and with all due respect, I know there are a lot of clubs out there who have people involved in coaching that just shouldn’t be there.
Putting a young player through the wrong pair of hands at a critical stage of his/her development is often the death knell for their prospects of playing the game well into adulthood.
There should be a certified level that you must reach before you can take on a team with Croke Park setting the template. Right now, there is no rigorous system there to ensure that the right people are in place.
Another aspect is the fact that there is that the win-at-all-costs mentality is far too prevalent in the GAA at all levels. This is an area where other codes thrive – they have a clearly defined and comprehensive fixtures programme which breeds more enjoyment and less pressure.
The new director general should put in place a task force to address participation levels and put a bit of money behind it. Because the current drop-out rate is unsustainable.
New Director General has work to do on.. Drop-out levels, proper coaching templates and club and county paths