Ensuring everyone can play ball

SPORT is for everyone – and, as always seems to be the case, Killarney Celtic FC has followed that mantra to the letter.

The club will be the first soccer outfit in Ireland to have a mixed-abilities team, and while play won’t get underway for real until after an open day in August, players gathered on Saturday last to help put together a promotional video for the initiative.

The Killarney Celtic FC Hoops will, essentially, offer a place for anyone aged over 18 to play football – regardless of their ability, age, gender, background. Once they can physically play football, they can take part.

Paula McElligott, a Hoops committee member, explained that the initiative took inspiration from a similar effort by a rugby club in Cork.

“We saw there was a mixed-ability rugby team in Cork, and we wanted to bring that to Killarney,” she told The Kerryman.

“People are often excluded or segregated from sport because of stigma, prejudice or personal perceptions of their capability... Certain people, say, may be middle-aged and would be watching their children playing for the sideline – but they may want to play football in some capacity for themselves.

“Whether you are disabled or able-bodied, young or old, of any level of skill level – all are welcome... If you are interested in playing football and being part of a team, leave the rest to us and we will find a team for you.

“It’s a way of tacking exclusion, it removes all labels from the equation, and it increases participation in sport.”

The club will hold an open day on August 22 as part of this initiative, and further information is available from Paula at (087) 745 7747, or from Tadhg at (086) 318 9463.

Meanwhile, the club’s Soccer Tots programme for young players got underway also on Saturday, and will continue on the coming Saturdays from 3pm at Celtic Park, with all necessary COVID precautions taken and strictly enforced.

Mary Lyne of Killarney Celtic FC explained to The Kerryman that, while the 2020 run is already underway, there’s still room for boys and girls aged between four and six to take part if they call up to Celtic Park ahead of the sessions on Saturdays.

Anyone interested can contact Mary at (086) 648 5809, and registration has been priced at €10.

The Killarney Celtic AGM has been set, meanwhile, for the clubhouse at 7pm on July 31, the club has revealed.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin. Mixed abilities footballers at Killarney Celtic on Saturday.

Photo by Michelle Cooper Galvin. Katie O’Connor, Oisin O’Mahony, John O’Brien, Dara Moynihan, Lynn Jones and Cassandra Buckley at the start of the Killarney Celtic FC Mixed Ability Soccer initiative.

Young soccer players with coaches Conor McCarthy and Valdimir Siriock at the Killarney Celtic Soccer Tots.