Cutting back Board’s role Move to mobilise more juveniles in Bray

THE structure of Wicklow Co. Board in its present form is seriously questioned in the Football Commission report

And one of the most interesting suggestions is a cut back in a number of Co. Baord meetings each year to a maximum of five.

The report asks - ‘In relation to the roles of the Management Committee and County Committee (made up of club representatives) should we not face up to the realities and give the management team the formal authority to run the affairs of the Association?’

The report claims that a committee of eighty people cannot be considered an efficient body and very many of them have no desire to be considered the ruling body.

‘Very few members of that committee have any real sense or feeling of being part of a group charged with overall responsibility for the running of the Association. Most see themselves as being there to look after the interest of their clubs and that is what is expected of them by their clubs,’ the report adds.

It claims that contentious matters are discussed by the parties directly involved, with the remaining delegates staying silent for fear of mis-representing their clubs.

However, the report does contradict itself to some small degree when addressing officer recruitment to the Co. Management Committee.

In one part it suggests a mandatory rule that those seeking top officerships be members of the Management Committee for at least one year.

But further down it recommends that a person not be appointed to a top post without having served as a principal club officer and a County Committee representative for at least one year.

It also recommends the setting up of an officer training programme and clearly states that a principal officer not be appointed without having been a member of the GAA for at least one year.

THE need to tap into the big population in Bray was recognised.

A suggestion that the Co. Management Committee set up a regional juvenile board in the Bray area has been made in the Commission report.

Research has shown that there are 7,500 families in Bray and while other codes were well organised there, many would be won over by the GAA if a football officer funded by external sources was appointed.

The report suggests that the Co. Management Committee seeks support from Leinster and Central Councils under the new Urban Development Scheme being promoted by the GAA.

‘We have looked at the geographical situation in Bray and find that as many as 12 division are possible. It is envisaged that this new approach would in the near future provide Wicklow with a number of Senior inter-county players from the Bray area,’ the report adds.

The Commission has also suggested that a campaign to recruit voluntary manpower should be undertaken with special emphasis on involving the parents of juvenile players.

Surprisingly, in dealing with juvenile affairs, the Commission has not made any strong reference to the future role of Bord na nÓg or its undoubted failures in the past.

However, it does suggest that the Co. Management Committee appoints Bord na nÓg and that the board for under-age affairs runs a league from September to mid-December at under-13 to under-15 levels,

It also calls on clubs in the county to avail of the expertise of the newly appointed football officer for the county in preparing mentors for coaching at juvenile level.

Other suggestions include: an active juvenile committee in each club; regular coaching for all under-age players and all be treated equally; clubs arrange games if not enough matches are provided by county or district boards.

Clubs enter all competitions available to each of them; clubs give the press details of games, giving mention to all players during a competition and not just the same strong ones all the time; all juvenile competitions be organised at under-11, 13, 15 and 17 levels, and each club provide a referee for juvenile games for every four juvenile teams affiliated.