Over 70 teachers, from primary and secondary schools in the county, attended a meeting organised by the Coaching and Games Committee in St Peters College last week. Speakers included County Board Chairman Diarmuid Devereux, Dan Flaherty Liam Griffin and Pat Daly from Croke Park. 
The event was organised to thank teachers and schools for their support and promotion of GAA and to hear details of future plans by Wexford Coaching and Games. Chairman of the National Coaching and Games Committee, Michael Martin was in attendance and he was joined by teachers from many schools around the county. The event also saw the launch of the new initiative, which links schools and clubs in a new way, ‘The Ballymurn Model’.
Background:
National School teacher and Wexford Minor Hurling Manager, Willie Cleary has pioneered a unique initiative that brings together our schools and local GAA clubs. This is partnering teachers and volunteers from the clubs on a weekly basis in a structured, fun and accessible way to introduce and develop the skills of hurling.
Conscious of the educational, developmental and social benefits that playing games and in particular, Gaelic Games can bring to children, Cleary developed what is now being called, ‘The Ballymurn Model.’
How the Ballymurn model works.
« School and club agree to work together
« Parents consulted and agreed to support
« Club provided coaches, equipment and supports to work with teacher led coaching.
« Community Centre made available free of charge
« Children from senior infants to sixth class participate in coaching and games before school begins
Speaking about the initiative and its benefits Cleary’s passion is obvious, ‘Teamwork, friendship, camaraderie, are sometimes hard to find, but Gaelic games allows the children to come together as a group and to become a part of something special with their friends. Gaelic games teaches the children about fun, laughter, joy, sorrow, tears, discipline, hard-work, teamwork and all the other emotions and characteristics that go with playing sport.’
CASE STUDY – Ballymurn National School:
– Ballymurn is a small parish just outside Enniscorthy in Co. Wexford. Together with another small parish, Crossabeg, they form the GAA club: Crossabeg-Ballymurn. Willie Cleary is a teacher in Ballymurn NS with a huge interest and involvement in hurling. Together with many volunteers from the club they run a ‘Hurling before School programme’ for all children to take part in if they wish.
– The school has 140 pupils so is a small rural national school with only 5 class teachers. On Tuesdays all children interested from Senior Infants – 2nd Class take part @ 8.30 in the morning and on Thursdays 3rd-6th classes take part. It takes place every week of the school year.
– It has created a strong link between the GAA club & the national school. This is for boys and girls and all are welcome. They learn and practice the skills of hurling with a game at the end of each session. The teacher in the school report seeing the benefits and progress being achieved by doing this. All the aims and objectives outlined by the Primary school Curriculum from the NCCA in relation to games are most certainly being achieved.
– Added to this the children are more alert in class following the hurling. They are active and it promotes a fit, healthy lifestyle which can be lost in modern Ireland. It promotes exercise and above all is fun. The children are currently, (unbeknown to them), creating a unique bond now, a bond and friendship that I hope remains with them for the rest of their lives.
– They have c. 55 children taking part each week, which is nearly 50% of all children in the school. They have excluded Junior Infants who they feel are a little young to take part. Other teachers have commented on the high level of attention and concentration shown by children after doing the morning hurling.
– It allows children who might find the education side of life a struggle a release. It allows them express themselves and find confidence in themselves. The issues of depression and suicide are high in modern Ireland and it’s felt that by promoting a healthy lifestyle where the pressures of school can weigh heavy on a child, and creating a strong friendship amongst their peers, they are working to eradicate this problem.
– Educationally, involvement in hurling links the children to their folklore and heritage, to stories such as Cuchullain and other legends of the camán agus sliotar.
– This programme not only benefits the school but strengthens the local GAA club too helping to foster a love of Gaelic Games while developing the players of the future.
Some key points:
- Club & School communication and understanding crucial.
- Volume; it must run from October to June. 6-12 weeks is not long enough.
- Start young. The Younger the better. Senior Infants – 3rd are more crucial than 4th -6th. By 10 a child needs all basic skills etc.
- Fun: always an emphasis on fun. Have rewards. Games. Prizes, constant positive encouragement.
- Correct the mistakes but in a positive manner Positive reinforcement of the core focus on skills development: correct children to eradicate the basic errors; Example: correct grip, hands holding the hurl, swing, catching hand incorrect.
- Set goals. By December all the younger class will hold the hurl right & do a roll lift or whatever it may.
Major Aim: take a senior infant boy/girl. They will hurl a minimum once a week for c. 30 weeks for 7 years providing significant structured, fun development in their skill levels over this period.
Cleary urges all schools and clubs to embrace this model saying, ‘personally I can see the joy and love that hurling has given the children and would recommend that every club in Wexford get on board and give this gift to their young people by dedicating two 40 minutes periods a week to the children in their national school. Educationally, socially, emotionally and physically the benefits of this ‘Hurling before School’ programme are huge.’
More information:
To learn more about how this initiative can be rolled out in your local school contact Murt Flynn of the Coaching and Games Committee [email protected]
