The official launch of Wexford Gaelic Football Talent Academy and Development Squads took place in the Ferrycarrig Hotel on Monday 2 Jan. At a well attended meeting which included members of the management committee of the County Board, members of the Football Advisory Committee ,the mentors of the various squads and members of the adult board and Coiste na nOg, plans were outlined for the year.
Speakers on the night included County Chairman, Diarmuid Devereux, Bord na nOg Chairman, Bobby Goff, FAC chairman Seamus Fitzhenry, Games Development Manager, Eoin Morrissey and Gaelic Football, coordinator, Paud Moriarty.
In his address to the meeting Diarmuid Devereux stated that the development squads would have his full support and pointed out that Wexford now had three teams taking part in the Leinster A Colleges championship with the addition of the combined colleges team this year.
He also referred to the appointment of a football coordinator which should help iron out any problems that might arise. Welcome news on the night was the allocation of funding for four football scholarships for young footballers entering third level education.
Paud Moriarty said that he was very happy with the mentors who had volunteered to work with the squads. The role of the mentors will be to identify and help develop players and provide them with the best possible opportunity to compete successfully at inter county level. The goal should be to challenge players to reach the highest standard of performance. The programme will introduce players and parents to the key lifestyle, fitness, technical, tactical and mental components of Gaelic Football. Hopefully over the year it will be possible to have a consistent level of coaching and performance across the development squads.
At the launch, the role of talented players who play both Gaelic codes was referred to and it was stressed that every effort would be made to facilitate those players who want to play both games. The chairman stated that there was a code of practise in place which would allow this to happen.
The Football Advisory Committee would like to thank everybody who made this a very successful night and encourage clubs to send in players to the squad trials which will be taking place shortly.
Wexford Coaching and Games
