Financial cuts impact schools coaching-Harvey

PERMANENT coaching contracts need to be set in place by Croke Park to maintain and enhance the promotion of Gaelic Games in primary schools, a Tyrone official has stressed.

Damian Harvey, chairperson of the Tyrone Coaching and Games Committee, outlines concerns in his annual Convention report about the impact of financial restraints both within education and the GAA in the current economic environment.

He warned that with resources stretched there could be a major impact on coaching provision in every county.

“ There are over 75 primary schools in Tyrone requesting GAA support on an annual basis. At present two hurling coaches and four football coaches (one part time), has resulted in support for a 12-week coaching programme. That equates to just one third of the total academic year.

“ In 2024, there have been extensive discussions in regard to staff contracts, funding and HR between Croke Park, Ulster GAA and Tyrone GAA. This has been an ongoing process for several years and has the potential to lead to better working terms for GAA staff across the country.

“There is a need for Croke Park to follow through on the promise of a properly structured funding mechanism to allow Tyrone and other counties to give some security to these posts. The GAA appears to be one of the only organisations on the island that shy away from permanent, long-term job contracts. Our county coaches must be treated in the same way as any other professional in any other place of work.”

Mr Harvey also revealed that the DENI coaching scheme came to a conclusion in June 2023, which led to the county losing two coaches in Cleona Bogue and Geraldine McLaughlin.

He explained that over the past 15 years, the DENI schools programme and their staff have provided an invaluable service to Tyrone GAA, schools, and clubs.

“Tyrone Coaching and Games call upon the Department of Education to reinstate these roles as soon as possible. The coaching programme in our primary schools remains the core physical education activity that our young people participate in and a further reduction in the support of resources in this area can only have a detrimental impact on their wellbeing.

“ The loss of the service though has had the knock-on effect of stretching our current Tyrone staff and decreasing the amount of time they can spend in schools by having to cover other schools.”

Switching to the topic of refereeing Mr Harvey said that in Tyrone it continues to remain a challenge, but added that one of the most positive pieces of work that the referees committee supported this year was the recruitment and implementation of the young referees’ programme to support the running of the U12.5 league.

“This is without doubt a programme that must be supported in 2024 and beyond. My thanks to Shane Dorrity, Stephen Sherry, Sean Hurson and the Committee for their determination and expertise in ensuring these young people were properly trained and supported ahead of officiating at the games.”

On a less positive note though Mr Havey stressed that the programme of fixtures for Inter-County Minor footballers needs a radical overhaul.

“ In 2023 our minor footballers were subjected to a set of round robin games involving nine counties to reduce the number to eight. Weeks and weeks of dead rubbers games impact adversely on club minor players.

“ There is, in my opinion, a need to simplify the programme of championship games to knockout with one backdoor option, maximum. There is also a need to restore the All-Ireland Minor Football and Hurling finals as curtain raisers to the All-Ireland Senior Football and Hurling finals.

“ The argument that it puts too much pressure on a young player to perform in Croke Park on the big day doesn’t stack up when you consider that we are asking them to take and potentially miss a penalty on a live stream game in the Ulster Championship.”