Last Saturday, 27th October, more than 450 young players traveled from all 32 Counties in Ireland to Croke Park to participate in the 2018 #GAAyouth Forum in partnership with Sky Sports. The young male and female players, aged 12 – 21, were selected on foot of an online application process, which had more than 600 applicants.
Representing GAA Handball on the day was current Ladies star Martina McMahon, the recently crowned triple World Champion, who took part in a star studded Q&A.
The Forum has become an annual feature of the GAA calendar, however, this year seen further innovation through the introduction of a Youth Congress for the 16+ age-group. GAA President, John Horan stated: “The Youth Congress represents a new direction for the annual #GAAyouth Forum. For the first time at the forum, players aged 16+ will have a chance to debate and discuss a number of items of critical importance within the Association including player drop-out, age-grades and the voice of young people within the Association.
Plenty of additional activities took place on the day including: a Consultation about how the Association can communicate more effectively with young people; a workshop on developing resilience and overcoming challenges led by David Curtin (former Dublin Inter-County hurler); a workshop on cultivating leadership skills on and off the field with Eoghan Hanley (Future Leader’s TY Programme Coordinator); and a series of ten minute talks from Ross Munnelly, Tracey Kennedy, Kieran Shannon, Donal Fallon, Úna Sinnott and Sky Sports Ambassador Ellen Keane on a number of different topics.
The Forum concluded with a Q&A Panel – hosted by the 2 Johnnies - with Sky Sports Ambassadors Ollie Canning, Conor Lehane and Conor McManus who joined Martina McMahon (GAA Handball) Cait Devane (Camogie) & Lauren Magee (LGFA) to answer questions on a range of issues of interest to young players including: managing a good balance between study, work and GAA; communicating effectively with adult coaches; the highs and lows of a sporting career and how the Ambassadors prepare themselves on the day of a game.
