As we continue our series profiling GAA Handball's full-time staff, we hear from Regional Development Officer Marguerite Gore.
Name: Marguerite Gore
Home club: St. Marys HC, Wexford
Background in handball (playing/administration): My family home in Wexford town is only a good handball throw away from my local club and as children we always played up by and around the grassy area at the back of the alley. I was around 11 or 12 when I first started showing an interest in playing handball, so I am around and involved handball for a GOOD FEW YEARS! I was blessed when I was younger, to be able to watch some of the biggest legends of the game play and train on a daily base throughout the school holidays.
At club level over the years, I would have held positions as secretary, children/juvenile officer, and coaching. At county level I would have done children/juvenile officer, youth games officer, juvenile secretary and various coaching roles with county juvenile teams and some PRO stuff.
Other sporting achievements/interests: I will watch and enjoy most sports, handball being to the forefront of course. Over the years I have won various county, Leinster and All Ireland Medals, and a gold and silver World Championship medal.
Hobbies outside of handball: I am secretary for a newly formed Ladies Gaelic Football Club in Wexford Town and am involved with coaching the underage section and what a group of fantastic young girls I am lucky to work with. The grown-ups are not a bad bunch either. Also running around and been a taxi driver for my own two kids…does not leave much time for anything else.
Areas of responsibility as RDO (geographically): Laois, Carlow, Wicklow, Kilkenny, Wexford, Waterford, Tipperary, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Clare.
What attracted you to the role? I have been involved, playing, and interested in sport in general since an early age and as I got older a natural progression was moving into coaching and development. My professional career took a different path; however, my dream was to always work within sport, most preferable handball and it was only a matter of time before I gravitated towards that area. As a National Tutor for GAA Handball, this gave me the opportunity to re-train, upskill, gain knowledge, grow and develop my own skill set.
As a volunteer for handball, I was always focused and driven to grow and develop the sport, so why not apply for a job that was focused on growth, promotion, and development of this beautiful game. You are never too old to change direction, take a leap and make a change.
What are your hopes for the future for the sport in the short and long term?
Short-term: Engaging and building links with county boards and clubs across my region, as well as Local Sports Partnerships and other stakeholders for further growth and development programmes.
Long-term: As I said before, I have always been focused on growing and developing this beautiful game, Handball has now five Development Officers (Joe, Clare, Myself GAA Handball and Ulster GAA Handball Fiona and Eilise) giving the sport a footing and opportunity like never before to grow and develop through clubs, schools, communities, colleges and other platforms across Ireland and internationally in many different ways.
Having the state of the art, world class National Handball and Community Centre as our new home at Croke Park, and in time the centre will become the new epicentre of the “big game days” which the sport truly deserves and will also enhance the growth and development of handball. I am looking forward and extremely excited to work closely with and meeting all the county boards and clubs within my region. The volunteers, officials and clubs are the foundation and backbone for any sport and increasing participation, growth and development in the sport will ensure sustainability.
All you need is a ball and a wall – a sport for life – it is that simply…