Munster GAA adds 20 new coaches, launches pilot programme in six urban areas:
By Tony Leen Irish Examiner
MUNSTER GAA last night launch a new urban development plan for the province, with six urban areas to be designated special project status to maintain numbers and finance development.
The Munster Urban Development Plan aims to respond to the changing demographics of Munster, and the six urban areas will be announced at Friday night’s convention when the new Munster GAA Strategic plan will be launched.
The plan for each area will be presented to the Munster Council by mid-2024 and will set out a clear pathway to assist clubs in these areas to increase participation along with a budget and funding plan. The goal is to provide targeted support where the current number of clubs is not sufficient to meet the needs of the local population, or where participation rates are low. This will include establishing baseline population and participation figures in the areas identified and meaningful engagement with clubs.
The move follows the launch of an ambitious plan for Games Development across the province with two months of specific training for its increased group of Games Development staff.
These include 20 new staff in addition to the 32 existing coaches who will see a change in their roles and responsibilities as part of an overall restructuring plan for full-time staff in the province.
The coaching bost is a “major commitment and investment by both the province and its six counties” and is the result of many years of preparation and planning by the Games Managers, Pat O’Shea and Joey Carton, explained Munster vice-chair Tim Murphy.
“It shows the importance placed by Munster GAA on the future development of our games at grassroots level in the province and is underpinned up by the commitment from Croke Park who have also invested considerably in the new structure,” he said.
Under the new structure 46 GDC’s (Games Development Coordinator is the new job title) have each been assigned a geographical region in their respective counties and will have responsibility for an average of 10 clubs along with their associated primary and post-primary schools. These reduced ratio numbers will give the GAA more penetration at local level and provide badly-needed support, assistance and guidance for the large number of volunteers working on the ground in these local clubs and schools.
At the launch of the expansion plans, Murphy said that after many years, Munster GAA were finally in a position to deliver the necessary support to the cohort of volunteers with the core message to clubs being self-sufficiency and sustainability.
Added CEO, Kieran Leddy: “With the increased numbers and downsizing of areas we are now in a position to deliver our strategy for Games Development into the future.”
The Games Development staff are currently undertaking an intense two months of induction, training and support and will commence their new roles as GDCs in their respective regions in February.