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Similar GAA And Soccer Calendar Years - 1 Like(s)
Replying To KillingFields: "There hasn't been competitive rugby for players until under 13 age group since 2002 or 2003 and it hasn't hampered playing numbers. So don't think that will hurt playing numbers." GAA was U13 as well until this past year, when the age groups changed from odds (U7, U9, U11, U13) to evens (U8, U10, U12, U14) etc.
There was no standardised approach as to what age group competitions should start this year. Each county made their own decision. Some counties played an U12 championship, but others didn't, instead having it at U14. In Monaghan there was a hybrid approach at U12; a non competitive skills based system for the first few months, followed by a proper championship.
Competitive soccer starts at U12. Some would say that U12 is too early, but U14 is certainly too late. If the GAA left starting competitive games to U14, they would therefore risk losing players to both Soccer and Rugby, as their competitions start at the younger age. A child who has two years of a competitive sport under their belt are more likely to stick with that sport.
Luckily in a county like Monaghan, the GAA doesn't have huge competition from either sport, but I'm sure that in the areas of the country where the GAA has more competition from the other sports, they will increasingly lose out on players if they do not provide competitions at U12.
Returning to the main point of this thread, if soccer are going head to head with GAA with the introduction of the same calendar, then the GAA will need to similarly need to go head to head with soccer in the ages that the provide competitions at, or they will risk losing their best talent.
BrehonBlonde (National) - 23/12/2024 22:27:14
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