Joining a GAA club/college team

eroo

I would love to start hurling again! I played in primary school, but stopped once I left and went into secondary school. So it has been 5 or 6 years! Now, in the last year or so I have been re-bitten by the hurling bug:D, and would love to take it up again. I will be 18 soon, and I'm a bit of a gym monkey so fitness won't be a problem(hopefully:pac:). Now, I love a puck around with mates,and I'd like to think I am not absolutely terrible; maybe I could make it onto a B team after a few months? I feel that if I recieved proper training I could improve.

Now, I just wanted to know would it be alright to join my local club or college team in the knowledge that I haven't played in 5 or 6 years? How would I be recieved?

Thanks for any help

Agus

I would say go for it, you've nothing to lose! Seán Kelly the former GAA President took up hurling for the first time when about 30 and played very successfully at junior level, so there is no reason you shouldn't be able to pick up the skills again.

eroo

Agus wrote: »

I would say go for it, you've nothing to lose! Seán Kelly the former GAA President took up hurling for the first time when about 30 and played very successfully at junior level, so there is no reason you shouldn't be able to pick up the skills again.

Thanks for the reply!:)

Yavvy

There isnt a club in the country that doesnt want more players and to be honest your exactly the sort of player the GAA wants back. too many players are lost to "teenageitis" ..thats when the GAA loose most of their best players I think..you know soccer, music, drinking, girls and being too "kool for sckool"

I would look for a junior team in your area and call the club find out when training is and show up with your boots and a stick.

eroo

Alany wrote: »

There isnt a club in the country that doesnt want more players and to be honest your exactly the sort of player the GAA wants back. too many players are lost to "teenageitis" ..thats when the GAA loose most of their best players I think..you know soccer, music, drinking, girls and being too "kool for sckool"

I would look for a junior team in your area and call the club find out when training is and show up with your boots and a stick.

I'm not a fan of soccer!:p

When do clubs restart training, January??:o

ccosgrave

I was in the same situation as you this year: I had quit playing football and hurling around the age of 14 or 15 but recently decided that I wanted to take up at least one of them again. I'm now in my second year in UCD and just started back at football about six weeks ago and it seems to be going fine. I'm with the Junior team at the minute, but there are people of all levels with this team, so I reckon you should go for it. If you're willing to put in the effort, I'm sure you'll improve in no time.

Now if only I'd follow my own advice and give the hurling team a try..

Yavvy

a lot of teams are still training but Mid/end of January they will be back. You could use this this time to practice maybe ?

jj99

Always wanted to go back to it too but felt i wouldnt be accpeted well enough as it has been a few years since playing.

ccosgrave

I'd say all college teams are happy to accept players of any standard. For example, there are two or three complete beginners that train with the UCD Junior team at the minute. I'm not really sure what the situation is with clubs, though, as I've yet to start back with them. I didn't think I'd be accepted as a player either, but I figured that if I don't start now, I'll probably never have the time to start. For anyone else who's thinking of joining, I'd say just to get stuck in. A little bit of fitness goes a long way, so putting a bit of time outside of training will work wonders. It's amazing how you feel after only a few weeks back at it.

kerry4sam

Eroo, hey...now i can only speak for ladies football but

I used to play like yourself when younger and gave it up through secondary years but when i started college I just went along to the college training evening and got stuck in there - welcomed like i was always there and they were delighted with an extra player on the panel ... Out of that then i started locally with my club and received the same response. Best thing i done was to just go along one evening with my boots; speak to the managerial & backroom staff and just got stuck in ... You'll never know until you try Eroo ... "give it a lash" as they say and have fun