right age to start hurling

desper8hsewife

still gettin used to these threads and boards - so apologies if there is already a thread on this topic - but I have a 4yr old son (soon to be 5) and I am wondering is it too early to start him at hurling. Should he be in primary school. is there a recommended age? i would like to get him into sports more - get him more socialised before starting school. is GAA the way to go? or should i hold off? thanks for help.

ShamoBuc

Most kids start primary school between 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 , it is never too early to start playing hurling. Get a helmet - that fits properly - and leave him belt a tennis ball around the garden. Better to get them used to wearing a helmet from as early as possible.

thirdmantackle

get him a light, light short hurley. stick a glove to the end of the grip so that his stronger hand is always on top...
get him a big soft go games ball so that he'll be easily able to hit the ball round the garden and kitchen and everywhere else he'll want to hit it

rebel girl 15

ShamoBuc wrote: »

Most kids start primary school between 4 1/2 and 5 1/2 , it is never too early to start playing hurling. Get a helmet - that fits properly - and leave him belt a tennis ball around the garden. Better to get them used to wearing a helmet from as early as possible.

+1 - the earlier the better. What ever you do, make sure that the hurley is the correct length for him - get him to stand like a soldier, and the top of the handle of the hurley should be just into his palm. Any longer, and its very hard for him to pick up the skills. Try and get him to have his writing hand on the top of the hurley when hitting it - what can happen is that if he doesn't have his stronger hand on top, when he gets older he can find that striking off his weak side will be very poor.

Call the stronger hand his hurley hand and his bottom hand the sliotar hand, and that the sliotar hand must be nearer the boss. Don't make a huge issue out of it, but having a smaller hurley will help ensure that he has the correct grip

Slow Show

It's never too early to be honest, as long as you're safe about it.

desper8hsewife

thanks a million for all your advice. its great - i follow gaa myself - but wouldnt know the first thing bout the ins and outs of starting him off. His birthday is comin up soon so will get him a hurley and helmet for it i think.

do clubs take children that age? or should i just let him off around the garden for a while?

Thanks again for all yer help.

Orizio

A few hours after he/she is born.

rebel girl 15

desper8hsewife wrote: »

thanks a million for all your advice. its great - i follow gaa myself - but wouldnt know the first thing bout the ins and outs of starting him off. His birthday is comin up soon so will get him a hurley and helmet for it i think.

do clubs take children that age? or should i just let him off around the garden for a while?

Thanks again for all yer help.

Some clubs do take under 6's, most start at under 8 level though. Try and get the first touch sliotar, its bigger than a normal sliotar and more spongy so he will be able to hit it more often, or even a small football/sponge ball for pucking around in the garden. The bigger the ball, the easier that he can hit it along the ground, and at any age, success is a huge driver for playing. Don't bother about picking up and hitting, get him striking along the ground, all competitions for under 11's afaik are ground hurling, so when he does go into a club, it will be most ground hurling

the link below is from a GAA website that I've gotten coaching stuff off, it is a document produced for their nursery hurling programme - for the U6 & U8, has all the things that I was talking about regarding hurley size, and basically how to start off

http://www.clontarfgaa.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=-5JxCMSgfFk%3d&tabid=904&mid=1797&language=en-GB

desper8hsewife

thats so much for the help everyone. only joined boards.ie today and Ive learned so much bout so many things already! thanks!

ShamoBuc

We aim to please!

Orizio

Basically play as much as possbile with him out in the backyard, its a good 'family activity', begin with ground hurling certainly although picking-up is fine once taught correctly (two hands on the hurley, back over over the ball, firm stance etc), can be frustrating at the beginning but one finds ground hurling bores the young ones quickly enough.

ShamoBuc

You should bring him down to your local gaa club on a saturday/sunday morning and let him see yound fellas training and playing. Seeing young lads have fun and putting the skills he will be learning to good use might encourage him to practise and enjoy playing with his hurl!

schoolboy082

It's never too early to start,
introduce him/her gradually to the hurling and you will know if he/she devolops an intrest in it.

flahavaj

You should have been playing recordings of All Ireland commentaries to him while still in his mammy's belly. And fired a sliotar straight into his hand when they were still cutting the umbilical cord.

Thats what they do in Kilkenny anyway and it workd for them.

rpurfield

brilliant thread actually the daddy in laws from kilkenny and ive 17 month old twins in the house,two boys,so im going to get them hurling when they get to about three or four.the mammy in law is from waterford so there has to be something in them!!!

Annuv

Encourage him to strike off both sides as early as possible. Being equally good off both sides and an ability to strike the ball with power while on the run are two of the most important skills you can develop.

Even at intercounty level there are players that are very one sided, being good off both sides is a huge advantage

portumna

Don't buy him a helmet just yet. Most clubs have a load of helmets for the underage teams. I made the mistake of forking out €60 for a helmet for the young lad only tho arrive at the gaa club and them having bins of helmets for all the kids.

LeoB

Get the child out as young as possible and then as often as possible. I see a few kids who bringing their Hurls everywhere with them out of habit.

Also if you live near the G.A.A club go in there as much as possible and finally on the helmet, get them their own if you can afford it for the simple reason if they have kids living near and want to go out to play on the green or in the local park insist they wear their helmet.

desper8hsewife

Happy St Paddys Day to everyone that replied to my post. You have all been very helpful. Hopefully I will get the young fella started as soon as possible and kitted out! Thanks for all your help.

kraggy

Orizio wrote: »

A few hours after he/she is born.

Hello Henry's mum!