Hurling at Underage Level

jwcurtin

Hey guys (and girls),
Just a question, i'm u15 at the moment, and just wondering does any of ye have any tips for the game (training techniques etc), i'm hoping to make u16 county panel, and i'm not too far away (in my opinion). The problem is that our club training (at u15/u16) isn't up to scratch with the Portumna etc so most of the work would have to be put in on my part. I head to the alley with the sliotar once a week, and we normally have training once a week, and also might head over to the local pitch for a puck. I love the game and just want to succeed! Thanks:D

Edit: Play Full Forward/Half Forward at U15/U16
Corner Forward Minor

An Citeog

Find a wall or go to the alley every day for 20-30 mins or more if you want.. Have the hurl in your hand as much as possible just striking hard off the wall and perfecting your first touch. Do everything at full tilt aswell because that's the way it is in match situations. Obviously there's the whole fitness and strength aspect of the game but having a good first touch and the ability to strike off both sides is what's most important for any underage player imo.

Btwndeyes

have good fitness, coaches like to see someone who can keep going for long periods and do a good amount of work, practice touch, quick passing and hitting off your weaker side and if your defense be good under a high ball with proper technique

trebor28

you need to get to the ball alley few more times a week.
really push yourself when you are there dont just stand back tapping the ball off the wall.
try and get your weak side as good as your strong side.
work on your short hurling, ie with the hurley held short for tight situations.
when you are in the ball alley, stand way back then hit the ball hard at the wall, as soon as you hit it start running after it and improve your first touch on the run.
work on your core strength, be as strong as you can be.
keep it simple just do the basics right.
if you get trials always take on the man. and beat him.
if you are a forward dont be doing the usual stupid thing of trying to score from the sideline over your shoulder to show how great you are, and then drive it wide. no one likes that. be a team player, pass if its on. you dont have to score every time.

Clemon

Pull Hard!!

rebel girl 15

I'm a coach with an under 13 camogie county team and what we look for is an ability to strike of both sides well, i.e. have no weak side, good wrists, a mastery of the skills, jab lifting rather than roll lifting, being able to block and hook players, controlled aggression in going for the ball, good first touch, able to read the game, accurate passes, good handling and decision making.

Fitness is a huge thing as well, as it means you can keep a high workrate. Trebor sums it up quite well, do the simple thing well and keep trying to get better, and leave the ball go. What we find is that players who go for trials are used to being one of the best players in their club and that they end up running a lot with the ball and not giving it off quick enough. Show that you are a team player, if something goes wrong, then just don't throw the head down, learn from the mistake and don't leave it happen again. It does depend on what the coaches are looking for as well, politics and all that, which doesn't come into our selections.

Best of luck with it!

jwcurtin

Thanks to everyone who replied, yea my one problem is "the weak side"... Can put it low, but not a hope of getting a point in a match situation. I find my swing awkward off the left so anyone got tips on how to develop it at such a late stage?

rebel girl 15

jwcurtin wrote: »

Thanks to everyone who replied, yea my one problem is "the weak side"... Can put it low, but not a hope of getting a point in a match situation. I find my swing awkward off the left so anyone got tips on how to develop it at such a late stage?

What is your grip like i.e. what hand is nearest the top of the hurley when striking the ball

Practise with a shorter grip, halfway down the hurley. Step out onto your right foot as you throw the ball up under the hurley to strike it. Shorter grip makes it easier to strike the ball, keep working on it and gradually get the grip longer.

jwcurtin

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

What is your grip like i.e. what hand is nearest the top of the hurley when striking the ball

Practise with a shorter grip, halfway down the hurley. Step out onto your right foot as you throw the ball up under the hurley to strike it. Shorter grip makes it easier to strike the ball, keep working on it and gradually get the grip longer.

Yea, would be low enough on the hurl (36",) but just can't seem to get the wrists to work!

rebel girl 15

jwcurtin wrote: »

Yea, would be low enough on the hurl (36",) but just can't seem to get the wrists to work!

Do you mind me asking what height you are?

jwcurtin

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

Do you mind me asking what height you are?

6'3":D

trebor28

the only way you are going to improve it is to just practice on it.
when you go to the alley just focus on the side for a long while.
no easy solution, just lots of practice on that side.

flutered

if you are a forward dont be doing the usual stupid thing of trying to score from the sideline over your shoulder to show how great you are, and then drive it wide. no one likes that. be a team player, pass if its on. you dont have to score every time.[/QUOTE]
also do not be afraid to shoot when in a scoreable position, also when in a scoreable position you have to have your mind made up before you recieve the ball, the pass and the shot are instincive, do not make a habit of passing to some one else i.e pass the buck.

rebel girl 15

jwcurtin wrote: »

6'3":D

Did u ever try playing with a 34 or 35 hurl? A shorter hurl at that level acn help a lot with mastering the basic skills. The way to measure the correct size of hurl is to stand straight like a soldier and hold the hurley by your side. Your hand should just be at the top of hurley. All the top hurlers have come down to smaller hurleys, such as Sean Og who is 6'2'' uses a 33 hurley, Shefflin uses around a 34. Especially playing as a forward, a smaller hurley would be used, because there is less chance of betting hooked or blocked, smaller hurley makes it easier to pick up and strike of the weaker side. Makes a huge difference - I know of a junior camogie team that were using 34/35 hurleys, anyway the coach forced them all to get smaller hurleys 32/33 that were the correct size, and they won their first county ever. Typically if you were a back, then it would be a slightly longer hurley, to be able to get blocks or hooks in.

I presume you have an orthodox grip, i.e. your right hand at the top of the hurley at all times? Because that is one way that we make a cut in out panel, having the wrong grip makes a huge difference to the way you strike the ball

sportinglegend

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

Did u ever try playing with a 34 or 35 hurl? A shorter hurl at that level acn help a lot with mastering the basic skills. The way to measure the correct size of hurl is to stand straight like a soldier and hold the hurley by your side. Your hand should just be at the top of hurley. All the top hurlers have come down to smaller hurleys, such as Sean Og who is 6'2'' uses a 33 hurley, Shefflin uses around a 34. Especially playing as a forward, a smaller hurley would be used, because there is less chance of betting hooked or blocked, smaller hurley makes it easier to pick up and strike of the weaker side. Makes a huge difference - I know of a junior camogie team that were using 34/35 hurleys, anyway the coach forced them all to get smaller hurleys 32/33 that were the correct size, and they won their first county ever. Typically if you were a back, then it would be a slightly longer hurley, to be able to get blocks or hooks in.

I presume you have an orthodox grip, i.e. your right hand at the top of the hurley at all times? Because that is one way that we make a cut in out panel, having the wrong grip makes a huge difference to the way you strike the ball

Henry Shefflin is better known for his use of a longer stick than most he actually uses a 37" Hurl while Martin Comerford uses a 36" Hurl at 6'4". If your 6'2" I wouldn't be thinking about going any smaller than a 34/35 hurl.

Working in the alley will sharpen the touch a lot. Make sure to attack every ball don't just wait for it and it will improve how quick you are on your feet at the same time.

Blink182rock

back to the not being up to scratch with portumna underage bit.....portumna are terrible underage!!

they arent in A grade in minor or under 16 and the ones under that are just awfull , its only the tallented players that are in the senior team that are good and few 18 year olds!!

peabutler

If your in the best 3 or so in your club you'll get your chance with the developmental squads anyway

trebor28

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

I presume you have an orthodox grip, i.e. your right hand at the top of the hurley at all times? Because that is one way that we make a cut in out panel, having the wrong grip makes a huge difference to the way you strike the ball

cant believe you are coaching a team with that line.
nothing wrong with left handers, the are actually beneficial to a team.

the thing your a trying to say is when a person changes their hands. like aidan fogarty of kilkenny, who uses his right hand to catch the ball but then puts it back on the top of the hurley! if you are cutting people because they are left handed you wont get far!

rebel girl 15

trebor28 wrote: »

cant believe you are coaching a team with that line.
nothing wrong with left handers, the are actually beneficial to a team.

the thing your a trying to say is when a person changes their hands. like aidan fogarty of kilkenny, who uses his right hand to catch the ball but then puts it back on the top of the hurley! if you are cutting people because they are left handed you wont get far!

I'm presuming that the OP is in the majority i.e. write with their right hand, if people write with their left hand, they put that on top. The way I put it to kids is that your writing hand is your hurley hand, i.e. their writing hand. The thing with Fogarty is what I'm trying to get at. Left handed people should have left hand on top of the hurley, and vice versa. The reason behind this is that as the players are getting older and hitting the ball further, the majority of those who have the correct grip will outhit those with an unorthodox grip because an unorthodox grip naturally closes the shoulders more than an orthodox.

I know of one girl that I changed grip with, she had what Forgaty does, catch the ball in the right hand and the right hand ends up at the top of the hurley, she was hitting it further and more consistently when she caught the ball with the left hand and hit it with the right on top. I know from my own experience, having to change the way I gripped the hurley that in the long term it made a difference. And at the age I'm coaching (U13) we are trying to set them up for the long term. Sorry to go slightly off topic, but having a properly sized hurley at a younger age can cut out this grip forming.

Speak Now

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

I presume you have an orthodox grip, i.e. your right hand at the top of the hurley at all times? Because that is one way that we make a cut in out panel, having the wrong grip makes a huge difference to the way you strike the ball

Have a good look at Taggy Fogarty on Sunday if he gets on.

jwcurtin

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

Did u ever try playing with a 34 or 35 hurl? A shorter hurl at that level acn help a lot with mastering the basic skills. The way to measure the correct size of hurl is to stand straight like a soldier and hold the hurley by your side. Your hand should just be at the top of hurley. All the top hurlers have come down to smaller hurleys, such as Sean Og who is 6'2'' uses a 33 hurley, Shefflin uses around a 34. Especially playing as a forward, a smaller hurley would be used, because there is less chance of betting hooked or blocked, smaller hurley makes it easier to pick up and strike of the weaker side. Makes a huge difference - I know of a junior camogie team that were using 34/35 hurleys, anyway the coach forced them all to get smaller hurleys 32/33 that were the correct size, and they won their first county ever. Typically if you were a back, then it would be a slightly longer hurley, to be able to get blocks or hooks in.

I presume you have an orthodox grip, i.e. your right hand at the top of the hurley at all times? Because that is one way that we make a cut in out panel, having the wrong grip makes a huge difference to the way you strike the ball

Was using a 34's up until recently where it broke and was handed a 36, didn't really think about it, but i know what you're saying, but i feel i get more distance out of the 36's cause their heavier! Yeah right hand on top. Have a spare 34 so will give that a go

jwcurtin

peabutler wrote: »

If your in the best 3 or so in your club you'll get your chance with the developmental squads anyway

On them(i think:D), in Pearse Stadium next week with the City one:)

jwcurtin

Blink182rock wrote: »

back to the not being up to scratch with portumna underage bit.....portumna are terrible underage!!

they arent in A grade in minor or under 16 and the ones under that are just awfull , its only the tallented players that are in the senior team that are good and few 18 year olds!!

Sorry, i was just using an example and i though of the Portumna squad since they're doing fine at senior level and the cannings!:D