Taking up Hurling in your 20s

I dont know

Lads, have any of you ever taken up playing hurling after leaving school, say in your 20s?

I’m thinking of giving it a go and was just wondering if I’ve missed the boat. i.e too old to learn the skills to any decent level and I think it would be helpful to hear from anyone that took up playing later in life. I’m 26 BTW.

I’ll tell yas the full story: I’m from Tyrone and did play a bit of hurling from 10-12years old but it wasn’t organised very well and the whole thing sorta fell apart after 12. Also I was hurling for the parish rivals as my GAA club didn’t have a hurling team and it kinda sickened me to put on their jersey every week, but I loved to play –silly I know.

Now the Tyrone County Board are launching a new initiative to improve Hurling in the county. Currently there are only 5 hurling clubs, but they want the 48 football clubs to go together into groups of 4&5 and supply players for an amalgamation team to take part in a ‘beginners league’. I'm thinking of putting myself forward as one of my club's volunteers along with a few others. I’m still playing club football and am fit enough, but don’t want to go along and make an ass of myself – although I’m aware many of the others taking part will be in a similar situation.

If you have any thoughts or advice it would be appreciated – if I’m going for it I have to put my name forward by Monday, as training starts the following Monday

flahavaj

Great to hear efforts being made to promote the game in Tyrone.

Advice - Pull hard and give 'em timber.

riffmongous

If you've played before when you were younger there's a chance there might be some core skills still there. You could borrow a hurl and a sliotar and try hitting the ball off a wall for 20 mins or so, you'll realise fairly quickly whether the ability is still there or not.

But head along to training regardless, you might pick it up, you might not, there's no harm in trying. The worst thing you could do would be not giving it a chance to find out.

nice_guy80

Congrats on wanting to take up the most enjoyable and frustrating sport in the world!!

1. get yourself a hurley. make sure it ain't too big or heavy

2. check out the coaching info online about the grip, swing etc proper grip is vital. if you need to get used of swinging a hurley again get a tyre put it on the ground and get used of swinging against both sides of the tyre working on both sides

3. get a few wall balls and start practicing against a wall. on your own.
here are a few drills

4. then, once you're comfortable find a partner and start pucking around a field with a proper sliotar!

Alexander Supertramp

I dont know wrote: »

Lads, have any of you ever taken up playing hurling after leaving school, say in your 20s?

I’m thinking of giving it a go and was just wondering if I’ve missed the boat. i.e too old to learn the skills to any decent level and I think it would be helpful to hear from anyone that took up playing later in life. I’m 26 BTW.

I’ll tell yas the full story: I’m from Tyrone and did play a bit of hurling from 10-12years old but it wasn’t organised very well and the whole thing sorta fell apart after 12. Also I was hurling for the parish rivals as my GAA club didn’t have a hurling team and it kinda sickened me to put on their jersey every week, but I loved to play –silly I know.

Now the Tyrone County Board are launching a new initiative to improve Hurling in the county. Currently there are only 5 hurling clubs, but they want the 48 football clubs to go together into groups of 4&5 and supply players for an amalgamation team to take part in a ‘beginners league’. I'm thinking of putting myself forward as one of my club's volunteers along with a few others. I’m still playing club football and am fit enough, but don’t want to go along and make an ass of myself – although I’m aware many of the others taking part will be in a similar situation.

If you have any thoughts or advice it would be appreciated – if I’m going for it I have to put my name forward by Monday, as training starts the following Monday

Go for it. I'm in the same boat as you and I will be going along with a few fellow amateurs from our club. See you there chief!

ontheditch2

Fair play lads, great to see that the great game is still expanding.
I am sure the Coaching officers in the county would be willing to forward any advice.
Go to RTE.ie and go into the GAA page, there is a link to Fun Do on the side. Have a look at that. Once you are technically proficient, all the skills will come easy..

Will keep an eye out for ye winning the Lory Meagher in a few years..;)

Glensman

We have a player for Cushendall 3rds 'Polish Daniel'.
As you can guess he didn't play hurling growing up- took it up when he was about 28... Makes a fine full forward!.. Although it helps that he's built like Sean Og!

GAAman

Thats a great idea, i was with a tyrone girl for a few years and said it a few times that hurling didnt seem to exist at all there

Will be interesting to see how it pans out

Oh and to answer your initial question see the fantastic sticky at the top of the page

djPSB

Prob are starting a bit late, and you will not reach the levels you may have if you had started when you were younger, but I have seen lads take up the game at this age and done okay at junior level. However, hurling being a very skillful game can be challenging.

MilfordBud

Fair play to you lad. Best of luck with it.

Ball alley is crucial though if you're just starting out, pucking the sliothar around for 30 mins or so a day by yourself is very good for the eye and touch, it also gets very addictive. Also, if you can get anyone to look at your grip/striking so that you're action is actually correct, this is a huge thing for me when I see lads who wouldn't have hurled at a young age or at all.

Nicky (GOD ) English didn't play his first game until he was 14 and similar to yourself he played with a different club. That's obviously a lot younger than mid 20s but it does go against this view of having to be born with a hurley in your hand.

purplepanda

These guys started a bit older & are doing great!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7gO3BTaPTw

DodgeyKeeper

its never to late to start if you dont plan on playing at a high level.I know its not the same but Nicky English didn't start playing until he was 14.My advice would be to have a hurley in your hand every evening,find a wall and puck away to your hearts content

An Carolineach

I just started hurling at the ripe age of 42, and while I don't figure to win a spot starting for Tipp, it's great fun though tough as hell. There's a new club here in Nowheresville, South Carolina, and the team ranges from teens to, well, dudes like me. We played a mostly-Irish team from nearby Charlotte, NC, and gave them a decent game. So, unless you're a super athlete, no, you probably won't make top senior teams, but you can get really good with tons of practice and a high tolerance for annoying injuries. Good luck!