Wexford GAA Coaching & Games Participation Plan 2018 – Structure

Wexford GAA Coaching & Games Participation Plan 2018 – Structure Booklet

2018 will see the roll out of the new Wexford C&G participation plan for U7’s to U11’s.

Numerous events are being scheduled for the coming months giving children the opportunity to develop skills, have fun and develop a love for both hurling and football through a participation based games program.

A number of Wexford GAA hosted events such as GAA on the Quay and the Innovate Wexford Park Play & Stay Day will be supplemented by multiple blitz days for every club. In between these blitz days, clubs are encouraged to arrange other games to further develop the skills of the game, by using the “Play Us App”.

This new format is part of a restructuring of fixtures for U8 - U11's in Wexford GAA that links with our "Shed Blitz" and our "Play & Stay Days" (details outlined below).

Participation and skill development are at the corner stones of this new structure and are fundamental to these new plans. We see games opportunities as the key to ensuring these fundamentals are met. Wexford C&G hope that clubs mirror this ethos and incorporate it into their individual club player pathway model.

All games will be played under the “Go Games” ethos which are outlined below. Including the “Positive side line only” Appeal.

Under this Go Games format;

• Every child gets a go.

• Activities are structured in a manner which optimises the level of fun, friendship, fair play and achievement derived by participants.

• Participants play in a safe, supportive and stimulating environment where they are encouraged to risk error, to learn and to derive maximum enjoyment from their involvement.

• Players master the basic skills of Hurling and Gaelic Football and experience the sense of accomplishment, which derives from acquiring playing proficiency on the left and right hand side of the body.

• Everybody involved in Go Games, whether as players, parents/guardians, spectators, mentors, teachers, officials etc., are exposed to the key underpinning principles and give expression to the GAA ‘Give Respect, Get Respect’ initiative.

For full updates on the day and retrospectively, follow @OfficialWexGAA on Twitter. The following is a guide for the structure of each age group from U7 to U11 Wexford GAA underage games. It will outline the key focus that Wexford C&G have placed on each age group and our vision for implementing that focus. With 2018 changing to a focus age of U7, U9 and U11 this will be reflected in the games program.

Outline of Organised Games

• U7 – Open fixtures will start for U7’s on weekend 14 (April 7th/8th) and run to weekend 39 (September 29th/30th). Open fixtures are dates that clubs are free to organise their own one off games or fixtures. All games should follow the ethos outlined below in the under 7 section and follow Go Games rules. There will be two Wexford C&G organised events for U7’s, these will be regional cluster based blitz days with minimal travel. The dates for these blitz days are as follows: Football Blitz Day will take place on weekend 25 (June 23rd/24th), Hurling Blitz that will take place on weekend 28 (July 14th/15th).

• U8 – There will be provided three events organised by Wexford C&G. Wexford GAA on the Quay will take place the week of June 25th-29th. There will also be a county blitz day hosted in Ferns COE for each code, Football taking place on weekend 30 (July 28th/29th) and Hurling taking place on weekend 37 (September 15th/16th). All games should follow the ethos outlined below in the under 8 section and follow Go Games rules.

• U9 – The U9’s will start 2018 with the “Shed Blitz” starting weekend 7 (February 17th/18th) starting with three weeks of Hurling followed by three weeks of Football. This is followed by Open fixtures starting weekend 13 (March 31st/April 1st), this will run continuously, excluding Wexford C&G organised events until weekend 38 (September 15th/16th) There will be Wexford C&G organised regional blitz days, with regional hurling blitz days taking place on weekend 15 (April 14th/15th) and weekend 24 (June 16th/17th). The regional football blitz days will be held on weekend 18 (May 5th/6th) and weekend 27 (July 7th/8th). There will also be a county blitz day hosted in Ferns COE for each code, Football taking place on weekend 29 (July 21st/22nd) and Hurling taking place on weekend 33 (August 18th/19th). All games should follow the ethos outlined below in the under 8 section and follow Go Games rules. The U9’s will have a second round of “Shed Blitz” starting weekend 39 (September 29th/30th) starting with football and alternating to hurling every second week.

• U10 - There will be provided three events organised by Wexford C&G. Wexford GAA “Play & Stay” in Innovate Wexford Park will take place the week of July 9th-13th. There will also be a county blitz day hosted in Ferns COE for each code, Football taking place on weekend 23 (June 9th/10th) and Hurling taking place on weekend 31 (August 4th/5th). All games should follow the ethos outlined below in the under 10 section and follow Go Games rules.

• U11 - Open fixtures will start for U11’s on weekend 10 (March 10th/11th) and run to weekend 13 (March 31st/April 1st). Open fixtures are dates that clubs are free to organise their own one off games or fixtures. The new U11 “Skill League” will start on weekend 14 (April 6th – 8th) with two football fixture weekends (round one & two) followed by two hurling fixture weekends (round one & two), this will be followed by an open fixture weekend. Round three and four for each code will run the same for the next four weekends followed by another open fixture weekend. Round five and six for each code will run the same for the next four weekends followed by another open fixture weekend. Finally, a final two rounds of fixtures will take place for each code, two football an open week and two hurling weeks to complete round seven & eight for each code. There will then be a free week for weekend 34 (August 25th/26th). The first of the final weekends hosted in Ferns COE will be for football taking place on weekend 35 (September 1st/2nd) with the hurling equivalent taking place in weekend 38 (September 22nd/23rd). Open fixtures will then run between the above finals dates and after the hurling until weekend 44 (November 2nd/3rd).

Games Outline

Open Fixtures – Are open dates that clubs are open and encouraged to organise their own fixtures and events.

Shed Blitz – Are indoor blitz days for U9’s where each team of 9 get two games. Three teams are scheduled to play every hour with each game lasting twenty minutes. These shed blitz are targeted at U9 to extend the season to Start in February and end in November. There will be a skill emphasis placed on this area with the additional novelty and variation an indoor arena can bring.

Regional Cluster Blitz - Are blitz days where teams get a minimum of 3 fifteen minute games. Depending on age, pitch size will be changed to an appropriate size and will follow the go games model. The regional cluster blitz is a more localized event than the regional blitz where a small number of clubs in each region are clustered together. All games will work on a rotation basis where each team will be designated a sticking team or a moving team.

Regional Blitz – Are blitz days where teams get a minimum of 3 fifteen minute games. Depending on age, pitch size will be changed to an appropriate size and will follow the go games model. This differs from the regional cluster blitz by the increased number of teams at a specific venue. This is a bigger event by numbers attending. All games will work on a rotation basis where each team will be designated a sticking team or a moving team.

County Blitz Day - Are blitz days hosted in Ferns COE and allow the possible fixtures of teams located further apart in location. teams get a minimum of 3 twenty minute games. Depending on age, pitch size will be changed to an appropriate size and will follow the go games model. All games will work on a rotation basis where each team will be designated a sticking team or a moving team.

GAA On The Quay – This is a one day optional event for U8’s. It is seen as a festival of GAA as a way to give children a novel opportunity to play Gaelic games in a different environment. Teams are given a thirty-minute slot where they will play either hurling or football. Wexford C&G will also have some additional GAA related promotional activities.

Play & Stay – This is a one-day optional event for U10’s where teams get the opportunity to play in Innovate Wexford Park. Teams are given a one-hour time slot where they will get to have a “dressing room experience”, enter the pitch to a roaring crowd, play either hurling or football and finally climb the steps to lift the cup!

U11 Skill Leagues – Is a new hybrid model combining the go games model with an adaptive competition model that will incorporate points or scores for the successful completion of a specific skill. The adaptive competition model is one that encourages competition while also allowing teams to find their own level by pitching teams against others in a similar position on our “Kent Stainless Football” or “Halo Tiles Hurling” finals days. A full outline of recommended rules for this competition can be found below.

Regional / Regional Cluster Blitz Guide

Host Club Responsibilities:

Visiting Club Responsibilities:

o Balls o Referee (each club should have someone with them willing to referee games, a perfect opportunity for a young Go Games Referees, if not a coach will be required to do this) o Whistle (a referee will need a whistle) o Teams split evenly (clubs are asked to split their teams as evenly as possible and avoid having a “strong” and a “weak” team) o Work with coordinators on the day moving as quickly to and from pitches assigned o Arrive with kit on and teams picked in advance where possible o Arrive on time o Respect the referee o Only positive comments and encouragement to players to support development

County Board:

o A lead coordinator will be assigned to each venue o Fixtures (fixtures provided are based on numbers submitted by clubs and are guideline fixtures, these may change on the day as circumstances change, please use common sense if this occurs) o Hooter (coordinator will sound hooter to signal start and stop of games) o Poles & Cones (the host club is asked to assist on the layout of pitches based on the provided example)

U9 & U11 will have a “Positive Side Line Only” appeal for 2018, coaches and parents are asked to only make positive comments towards both players and referees.

County Blitz Day Guide

County Board Responsibilities:

o Car Parking / Traffic Management o Pitches Available with No obstructions o Facilities Available (toilets, shop, etc) o Bins (have plenty of bins available to avoid littering) o Helpers (Volunteers to help lead coordinator to direct clubs to pitches etc) o Organise pitch layout Poles & Cones (pitches will be laid out according to age group attending) o A lead coordinator will be assigned o Fixtures (fixtures provided are based on numbers submitted by clubs and are guideline fixtures, these may change on the day as circumstances change, please use common sense if this occurs) o Hooter (coordinator will sound hooter to signal start and stop of games)

Visiting Club Responsibilities:

o Balls o Referee (each club should have someone with them willing to referee games, a perfect opportunity for a young whistler, if not a coach will be required to do this) (This may also be organised by county board and communicated if so) o Whistle (a referee will need a whistle) o Teams split evenly (clubs are asked to split their teams as evenly as possible and avoid having a “strong” and a “weak” team) o Work with coordinators on the day moving as quickly to and from pitches assigned o Arrive with kit on and teams picked in advance where possible o Arrive on time o Bring only children up to the age for this event to ensure maximum playing time for those that the event is designed for o Respect the referee o Only positive comments and encouragement to players to support development

Shed Blitz Guide

Host Club Responsibilities:

o Car Parking / Traffic Management o Indoor Arena Available with No obstructions o Facilities Available (toilets, shop, etc) o Bins (please have plenty of bins available to avoid littering)

Visiting Club Responsibilities:

o Balls o Teams split evenly (clubs are asked to split their teams as evenly as possible and avoid having a “strong” and a “weak” team) o Work with coordinators on the day o Arrive with kit on and teams picked in advance where possible o Arrive on time o Respect the referee o Only positive comments and encouragement to players to support development

County Board:

o A lead coordinator will be assigned to each venue o Fixtures (fixtures provided are based on numbers submitted by clubs and are guideline fixtures, these may change on the day as circumstances change, please use common sense if this occurs) o Referee o Hooter (coordinator will sound hooter to signal start and stop of games) o Poles & Cones (the host club is asked to assist on the layout of pitches based on the provided example)

U9 & U11 will have a “Positive Side Line Only” appeal for 2018, coaches and parents are asked to only make positive comments towards both players and referees.

Innovate Wexford Park Play & Stay Day Guide

County Board Responsibilities:

o Car Parking / Traffic Management o Pitch Available with No obstructions o Facilities Available (toilets, shop, etc) o Bins (have plenty of bins available to avoid littering) o Helpers (Volunteers to help lead coordinator to direct clubs to pitches etc) o Organise pitch layout Poles & Cones (pitches will be laid out according to age group attending) o A lead coordinator will be assigned o Fixtures (fixtures provided are based on numbers submitted by clubs and are guideline fixtures, these may change on the day as circumstances change, please use common sense if this occurs) o Hooter (coordinator will sound hooter to signal start and stop of games) o Balls o Referee

Visiting Club Responsibilities:

o Teams split evenly (clubs are asked to split their teams as evenly as possible and avoid having a “strong” and a “weak” team) o Work with coordinators on the day moving as quickly to and from pitches assigned o Arrive with kit on and teams picked in advance where possible o Arrive on time o Follow guidance and requests made by staff on the day to ensure the day flows as planned o Bring only children up to the age for this event to ensure maximum playing time for those that the event is designed for o Respect the referee o Only positive comments and encouragement to players to support development

GAA on the Quay Guide

County Board Responsibilities:

o Work with Wexford County Council to facilitate running of the event o Pitch construction o Organise any other promotional activities for the day o Bins (have plenty of bins available to avoid littering) o Helpers (Volunteers to help lead coordinator to organise teams for game slots etc) o A lead coordinator will be assigned o Fixtures (fixtures provided are based on numbers submitted by clubs and are guideline fixtures, these may change on the day as circumstances change, please use common sense if this occurs) o Hooter (coordinator will sound hooter to signal start and stop of games) o Balls o Referee

Visiting Club Responsibilities:

U11 “Skill League” Guide

The U11 skill league is a new model and it must be understood that unforeseen occurrences may arise in which case Wexford C&G will act accordingly. We would ask for every club’s assistance and cooperation throughout this new initiative. Wexford C&G also see this initiative as the perfect breeding ground for new referees and referee development to supplement the growing shortage for referees in the county. It is hoped that “Go Games Referees” will be used for this initiative and that all clubs will support this view.

U9 & U11 will have a “Positive Side Line Only” appeal for 2018, coaches and parents are asked to only make positive comments towards both players and referees.

Skill league format; • Teams will consist of 12 a side (every child gets a minimum of half a game) • Clubs can enter an “A” and “B” team • Teams will play 3 home and 4 away in one code and 4 home and 3 away in the other code to ensure an even number of home matches for each team • The scoring system will adopt a hybrid of the traditional goal = 3 points, point = 1 point and the addition of successfully completing a specific skill being rewarded with 1 point (full details before start date) • Teams will be awarded 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw and 0 points for a loss • After all fixtures are complete, the final league table will determine each team’s opponent on the “Final Days” • Referees will be Go Games Referees, seen as development referees and should be treated appropriately. If a referee is treated with improper conduct, Wexford C&G will be contacting the clubs coaching officer with a formal warning.

Host Club Responsibilities:

o Car Parking / Traffic Management o Pitches Available with No obstructions o Facilities Available (toilets, shop, etc) o Bins (please have plenty of bins available to avoid littering) o Helpers (underage players to help lead coordinator to direct clubs to pitches etc) o Pitch layout according to guidelines outlined by Wexford C&G o Match Ball (size 4 sliotar) (go games “smart touch”) o Respect the referee o Only positive comments and encouragement to players to support development

Visiting Club Responsibilities:

o Appropriate team numbers o Arrive with kit on and teams picked in advance where possible o Arrive on time o Respect the referee o Only positive comments and encouragement to players to support development

County Board:

o A Go Games Referee will be assigned to each venue o Fixtures provided to clubs in advance o Results gathered from referee and leagues formulated for updated standings

Open Fixtures Guide

Open fixtures are dates set for clubs to organise their own one off games or external competitions to coincide with the games program offered by Wexford C&G. All Wexford C&G events and fixtures MUST be prioritised with sufficient alternatives supplied to clubs to arrange alternatives.

They can also be used as development days for example where clubs can get external coaches in to do a coaching session or workshop etc.

We would encourage all clubs to take advantage of this as it was a request made by a lot of clubs last year.

We would suggest that all clubs sign up to the “Play Us” app which will help facilitate the arranging of fixtures. The Play Us GAA app can be found here https://playusgaa.com/

We would also like to emphasize the importance of keeping with the outlined guides above for each respective age group to insure consistence across the board.