Hurling 2020 1 Committee Report Hurling 2020 Committee Report Mission / Vision / Values www.gaa.ie The GAA’s values are the heart and soul of our Association. In every club around the world they are what binds us, what makes us unique and what attracts more and more players, members, volunteers and supporters. Mission “The GAA is a community based volunteer organisation promoting Gaelic games, culture and lifelong participation”. The GAA is a volunteer organisation. We develop and promote Gaelic games at the core of Irish identity and culture. We are dedicated to ensuring that our family of games, and the values we live, enrich the lives of our members, families and the communities we serve. We are committed to active lifelong participation for all and to providing the best facilities. We reach out to and include all members of our society. We promote individual development and well-being and strive to enable all our members achieve their full potential in their chosen roles. Vision Our vision is that everybody has the opportunity to be welcomed to take part in our games and culture, to participate fully, to grow and develop and to be inspired to keep a lifelong engagement with our Association. Hurling 2020 3 Committee Report GAA Hurling 2020 Committee Report Contents Foreword 4 Introduction / Methodology 6 Survey Results & Feedback 8 Section 1: Hurling Participation 10 Section 2: Proposals for Rule Changes 14 Section 3: Disciplinary Structures 20 Section 4: Competition Structures 24 Section 5: The Club 28 Section 6: Integration with Camogie 30 Section 7: Promotion 32 Section 8: Miscellaneous 34 Appendix 1 – Hurling 2020 Committee Members 36 Appendix 2 – Hurling Penalty Rule Interpretation – June 2014 38 Appendix 3 – Proposed Roles and Responsibilities for the Director of Hurling 40 Appendix 4 – Coaching Template Example 42 Proposals 43 Hurling 2020 5 Committee Report GAA Hurling 2020 Committee Report Foreword Liam Sheedy Outstanding work is taking place in some who share the same passion as ourselves. I GAA President Liam O’Neill established the Just as important as expanding the base, counties at underage and development level certainly believe the report will do all of our Hurling 2020 committee which was launched however, is realising the need to continue to but this has to be applied consistently in engagements justice and it will stimulate the on June 5th in Croke Park. A huge coaching strengthen that base. Making the roots even every county. The target has to be to take the changes that will ensure the game continues and developmental culture permeates stronger, realising that the game cannot game from strength to strength in the top- to go from strength to strength in the hurling now but we were given a very broad grow without the light and heat and food of tier counties. Equally, significant effort needs coming years. briefing to look at all aspects of both hurling continued hard work. With the brilliance of to be put into the tier two counties to give and the structures around the game. While the last few Liam MacCarthy championships, them every opportunity to get up to that top- everyone would agree that the game is in a there is a feeling that we are on the cusp tier. This committee passionately believes Hurling is the best field game in the world, healthy state, it would be foolish of us all to of another golden era for the game. Yet we that a bottom-up approach, involving a game with a unique and wonderful mix of think that it cannot be further improved in cannot just assume that this is going to just intensive schools programmes, the formation speed, skill and courage, which continues the months and years ahead. happen either. 15 of the last 16 All-Irelands have still been won by the traditional “Big of new clubs, and strengthening of the links to capture the attention of thousands and Three” of Kilkenny, Cork and Tipperary. between both, to be critical in assisting tier thousands of people everywhere. With Sky Sports and GAAGo now showcasing our I was very fortunate to chair a committee three counties to move forward. If every child wonderful game to a global audience, the that was steeped in the games of hurling in the country is given an opportunity to have capacity to grow and market our unique and camogie for many years. The passion After the revolution years of the 1990s, a hurley in their hand, and the club culture product has never been greater. That reality they have for the game was heartening, when Offaly, Clare and Wexford won five becomes stronger, then the game will grow puts an even greater responsibility on all enthusiastic and infectious. Ultimately we All-Irelands between 1994-’98, we thought stronger too, at every level. our shoulders to fulfil hurling’s immense want every person to get the opportunity to the revolution would continue to rage. But it potential. play our national game which is very much didn’t. Some counties became complacent. Others didn’t work hard enough to stay As a Tipperary man, I have been proud and part of our culture. We would also hope that Our focus for now is very much on addressing at the top. There are always a multitude honoured to see my own county involved greater participation would foster some, or the game and I see this document as being of reasons and excuses when it comes to in some of the greatest hurling games of all all, of the wonderful experiences we have the initial report. There is plenty of hard growing, developing and sustaining the game time in the last five years. Yet as a hurling got over the years from being involved in work to be done but the committee view this but complacency is a disease which is more man, I would also dearly love to see other hurling at all levels. We absolutely believe we document as a key step in moving forward on lethal in hurling than in any other sport. This counties to try and reach that level. To are doing the GAA and the game of hurling the great path ahead. be given the opportunity to try and reach a massive injustice by not allowing this to committee hopes to help eradicate that virus that level. More importantly, increasing happen. This will be our number one priority from hurling’s mindset. participation, expanding the playing base Liam Sheedy as we start that journey from 2015. and growing the culture is just as big a form Chairman of the Hurling 2020 Committee of success than winning cups and medals and One of the key parts of this document trophies. regarding hurling participation and improving standards refers to a three- We would like to thank all of the people who pronged approach of / Protect, Grow and helped us in gathering our data, whether Develop the game. That terminology and through completing the online survey, which philosophy very much reflects the mindset was extremely well supported by email of the committee. While the culture of our or post, or through the numerous face to game is beautiful and highly expressive of face meetings which were held with people our personality as a people, we really want who are actively involved in the game and hurling to go to the level we know it can reach. The potential of the game is absolutely massive. We hope to try and fulfil that potential right across the board. Hurling 2020 7 Committee Report GAA Hurling 2020 Committee Report Introduction / Methodology In March 2014, GAA President Liam O’Neill established Who We Spoke To a committee to look at improving the game of hurling. Working Full Time 65% Under the chairmanship of Liam Sheedy (Tipperary), other committee members included; Ed Donnelly Not surprisingly, under 25 year olds over-index as Full Time Student 18% (Secretary), Pat Henderson (Kilkenny), Des Cullinane being players and under index on all other levels of (Cork), Terence “Sambo” Mc Naughton (Antrim), Ollie involvement. Once respondents reach their late 20s, Working Part Time 6% they are more likely than average to become GAA Moran (Limerick), Veronica Curtin (Galway), Frank Retired 5% Lohan (Clare), Ollie Canning (Galway) and Paul Flynn employees, club players and overseas club players. The (Waterford). Michael Duignan (Offaly) also served as number of respondents in their 40s (particularly women) Unemployed (Seeking Work) 4% a member of the committee for a number of months who are only involved in the game of hurling because before having to withdraw due to work and family of their children is well above average. Respondents in Homemaker Full Time 1% commitments. their 60s substantially over-index in terms of passive Homemaker Part Time 0% involvement. The committee’s first meeting took place on April 22 2014 when It was agreed to undergo an extensive Half of all the men surveyed who are involved in consultation process to gain feedback on the current hurling, and a quarter of the women in this group, also issues as they pertain to the game of hurling at all levels. participate in football. As a sport at senior inter-county level, senior club level, 1. Web Site / Survey underage county level, under-age club level and third level college level, hurling is rated excellent or good by The committee agreed to set up a website which would Under 18 18-24 25-29 30-34 35-39 40-44 45-49 50-59 60-69 70 plus the majority of respondents. host a survey on the state of the game.