Teenage GAA games set for radical rules shake-up

PLANS TO CHANGE the nature of underage GAA games are at an advanced level, with a meeting scheduled this week to finalise a report that will be published soon by a selected committee, The 42 understands.

The aim is to improve retention of players aged in the 13-17 range.

The GAA’s research has shown that the rate of dropout after Go Games (typically up to U12 level) is high. This is when the demands and expectations increase on players as the environment becomes more competitive.

The measures being discussed include modifying the rules of the games to ensure players get more touches, playing smaller-sided games and making it more of a less competitive environment.

Streaming players at different grades will be on the table, and an obvious boost will be to provide more outlets for clubs that may be struggling with numbers.

This was based on the findings of a survey that garnered 1,500 responses. Already, there have been closed-door experiments with some clubs.

The report has been written by a number of highly respected figures within Gaelic games coaching, including the GAA’s Strategy, Insights and Innovation Manager, Dr Peter Horgan, Dr Michael McKay of Ulster University, who heads up the Games Intelligence Unit, and Dr Paul Donnelly, co-author of the Gaelic Games youth participation study.

McKay, Donnelly and Horgan, along with Dr Aoife Lane, contributed to a study through both the Technological University of Shannon and the GAA that examined the reasons for dropout and burnout in the GAA, with a sample of 4,594 players between 13 and 20.

Written by Declan Bogue and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.