Initiative highlights the importance of friends
AROUND 50 players and 15 coaches from Fethard St Mogue’s GAA club were delighted to receive brand new training kits recently courtesy of Dillons Londis in Fethard.
The presentation of the new training kit also marked a milestone in the recently launched STAR programme for the U8, U10 and u12 teams for the ladies GAA club.
Recognising the potential of the young players, the youth mentors for the three underage teams in St. Mogue’s initiated the S.T.A.R programme at the start of the 2024 season. The programme aims to develop a sense of team bonding through positive relationships within the teams as early as possible and encourages the girls to grow together as a team, and as a community, with kindness and respect through sport.
U10s coach, Caroline Colfer explained: “The vision of the programme is to show the girls how important it is to belong to something, and the benefits that being a member of a team and community can bring. Through sport, we want to teach our young players how to have fun and how to build friendships and memories that will last a lifetime.
“Sport is not just about kicking a ball or hitting a sliotar. Sport shows us how to look out for each other with respect and honesty, and build the strength to overcome any obstacles. These are essential life skills. As youth mentors, we are delighted to help lead this terrific group of girls. The three teams feel so special in their new STAR kit and we very much appreciate the support from David Dillon of Fethard-on-sea Londis for sponsoring the new kit.”
As part of the programme the young players worked together to explore what being part of the GAA meant to them. They chose the words strength, teamwork, achieve, and respect to describe what they want to represent – words that emblazon the back of their personalized new training kit.
Each of the underage teams also have a special STAR team mascot that attends all the training sessions and looking after the mascot is a shared responsibility among the young players.
“With rollout of the STAR programme, it is hoped that the ladies club will be able to increase the number of female players from to progress to county level. The young STAR girls from St. Mogue’s don’t have to look far for inspiration with Nuala Henneghan already part of the development squad, as well a number of players at youth boys and senior men’s level on the county panel for both football and hurling.”
Cian Byrne, Cillian Byrne, Richie Waters and Jake Molloy were also on hand during the S.T.A.R celebration to encourage the girls to keep playing and aim high.