BEHIND THE SCENES Michelle Quilty, Gráinne Kelly and Emma Brennan WORLD GAMES. at UCD & Croke Park. Winter 2016

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1 ON THE BALL THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE CAMOGIE ASSOCATION Winter 2016 WORLD GAMES at UCD & Croke Park BEHIND THE SCENES Michelle Quilty, Gráinne Kelly and officialcamogie officialcamogie

2 At the launch of Littlewoods Ireland were Waterford hurler Austin Gleeson, former Cork camogie star Anna Geary and former Kilkenny hurler Jackie Tyrell in Croke Park Welcome Uachtarán an Cumann Camógaíochta Catherine Neary THE CAMOGIE ASSOCIATION Croke Park, St Joseph s Avenue, Dublin 3. Tel: Inspire to Play, Empower to Stay COPYRIGHT NOTICE No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without written permission of the Camogie Association. If such permission is granted, the source must be acknowledged at time and place of use. DISCLAIMER The Camogie Association does not accept responsibility for, nor necessarily, agree with any of the views expressed, statements or claims made in any articles, news items, or advertisements published in or with this publication. EDITORIAL Ali Nolan CONTRIBUTORS Caroline Murray, Bronagh Gaughan, Brendan Coffey PHOTOGRAPHY INPHO DESIGN EMCreative.ie 1 ON THE BALL Winter 2016 INNOVATION 2017 sees the Camogie Association take our first steps with new National League title sponsor, Littlewoods Ireland. In a joint venture with the GAA, Littlewoods Ireland will make its first foray into the world of women s gaelic games where MD Geoff Scully hopes to bring the company s love of style and innovation to the partnership. Former Cork Camogie captain and four time Camogie All- Ireland winner Anna Geary will team up with the recently retired nine time All-Ireland Hurling Final winner Jackie Tyrell as style ambassadors for this new campaign. We are constantly looking to encourage interest in our sport so to team up with another field leader will certainly help us to continue to grow the profile of both the game and the National League competition. LEADERSHIP The National Development Plan (NDP) which was launched in 2016 sets out a number of key objectives and challenges for us, not least of which is the need to ensure that all our players are provided with the opportunity to participate in a fixture schedule which maximises their opportunity to play as many games as possible at a level that is competitive, age appropriate and reflects their skill set. The fixtures review findings will form the basis for further consultant in 2017 with the purpose being to ensure a fixture schedule that serves all our members equally, retaining the interest of our club players, promoting

3 the strength of our clubs and protecting the welfare of our players. VOLUNTARISM Our charity partners Childfund Ireland provided two of our intercounty players and leaders with the opportunity to participate in a charity initiative in June Goalkeeping All-Stars Mags D Arcy of Wexford and Aoife Murray of Cork led a trip to Ethiopia to meet local children where they delivered jerseys, hurleys and sponsored bikes as part of the Dream Bikes initiative. Their journey was captured and retold in what proved to be a very popular and insightful RTÉ documentary. FUN Our aim to increase participation at all levels within Camogie sees us now entering into the sixth annual Hurl Smart week in This year, over 80 clubs got involved in the initiative which aims to increase activity amongst girls, boys, women and men of all ages. Physical activity and nutritional awareness workshops form the basis of the week s activities with 2017 set to build further on the success of the last five years. INTEGRITY Various stages of the strategic action areas contained in the National Development Plan are now in motion with even more growth planned for The strengthening of our governance structure to align with the Governance Code, player retention, additional funding sources and further integration with the GAA family are our priority into A fantastic year of firsts saw Camogie record a bumper attendance of 20,037 spectators at the Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Championship Finals in Croke Park on Sunday September 11th. Three highly skilled and fast paced games saw Carlow reach the podium as Premier Junior champions for the very first time while an Intermediate and Senior double saw Kilkenny (who collected their first Senior championship since 1994) claim both All Ireland Titles. TV viewing figures reached record heights for the Finals with 328,000 viewers tuning in at its peak for the Senior Final. The Junior Club Championship Final was streamed live online for the first time allowing us to branch further in to the growing popularity of online broadcasting. This is something that we are keen to pursue as part of our National Development Plan into 2017 and beyond. EXCELLENCE 2016 saw the Association join forces with Liberty Insurance to again acknowledge and reward our outstanding players at the annual All- Stars Awards held in November. Fifteen senior players were presented with awards to reflect their performances throughout the year while six Junior and six Intermediate players were rewarded with Soaring Stars Awards. Wexford s sharp shooter Kate Kelly was presented with her ninth award, joining Cork s Gemma O Connor as joint record holders for achieving the award. In conjunction with the Association and the WGPA, the Liberty Insurance 2nd annual Players Player of the Year Awards saw Denise Gaule, Kilkenny take the senior award while Ciara Holden, Kilkenny and Eleanor Treacy, Carlow won the Intermediate and Junior Players Player of the Year Award. INCLUSIVENESS Inclusiveness is a key value of the Camogie Association with a large emphasis placed on our ability and desire to participate in the GAA family. We have seen a number of clubs across the country adopt the One Club policy which allows all Gaelic Games to participate equally under one club umbrella. This continues to be an imperative platform on which to enhance our strong connection to the GAA, LGFA and our local communities by working together to grow our games and provide equal playing and participating opportunities to everybody. Winter 2016 ON THE BALL 2

4 Facilities and National Administration and Governance. HOW MUCH IS AVAILABLE? For teams who compete in and fulfill all their fixtures in adult national inter county League and Championship competitions in their code, a maximum grant of 8,000 will be available. 80% of the grant is designated for injury prevention and medical cover and maximizing player and team performance. A reduced grant will be available for teams who compete in either the National League or championship. The grant will be paid in two instalments and only vouched expenditure can be funded. Investing in Our Future by Joan O Flynn, Ard Stiúrthóir Earlier this year the Government and the Minister for Sport Patrick O Donovan announced an investment of 1 million to support intercounty camogie and ladies football in 2017 and The funding is an indicator of the recognition that exists at national level for the contribution of inter county players to their sport and their commitment to play the game at highest level possible. The funding is also an acknowledgement that support is required to ensure that these players have the opportunity to reach their potential as athletes. The Camogie Association and the LGFA will receive and account for the funding received from Sport Ireland annually. Helen O Rourke, CEO LGFA, Joan O Flynn, CEO Camogie Association, Kieran Mulvey, Chairperson Sport Ireland, Patrick O Donovan, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, John Treacy, CEO Sport Ireland, Marie Hickey, President LGFA and Aoife Lane, WGPA. Front row: Kate Nolan, Anna Conlon, and Ciara Murphy be eligible for grant support to provide an enhanced playing and training environment for their team. WHAT WILL THE FUNDING COVER? The scheme has four elements: Injury Prevention and Medical Cover, Maximising Player and Team Performance, Access to Training HOW TO APPLY? A formal application form with funding details will issue to county board secretaries and player representatives. County board secretaries, team managers and WGPA representatives will be required to sign off on the grant application for their county. A national steering implementation group comprised of the Camogie Association, LGFA, WGPA and an independent chair will oversee the administration of the funding. MORE INFORMATION Two national seminars will be held early in 2017 to outline the details of the grant application process. Check out www. camogie.ie or www. wgpa.ie for further details including a FAQ document. WHO IS ELIGIBLE? Under the funding scheme for distribute the funds, the highest grade adult team in each code in each county will Kate Nolan, Carlow Camogie, Ciara Murphy, Kerry Football, Patrick O Donovan, Minister of State for Tourism and Sport and Carol O Leary, Clare Camogie 3 ON THE BALL Winter 2016

5 Etihad Airways GAA World Games Dublin 2016 by Bronagh Gaughan The Etihad Airways GAA World Games saw The Opening and Closing Ceremonies both taking place at Croke Park on August 7th and 12th respectively. All teams were represented at the All- Ireland Hurling Semi-Final by 2 players carrying their team banner and by over 700 players, team officials, guests and sponsors at the closing banquet. Monday August 8th saw the teams register, collect their kit and participate in a Games Development Workshop before the competitions began on Tuesday 9th. UCD hosted the initial rounds of competition with the finals taking place in Croke Park. All four codes were represented by teams travelling from all over the world with 11 Camogie teams present, namely; Australasia, Thomas McCurtain (UK), New York, Croydon (UK), Tara (UK), Europe, North America, Father Murphys (UK), Canada Toronto, Middle East and Britain Native. The Camogie competition was divided into 3 groups which were played off on a round robin basis on the Tuesday to determine Cup and Shield qualification on the Wednesday. Thursday saw the seven teams that had not qualified for the Cup or Shield Finals take part in the Plate Competition. Teams that qualified for the Cup Final did not play until Friday allowing a day s rest. Finals day saw Croke Park blessed with beautiful weather with two Camogie finals first up on the agenda. The Native Final proved to be a unique affair as all players on the field were native of Britain and North America, playing our game for the love and passion rather than family history. It was a great game and a wonderful way RESULTS ETIHAD AIRWAYS GAA WORLD GAMES DUBLIN 2016 Shield final New York 4-03 v Croydon Ref Paul Flanagan Plate Final Middle East 1-07 v Canada Ref John Dermody Native Final Britain Native 0-04 v North America 1-04 Ref Philip Mc Donald Cup Final Australasia 5-17 v Tara 1-08 Ref Julie O Neill to start the World Games Finals day. The Cup Final was of an exceptionally high standard with most players involved having left Ireland but continued their passion for Camogie by joining a club in their new home. A fantastic week for gaelic games saw Camogie at the top table all week serving up great games with a fantastic atmosphere and real teamwork. To ensure the roster was kept to throughout the week, there was a fantastically committed team of referees, pitch co-ordinators and umpires on hand. Their hard work and commitment ensured that all teams involved could focus on their preparation and enjoy the wonderful experience offered in the Etihad Airways GAA World Games. A special thank you to the excellent team: (Referees) Julie O Neill, Paul Flanagan, Gavin Donegan, Paul Ryan, John Dermody, Philip Mc Donald, Fintan Mc Namara, (Pitch Co Coordinators) Martin Connolly, Deirdre Murphy, Ciaran Mc Elhinny, Noel Wilson, David Gaughan, Noel Mc Sweeney, (Umpires) Darragh Finlay, Fidelma Dowdall, Liz Fleming, Cathy Ryan and Shane Redmond. Winter 2016 ON THE BALL 4

6 When you re feeling fitter and good about yourself, it makes it more enjoyable. You can enjoy training. It s a great feeling when you come out of the gym. 6 ON THE BALL Winter 2016

7 Michelle Quilty Fitness Instructor and All-Ireland winning captain by Brendan Coffey Captaining Kilkenny to their first All- Ireland senior title in 22 years has seen Michelle Quilty become a headline act in camogie. With her devotion to fitness and athleticism, she embodies the modern game. Sport has always been central for Michelle Quilty, so much so that the Kilkenny star has made it her life s work. Day to day, you ll find her behind reception at WIT s new 20m state of the art Arena in Waterford. Quilty has been working in a variety of roles at WIT, her alma mater, since A qualified fitness instructor, she originally studied Recreation and Sport Management at WIT before completing an MA in Sport and Exercise Psychology. When you re feeling fitter and good about yourself, it makes it more enjoyable. You can enjoy training, she enthuses. It s a great feeling when you come out of the gym. Hockey, golf, soccer, camogie Quilty played everything going. Camogie eventually became her main focus and sport her college course of choice. I ve seen a big benefit for my own training. When I was going to the gym I knew what to do. I was able to do a workout during my lunch break because I was already in the gym. It did definitely stand to me. I knew what I needed to do outside of training, Quilty explains. Trading on skill and speed in the forward line, Quilty knew she needed to put an emphasis on other areas. Core work would have been a massive thing for me and my upper body strength so as to not to get pushed off the ball as much. They were the two areas I really needed to improve, she recalls. Every player is different and it all depends on the position you play. Bodyweight exercises like press-ups and squats provided plenty of gains. Working with weights was helpful when focusing on the chest and shoulders. Training has become very sophisticated in camogie, says Quilty. Every team in the country would have somebody looking after the strength and conditioning and the fitness side of things. There has been massive progression on that side of things in camogie. You can see it in the players; they re physically fitter and stronger. By way of example, she pinpoints the importance of breaking ball. Who can get on that breaking ball first is massive. When you re playing against teams you d notice the difference in physicality between now and a couple of years ago, she adds. Now a senior member of her county team, as well as being a veteran of numerous club and college campaigns, Quilty appreciates the value of recuperation. Rest is as important as all the heavy lifting in the gym, she warns. If the body is over-trained, you re not going to get many games out of it. Winter 2016 ON THE BALL 6

8 Fixtures 2017 LITTLEWOODS CAMOGIE LEAGUE DIVISION 1 18th February Round 1 Grp 1: Cork V Dublin Kilkenny V Tipperary Grp 2: Clare V Galway Limerick V Meath 19th February - Round 1 Grp 1: Waterford V Wexford 26th February - Round 2 Grp 1: Tipperary V Cork Wexford V Kilkenny Dublin V Waterford Grp 2: Offaly V Galway Meath V Clare 12th March - Round 3 Grp 1: Kilkenny V Dublin Waterford V Cork Wexford V Tipperary Grp 2: Limerick V Offaly Galway V Meath 19th March Round 4 Grp 1: Dublin V Tipperary Waterford V Kilkenny Cork V Wexford Grp 2: Clare V Limerick Meath V Offaly 1st April - Round 5 Grp 1: Kilkenny V Cork Grp 2: Galway V Limerick Offaly V Clare 2nd April Round 5 Grp 1: Wexford V Dublin Tipperary V Waterford 9th April - Semi-Finals (incl. ET) 23rd April - Final LITTLEWOODS CAMOGIE LEAGUE DIVISION 2 18th February - Round 1 Grp 2: Kildare V Westmeath 19th February - Round 1 Grp 1: Carlow V Derry 7 ON THE BALL Winter 2016 Kilkenny V Down Wexford V Laois Grp 2: Antrim V Armagh Cork V Galway 26th February - Round 2 Grp 1: Carlow V Kilkenny Wexford V Down Laois V Derry Grp 2: Galway V Antrim Westmeath V Cork Armagh V Kildare 12th March - Round 3 Grp 1: Down V Derry Laois V Carlow Kilkenny V Wexford Grp 2: Cork V Armagh Kildare V Antrim Galway V Westmeath 19th March - Round 4 Grp 1: Derry V Kilkenny Laois V Down Carlow V Wexford Grp 2: Armagh V Galway Kildare V Cork Westmeath V Antrim 1st April - Round 5 Grp 2: Galway V Kildare 2nd April - Round 5 Grp 1: Derry V Wexford Down V Carlow Kilkenny V Laois Grp 2: Westmeath V Armagh Antrim V Cork 16th April - Semi-Finals (incl. ET) 30th April - Final LITTLEWOODS CAMOGIE LEAGUE DIVISION 3 18th February - Round 1 Dublin V Roscommon 19th February - Round 1 Kerry V Tyrone 26th February - Round 2 Tyrone V Dublin Roscommon V Clare 12th March - Round 3 Clare V Dublin Roscommon V Kerry 19th March - Round 4 Kerry V Clare Tyrone V Roscommon 2nd April - Round 5 Dublin V Kerry Clare V Tyrone 16th May - Semi-Finals (incl. ET) 30th April - Final ALL-IRELAND MINOR CHAMPIONSHIPS 18th/19th February Minor fixtures this weekend are dependent on schools semi-finalists Minor A Cork V Dublin Offaly V Tipperary Galway V Clare Kilkenny V Limerick 25th February Minor A Waterford V Dublin Tipperary V Cork Wexford V Galway Clare V Limerick Minor B Armagh V Derry Kildare V Laois Antrim V Down Meath V Westmeath Minor C Tyrone V Carlow Cavan V Roscommon 11th March Minor A Offaly V Waterford Dublin V Tipperary Wexford V kilkenny Limerick V Galway Minor B Laois V Armagh Kildare V Derry Westmeath V Antrim Meath V Down Minor C Carlow V Roscommon Tyrone V Cavan 26th March Minor A Cork V Offaly Tipperary V Waterford Kilkenny V Clare Limerick V Wexford Minor C Cavan V Carlow Roscommon V Tyrone 1st April Minor A Dublin V Offaly Waterford V Cork Galway V Kilkenny Clare V Wexford Minor B Armagh V Kildare Derry V Laois Antrim V Meath Down V Westmeath 8th April Minor A & B - Semi Finals (incl. ET) Minor C - Final 22nd April Minor A Final Minor B Final LIBERTY INSURANCE ALL-IRELAND SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP 10th June Round 1 Grp 1: Dublin V Clare Waterford V Kilkenny Grp 2: Limerick V Offaly Tipperary V Cork 17th June Round 2 Grp 1: Clare V Waterford Dublin V Galway 24th June Round 2 Grp 2: Wexford V Offaly Cork V Limerick 1st July Round 3 Grp 1: Galway V Waterford Kilkenny V Clare Grp 2: Tipperary V Limerick Cork V Wexford 8th July Round 4 Grp 1: Waterford V Dublin Galway V Kilkenny 15th July Round 4 Grp 2: Wexford V Tipperary Offaly V Cork 22nd July Round 5 Grp 1: Clare V Galway Kilkenny V Dublin Grp 2: Offaly V Tipperary Limerick V Wexford 5th August - Quarter Finals (incl. ET) 19th August - Semi-Finals (incl. ET) 10th September - Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Senior Final

9 LIBERTY INSURANCE ALL IRELAND INTERMEDIATE CHAMPIONSHIP 10th June Round 1 Grp 1: Antrim V Tipperary Derry V Kildare Wexford V Kilkenny Grp 2: Cork V Galway Down V Carlow Meath V Laois 24th June Round 2 Grp 1: Kildare V Antrim Kilkenny V Derry Tipperary V Wexford Grp 2: Carlow V Cork Down V Laois 1st July Round 3 Grp 1: Derry V Tipperary Wexford V Antrim Kilkenny V Kildare Grp 2: Galway V Meath 8th July Round 3 Grp 2: Down V Galway Meath V Cork Carlow V Laois 15th July Round 4 Grp 1: Kildare V Tipperary Wexford V Derry Antrim V Kilkenny 22nd July Round 4 Grp 2: Galway V Carlow Meath V Down Laois V Cork 12th August Round 5 Grp 1: Tipperary V Kilkenny Antrim V Derry Kildare V Wexford Grp 2: Laois V Galway Cork V Down Carlow V Meath 20th August - Semi-Finals (incl. ET) 10th September - Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Intermediate Championship Final LIBERTY INSURANCE ALL IRELAND PREMIER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP 1st July Round 1 Grp 1: Waterford V Dublin Wicklow V Westmeath Grp 2: Armagh V Kerry Roscommon V Clare 8th July Round 2 Grp 1: Dublin V Offaly Westmeath V Waterford 15th July Round 3 Grp 1: Wicklow V Dublin Offaly V Waterford Grp 2: Clare V Armagh Kerry V Roscommon 22nd July Round 4 Grp 1: Waterford V Wicklow Westmeath V Offaly 29th July Round 5 Grp 1: Offaly V Wicklow Dublin V Westmeath Grp 2: Roscommon V Armagh Kerry V Clare 12th August - Semi-Finals (incl. ET) 10th September - Liberty Insurance All-Ireland Premier Junior Championship Final ALL-IRELAND U16 CHAMPIONSHIPS 25th June U16B Antrim V Kilkenny Offaly V Meath 2nd July U16A Group 1 & 2 Dublin V Galway Limerick V Kilkenny Clare V Cork Tipperary V Waterford U16B Kilkenny V Derry Offaly V Antrim Dublin V Cork Westmeath V Laois Clare V Down Kildare V Galway U16C Carlow V Armagh Cavan V Kerry Roscommon V Tyrone 9th July U16A Group 2 Cork V Wexford Waterford V Clare U16B Derry V Meath Kilkenny V Offaly Cork V Westmeath Laois V Dublin Clare V Kildare Down V Galway U16C Kerry V Armagh Tyrone V Cavan Roscommon V Carlow 16th July U16A Group 1 & 2 Dublin V Limerick Galway V Kilkenny Wexford V Tipperary Cork V Waterford U16B Meath V Antrim Derry V Offaly Laois V Cork Westmeath V Dublin Galway V Clare Kildare V Down U16C Carlow V Cavan Roscommon V Armagh Kerry V Tyrone 30th July U16A Group 1&2 Kilkenny V Dublin Limerick V Galway Clare V Tipperary Waterford V Wexford U16B Meath V Kilkenny Antrim V Derry Preliminary Round R-Up Grp 2 V R-Up Grp 3 U16C Carlow V Kerry Cavan V Roscommon Armagh V Tyrone 4th August U16A Grp 2:Tipperary V Cork 6th August U16A Grp 2: Wexford V Clare U16B Preliminary Round Winner V Group 1 R-Up U16C Tyrone V Carlow Armagh V Cavan Kerry V Roscommon 12th August - U16A Semi-Finals 13th August - B, C Semi-Finals (incl. ET) 26th August - U16 A, B, C Finals ASHBOURNE & PURCELL CUPS 11th February - Semi Finals and Finals AIB ALL-IRELAND INTERMEDIATE & SENIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS 29th January - Semi-Finals 5th March - Finals LEGENDS TOURNAMENT 4th March - Annual Legends Tournament JUNIOR INTERPROVINCIAL COMPETITION 21st May HURL SMART WEEK 5th-9th June NATIONAL FÉILE NA NGAEL 16th 18th June in Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford M DONNELLY POC FADA 5th August U14 NATIONAL BLITZ ALL IRELAND 9th September AIB ALL-IRELAND JUNIOR CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP 22nd October - Preliminary Round Connacht V Great Britain 12th November - Semi-Finals Ulster V Leinster Munster V Connacht/Britain 26th November - Final CAMOGIE ALL-STARS 2017 SPONSORED BY LIBERTY INSURANCE 4th November Winter 2016 ON THE BALL 8

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11 Gráinne Kelly Physiotherapist & Armagh defender by Brendan Coffey People are looking for quick fixes but there isn t one. You have to take a long-term approach if you want to play for longer than just the next year. As an experienced physiotherapist, Armagh s Grainne Kelly is accustomed to doling out advice, but she knows that medical guidance does not always sit well with athletes. The usual thing for a player is that they have a problem, they go to the physio, get their exercises, get better, stop doing the exercises and then the problem comes back again, Kelly explains. And she admits: I know because I was guilty of doing that myself! Hers was a world of sport and Irish dancing while growing up in Granemore. Camogie apart, Irish dancing was the only other activity on offer. We had Irish dancing on a Monday night so everybody went Irish dancing and I really enjoyed it, she recalls. Dancing is very beneficial for strength, fitness and flexibility. It takes amazing endurance to do the dancing. You do have to be very strong and flexible to be able to do it. Girls who have a history of dancing, you can spot them in camogie because they tend to be sharper on their feet, they re more agile and they usually can run all day. Whatever about the benefits, there was one significant drawback. Dancing left Kelly with a persistent knee injury and she became familiar with the world of physiotherapy during her teenage years. People are looking for quick fixes but there isn t one, she says, repeating a familiar refrain. You have to take a longterm approach if you want to play for longer than just the next year. If you re injured, you have to take the time out to rehab it properly. If I wasn t constantly rehabbing my knee, I m at a high risk of doing an ACL (the dreaded cruciate ligament) injury. If you do that injury, you re going to be out for a year. Last season, Kelly struggled with a hip injury from the outset and even her finely-tuned medical brain had to fight against those competitive instincts that lurk within. As Armagh progressed towards a National League final, the temptation to return became stronger. I was getting treatment which was only a quick fix because I knew I was going to have to take time out to rehab it properly, she reflects. At the start of the year, I took four weeks out to try and get myself sorted. I only lasted a short period because I didn t take long enough. Luckily for Kelly, the Armagh management team were sympathetic to her predicament. Because of her underlying knee problem, long distance running causes huge irritation. For that reason, she was exempt from the long distance work, a perfect example of a management team understanding the needs of their players. A lot of young players are guilty of ignoring an injury because they re afraid they re going to get dropped. You need to have a good management team in place who you can talk to, says Kelly. If you take the decision to play on, you have to realise that you are risking further damage. If the physio recommends not to, it s not because there s the potential for further injury, it s because there s a likelihood of further injury. That point cannot be emphasised enough. While females generally take medical advice better than their male counterparts, short-term thinking is toxic for the body. People who are continually injured, it s usually because they re not taking the right amount of time out of action to get rehabbed, Kelly warns. I know from working alongside hurling, camogie and football teams that small injuries can turn into something much bigger. When your body is the most valuable tool at your disposal, it pays to treat it well. Winter 2016 ON THE BALL 10

12 It s the nature of sport. If you don t have losses, you won t appreciate the wins when they do come 12 ON THE BALL Winter 2016

13 Emma Brennan Psychologist & Carlow attacker by Brendan Coffey Emma Brennan is playing camogie long enough to know the truth of Kipling s famous line about triumph and disaster. Both of those imposters came her way in First came that glorious day at Croke Park when Carlow beat Armagh to win the All Ireland Premier Junior title. In that moment, there was no greater feeling and for a player who spends almost three and a half hours commuting to training from Dublin, the sacrifices suddenly seemed insignificant. The year would end on a low point however when her adopted club, St Vincent s, were cruelly denied a Leinster title. Defeat came right at the death when Thomastown scored a last gasp goal. For all the exultation, a sporting career can damage the soul and harden the mind. Having studied psychology at DCU and embarked on her professional career as an assistant psychologist at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Brennan is more than self-aware. It s tough but it s rewarding when you see people come out of it the other end, says Brennan describing her current role at Rehab. It makes you appreciate what you have and to make the best of what you have. Savouring good days is no strain. Learning to handle setbacks is a constant learning curve. It s the nature of sport. If you don t have losses, you won t appreciate the wins when they do come, she says. When you re playing camogie, sometimes it s hard to step back from it and take an objective perspective because you re so immersed in it. When you re looking in from the outside, trying to accept losses and tough days, my career has definitely helped me in that regard. Internal chatter, the voice you hear inside your head, can be a powerful tool. Self-talk is a huge one, it s really important for people who are struggling and under a lot of stress to self-talk in a positive way, says Brennan. You have to be willing to reflect on losses but not let them define you. Defeats and losses are inevitable in sport but they don t define you as a player, one day doesn t define your whole career. The harsh reality is that if you never have a loss you won t appreciate a win. Losing the Leinster club final with St Vincent s was a test of that resolve but self-reflection is part and parcel of psychology. Brennan s attitude has been shaped by a deeper understanding of the forces at play. It was very upsetting when I thought back on it (Leinster final) but you just have to push on, she says. You can t dwell on it for too long, you have to learn from your mistakes. Think of the good things this year, we ve a Dublin championship in us, we re still Dublin champions. It s important to think of the more enjoyable positive days if you re after experiencing a setback. It s sage advice for a game still grappling with mental health concerns. Use your words and talk about things, urges Brennan. You re still a human at the end of the day. Life tests us all, it s supposed to impact on you to test your resilience and develop your character. Sometimes it s difficult to find the words but just start the conversation, even if it s only a couple of words they could be the beginning of recovery from your struggles. Actions may speak louder but words always need a voice. Winter 2016 ON THE BALL 12

14 Camogie All-Stars Awards 2016 Sponsored by Liberty Insurance Senior All-Stars Winners Emma Kavanagh Kilkenny 2 Pamela Mackey Cork 3 Sarah Dervan Galway 4 Collette Dormer Kilkenny 5 Rebecca Hennelly Galway 6 Anne Dalton Kilkenny 7 Meighan Farrell Kilkenny 8 Orla Cotter Cork 9 Miriam Walsh Kilkenny 10 Denise Gaule Kilkenny 11 Julie Ann Malone Kilkenny 12 Aoife Donohue Galway 13 Michelle Quilty Kilkenny 14 Kate Kelly Wexford 15 Katrina Mackey Cork Camogie Association/WGPA Players Player of the Year sponsored by Liberty Insurance SENIOR Denise Gaule Kilkenny INTERMEDIATE Ciara Holden Kilkenny PREMIER JUNIOR Eleanor Treacy Carlow Manager of the Year 2016 Ann Downey Kilkenny 13 ON THE BALL Winter 2016 Intermediate Soaring Stars Winners 2016 Jenny Clifford Ciara Holden Linda Collins Chloe Sigerson Jane Dolan Aisling Burke Kilkenny Kilkenny Cork Cork Meath Laois Junior Soaring Stars 2016 Ciara Quirke Carlow Ciara Donnelly Armagh Eleanor Treacy Carlow Kelley Hopkins Roscommon Dinah Loughlin Westmeath Bernie Murray Armagh

15 Development News by Caroline Murray Camogie Level 2 Coaching Course Solo to Success Tyrone win the Under 16 Progress to Success Final 2016! The Under 16 Progress to Success programme was set up this year to give under 16 games to counties Tyrone, Monaghan, Mayo, Donegal and Wicklow. Each of the counties received a mentor as part of the programme to guide them in relation to skill development of their players and in terms of structures for this age group in their county. Tyrone and Wicklow participated in the final on Sunday August 28th in the National GAA Games Development Centre in Abbotstown. Final score: Tyrone 3-10 Wicklow 1-8. In 2017 there will be a Minor championship programme called U18 Strike for Glory to include counties Kerry, Monaghan, Wicklow, Donegal and Mayo. This competition provides a natural progression from the under 16 progress to Success Competition to minor level. This competition will provide the players in these counties with appropriate levels of participation with the aim of increasing their skill levels through meaningful games. The Level 2 is a game changer, a must for every coach! I have applied what was learned with Antrim U15 County squad and have had fantastic results. The girls have all improved are now competing at a higher level! Ronan Toner Level 2 Coach Antrim. Register your interest in becoming a Camogie Level 2 Coach! The next level 2 Camogie Course takes place January/February 2017 in Charleville Cork. This new interactive course provides theory and practical experience so that you as a coach will be confident to coach at the highest levels. For more information and application form contact Caroline Murray, Project & Initiatives Co-ordinator on: caroline. murray@camogie.ie The course is aimed at county development squad coaches (Under 14, 15 and 17), county U16 and minor coaches and adult club coaches. The course length is 1 evening and 4 days and participants must be 19 years of age or older to apply. A sample of modules includes match analysis, fitness testing, periodisation and games based training. Participants must have a Camogie Level 1 (Camán- Get Hooked Course) completed with at least 1 year coaching experience at this level. Coaches must also have completed Code of Ethics Course/ Code of Conduct. Whistle4Féile Programme 2017 Feile na ngael 2017 will take place in Kilkenny, Carlow & Wexford in 2017 from June 16th-18th. There will be an increase in host and travelling teams this year and so Camogie are aiming to recruit new referees through the Whistle4Féile Programme. Winter 2016 ON THE BALL 14

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