The future's bright!
Gaelic football in Cappagh has come a long way in recent years. The club now provides a structured coaching programme, by GAA accredited and vetted coaches, from 6 to 18 years of age. There are currently over 220 registered youth players in Cappagh.
Over sixty 6, 7 and 8 year olds are currently attending FUNdamentals coaching every ednesday from 7-8pm in Sacred heart College Gym. This is being led by club coaches Terry McCann, Gary Sloan, Brian McGinn, Brian Furey, Sean Kelly, Brian McCaffrey and John Coney and a growing band of enthusiastic parents.
Thanks to the dedication of Feargal McDonald and Sean Kelly the U10 footballers have been training all winter long either on the pitch or in Omagh Leisure Centre. The numbers have remained strong indicating the enjoyment and interest these boys have to play Gaelic football. They are all looking forward to the blitzes starting again on 25th April.
The U12 squad will start training at the end of March for the U12 league competition which starts 15th of June. They will be coached by John Coney, Michael McAleer, Frank Sweeney and Barry O’Connor. This is a large group of players but thanks to the Go Games 10 a side format on shortened pitches every child gets to play. The days of warming the bench are gone in Tyrone for youth at U8, U10 and U12 level.
The U14 team have been training hard since January and at the time of writing have won their opening two league games with a 1-1 to 0-12 away win to Carrickmore and a 0-4 to 3-11 away win to Errigal Ciaran. This team brought a County title to the club in 2008 at U13 level so hopes are high for 2009.
The U16 team has started training under the watchful eye of Mark Kelly with their league competitions scheduled to start on 27th June. The Management team has been working hard with our minor team since 28th January with an eye to the league starting on 29th March. This squad of players have brought success to our club in the past at U14 Feile, U15 League and U15 County and Provincial Plate Og Sport so we wish them well in their quest for honours in 2009. Training attendance and work rate has been excellent which augurs well for the year ahead.
Interest in Gaelic football in Cappagh Parish is at an all time high with ever increasing numbers participating at all levels and the huge numbers attending at our U8 FUNdamentals coaching every Wednesday evening shows that Gaelic games appeal to the very youngest of our community. This hopefully will lead to a lifelong interest in our club and county. With the growing participation also of parents the GAA is again demonstrating that it is the best placed organisation we have for strengthening community links throughout the entire parish.
We are indeed fortunate that we have a strong team of volunteers who gladly give of their time to promote Gaelic games to the youth of our parish. They are all “putting their own little bit back” the way someone did before them. This epitomises what the GAA is really all about – not the winning of trophies but the active community participation of people from all areas of the parish, from Knockmoyle, through Strathroy, Killyclogher out to Mountfield. Whilst we have a sturdy band of volunteers we always welcome new or old members to come and join us. So, please don’t wait to be asked just come along.
