Camps for young people aged 13-16 aimed at enhancing life skills through the lessons of sport are to be brought to life this summer in a unique partnership between the GAA and Celtic Football club.
‘Let’s Go; Lead Through Sport’ camps will be held first in Ballymote in Sligo next week and then in Lurgan in Armagh in early August.
“It is an exciting concept and one we believe will make a real difference to so many young people,” said Celtic Chairman Ian Bankier at the launch yesterday in Croke Park.
He was joined by officials from the GAA and by Jim McGuinness, manager of the All Ireland Champions Donegal and also a part of the Celtic coaching set up under Neil Lennon.
The camps aim to bring together youths from different sporting and cultural backgrounds using coaching sessions in both Gaelic games and soccer. The on-field activities, led by top coaches from both codes, will be complemented by an innovative off-field programme that is intended to enhance the life-skills of the participants in a number of targeted areas.
The sessions have been designed and will be delivered in conjunction with leading youth organisations north and south of the border, including Foróige and the Southern Education Library Board (SELB) Youth Service in Northern Ireland.
“At the heart of this joint venture is a desire by the GAA to both learn and deliver learning through new partnerships and to new communities,” said GAA President Liam O’Neill.
“Sport is a great leveller. It can open doors that traditions have previously closed off.”
Through this innovative partnership the GAA hopes to spread its positive influence beyond the sporting field and its traditional communities.”
“We are absolutely delighted to enter this exciting new partnership with the GAA,” added Bankier.
“It is an exciting concept and one we believe will make a real difference to so many young people. Celtic has an unbreakable bond with Ireland and this is a connection we cherish dearly.”
“We are delighted therefore to be carrying out this important, meaningful work across the island and we look forward to working hard together with the GAA to ensure this programme is a great success.”
A third camp is planned for Dublin in the Autumn after which the first year will be evaluated and longer term plans for the scheme drawn up to be rolled out in 2014.
This is an exciting collaboration across two sports which will reap benefit in communities of young people that will stand any test of time. The results of the programme will feature as part of our next conference on ‘The Business of Youth Sport’ in November.
More on Youth sport Membership Benefits More on Sports Funding
Celtic and GAA Join Forces on Youth
