Step Challenge

GAA & Irish Life’s MyLife app ‘Healthy Club Steps Challenge’ will come to an end on the third of March 3rd. The results and winners of the gift vouchers will be announced on March 11th once all data has been collated. In addition to the Irish Life prizes the GAA have added some extra prizes into the pot to acknowledge all your hard work. Keep Stepping !

Ireland Lights Up 2021

We are currently in discussions with representatives from both Sport Ireland and the Department of Health to determine when the programme is most likely to start. We are hopeful for a further update in advance of the 5th of April.

GAA ‘Be Ready to Play’

The Gaelic Games family launched ‘Be Ready to Play’, a Coaching and Sport Science programme in association with UPMC, official healthcare partner of the GAA and GPA, that will be delivered via webinars, website programmes, instructional videos and live online sessions. The programme is a holistic coaching and performance plan that will be of great benefit to all club coaches and players, male, female, adult, and youth alike. It will help them return to training post Covid in a way that will hopefully increase enjoyment, performance, and participation, while simultaneously reducing the risk of injury. Further details can be found here: Groundbreaking ‘Be Ready to Play’ coaching programme launched (gaa.ie)

Minimum Fitness Test

Operation Transformation, in collaboration with DCU School of Health and Human Performance, have developed the Minimum Fitness Tests to demonstrate the minimum fitness standard for your age group. These tests are designed to show you where you sit within the minimum standards of physical fitness and give you a target to aim for within your age bracket and gender. You can find details of this attached to this email and also via the following link: Operation Transformation 2021 » Operation Transformation Minimum Fitness Test (rte.ie)

HSE Stress Control Online

This is and evidence-based programme that teaches practical skills to deal with stress. It will help you to recognise the signs of stress such as how stress affects our bodies and our thoughts and help to develop skills to overcome panicky feelings and how to get a good night’s sleep. The course runs for three weeks starting on the 8th of March (timetable attached) and you can find further details at the following link: www.stresscontrol.ie

Irish Life Health – Wellbeing

Irish Life Health have developed a hand wellbeing calendar for the month of March which focuses primarily on, preventative health and financial wellbeing. The calendar includes lot of links to different resources and webinars that may be of interest to your Healthy Clubs and communities, click here to access the calendar: WorkLife-March-Wellbeing-Schedule_Health.pdf (irishlifehealth.ie)

GAA Museum Book Club

There has been a brilliant response to the launch of the GAA Museum Book Club and this week they are hosting their first live event. Michael Foley, author of ‘The Bloodied Field’ will be joining us for our virtual Q&A this Thursday at 8.30pm. The event will last approx. 45 minutes. Further details can be found at the following link: The GAA Museum Book Club – Croke Park

HSE/Healthy Ireland Health & Wellbeing Information

Alcohol during COVID: Alcohol during COVID – concerning trends emerging – HSE Health and Wellbeing (hsehealthandwellbeingnews.com)

Health and Wellbeing support for older people during COVID-19: Health and Wellbeing support for older people during COVID-19 – HSE Health and Wellbeing (hsehealthandwellbeingnews.com)

Take the 28-day #TheLastStop no smoking challenge this March: Take the 28-day #TheLastStop no smoking challenge this March – HSE Health and Wellbeing (hsehealthandwellbeingnews.com)

Support Websites/Podcast Links

University of Oxford – Coronavirus welfare advice for students: https://www.ox.ac.uk/…/2020-04-23-coronavirus-welfare…

Shine – Online support groups for people with lived experience of mental health difficulties and for families, friends and those who support people with mental health difficulties (starting Feb 24th & Feb 25th): https://shine.ie/shine-online-support-groups/

Irish Hospice Foundation – Support for Grieving in Exceptional Times: https://hospicefoundation.ie/…/Support-for-Grieving-in…

Turn2me – Mums Group: https://turn2me.ie/post/mums-group

Emerging Minds Network – Youth Mental Health & COVID-19 – What do we know and what should we do? Online Conference (March 1st-3rd 2021) – https://emergingminds.org.uk/conference-youth-mental…/

The Tell study (UK) – How can teachers support teenagers during COVID-19? Online event (March 4th at 4pm) – https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/…/how-can-teachers-support…

Kind regards,

Lianne

Lianne McManamon

Mental Health Promotion Officer

Mayo Mental Health Association

2 New Antrim Street, Castlebar, Co. Mayo

T: 094 9038148 | M: 087 9718100

W: www.mayomha.ie

Please see the following adult/child ratio allowed for all underage groups training in Gaelic Games.

Nursery (4-6) Ratio 1-6

U-7 Ratio 1-6

U-9 Ratio 1-7

U-11/U-13/U-15 Ratio 1-8

U-17 Ratio 1-10

In Order for training to commence as soon as restrictions are lifted, we need parents/guardians to commit to volunteering 1 hour per week, in order to comply with the above regulations. This will allow training to run as smoothly and effectively as possible and for the children to have a happy safe and productive training session. Volunteers can be parents/guardians, older siblings (Over 16), grandparents or any one you may know that has an interest in underage GAA and has 1 hour to spare.

There are a variety of tasks that need to be undertaken in order for training to be able to commence, from assisting senior coaching staff to setting up pitches prior to and gathering up equipment after the session. Parents/guardians must also be aware that due to the current Covid 19 restrictions there will be no busses available on away match days this season, and the season will be shorter than we would normally have.

We want to be prepared and have all volunteers/coaching staff in place before the start of the season so once restrictions are lifted, training can commence straight away. We hope that you will find the time to support the development of underage football in the Club by contacting Liam Nyland @ 0876417649 or Barbara Kelly @ 0838576936 by Friday March 5th, to add your name to our underage volunteer groups.

Please do not hesitate to contact Liam or Barbara who will answer any your your questions or queries in relation to volunteering. Thank you for your continued support of Davitts GAA Club.

Liam Nyland

Barbara Kelly