Camogie Association launches recommendations on meaningful playing time

The Camogie Association has today launched a series of recommendations addressing research findings on the lack of meaningful playing time for players.

In 2023, a working group was established to examine research findings along with current competition rules and structures. Following the extensive examination, a series of recommendations have been adopted by the Camogie Association.

On the launch of the report, Uachtarán Hilda Breslin commented: “It is wonderful to announce the release of this report, which I outlined at Congress 2023. As an association, we must provide ‘quality’ game time to our players and each player has a right to be treated and valued equally.

“The player welfare and retention issues which argue for appropriate age grades are based upon evidence-based research. These findings have provided a voice to our concerns, and the organisation has taken action to address those concerns. The recommendations will provide a vital step forward in ensuring that all players receive meaningful playing time.”

The findings include the following:

- One in 10 adult players reported being a substitute that is infrequently used or being seldom or never played (The Camogie Association Player Welfare Research 2021)

- Almost half of teenage girls playing camogie say although they enjoy competing, they are playing more for enjoyment (Sport Ireland Coaching Teenage Girls Research 2022)

- 37% of clubs state that complaints by parents over lack of playing time for their children was one of the main issues brought to the attention of the children's officer or the relevant committee (Sport Ireland Safeguarding Audit 2021)

- 52% of Under 14 females reported ‘playing up’ to Under 16 and 72% of Under 16 females reported ‘playing up’ to Under 18 (2022 Gaelic Games Youth Participation Study)

RECOMMENDATIONS

The working group have made several recommendations based on research findings and members feedback, including the introduction of cross county boundary competitions, investigating the potential for more lower-level competitions in league format for third level institutes, a policy for Under 13 competition structure introduced across all counties, developing appropriate content to highlight the impact the lack of playing time has on children and young adults, and a survey to track teenage development squads’ involvement in camogie through to adulthood.

Several motions to Congress 2024 have been recommended, which will be considered at the Camogie Association Congress on April 5 and 6.

They include an amendment to Playing Rule 5.1 (Official Guide Part 2 – Playing Rules) to increase substitutes for inter-county underage teams and adult club teams from five to eight across all competitions and to allow unlimited substitutions for underage club teams across all competitions (league and championship), and amendment to Rule 28.4 (Official Guide Part 1) to prohibit underage players playing on adult inter-county teams and to prohibit Under 16s players playing on Under 18 inter-county team to allow fairer playing time and reduce the risk of burn out.

The final recommendations include a coaching teenage girls workshop to be mandatory for one mentor from each development squad from 2025, and the introduction of a Club Charter Programme.

You can view the report here.