Almost half of clubs skip key coaching courses

The secretary of the Cavan county board has described as "disappointing" and "worrying" the fact that only 55% of clubs have been represented at two important recent coaching courses. Liam McCabe revealed to The Anglo-Celt that just 22 of the 40 clubs were represented at last Saturday's coaching course, which had been widely-publicised and had been months in the planning. On the previous Thursday night, again only 22 clubs turned up for a coaching session on "games to develop football", delivered by highly-qualified Ulster Council coaches. Incidentally, the make-up of the 22 clubs was not the same on both occasions. Only 13 clubs attended both courses. "It was very poorly-attended, there was an average of one per club and we're very disappointed with the turn-out," said McCabe. "What was most disappointing was that Saturday's course was very good and everyone who attended enjoyed it immensely and got what they wanted from it. A lot of planning had gone into it by Patricia Conroy and Tony Brady and everyone club had been contacted," he said. Considering that the best-represented club - Laragh United - sent seven representatives, a total of just 35 from the remaining 39 clubs in total made for a very worrying statistic, said McCabe. "It is a worry, we are worried and it seems to be a lot of the same clubs who miss these sort of things. Maybe some clubs are lacking in proper administrators, it's difficult to say what the reason is. Some clubs had excuses and a lot could've attended and didn't." It had been hoped that clubs would send an average of three to four representatives each for a total of 120-160 attendees but, in the event, only 42 turned up. The days started with a breakfast address by Val Andrews in the Hotel Kilmore, followed by a talk from a nutritionist and from the Cavan county board's Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention officer Gerry Soden. The event then moved to the 3G pitch, where there a variety of workshops conducted by the full-time county board coaches. The day concluded with a very well-received hour-long talk from John Morrison, who has received the highest possible coaching credential from the GAA. PALTRY TURN-OUT NOT A NEW PHENOMENON The latest news follows on from the revelation in coaching officer Tony Brady's annual report to the convention last December that an average of less than 14 clubs were represented at each of the seven work-shops organised in 2011. Five clubs - Butlersbridge, Corlough, Drumlane, Kildallan and Knockbride - were listed as having sent no coaches to any of the seven events organised by Coaching and Games while a further four - Ballymachugh, Killeshandra, Lavey and Swanlinbar - attended just one from seven. Ballyhaise were the only club to attend all seven in 2011, with Cootehill Celtic represented at six out of seven.