Monday February the 20th will see the commencement of the first of two, West Midlands Schools G.A.A. Primary initiatives this year. Six year 5 classes from 6 schools around the Kings Heath and surrounding area will be the initial Birmingham schools to experience the excitement of being introduced to Gaelic Football in 2006. These schools were in fact the original primary schools involved when the West Midlands Schools G.A.A. initiative was launched in September 2000.
Some one and eighty children will receive 7 weeks of fun and exhilarating coaching sessions, delivered by Bishop Challoner School Staff and Warwickshire Schools G.A.A. coaches. Throughout these 7 weeks the players will be exposed to all the basic skills of the game through exciting and enjoyable games and drills, in the prospect of then implementing their new skills in game situations.
We can all remember repeatedly asking, with a bit lip, the ‘big boys and girl’s’ “can I have a go”… well, it looks like for once the “big boys” are letting the ‘wee lads and lassies’ of Birmingham do just that, as the West Midlands Schools will follow the Black Country Schools G.A.A in show casing ‘Go Games’. ‘Go Games’ is the Official G.A.A under-age coaching model, launched in Croke Park in 2005 as part of the “GAA grassroots to National Programme’. The model is designed to enhance participation and optimise playing standards for all young competitors, with the implementation of simple rule modifications.
On April 5th, the six schools will then put these new rules and the skills in which they have learned over the six weeks into practice at Queensbridge Playing Fields, where they will compete for the 1ST Annual Challoner Cup. The competition will be riff on the day, with three of the teachers involved, Miss McHale (St. Alban’s RC), Mr. White (St. Martin de Porres) and Mr. Creehan (Our Lady of Lourdes) being Newman College graduates and old friends; it will undoubtedly be an event not to be missed.
The Schools will then join between 10 and 15 other Birmingham Schools at one of two exclusive Championships (W.M.S.G.A.A Championship and The Birmingham Catholic Cup) in June, the early training will be most certainly welcomed by Our lady of Lourdes teacher, Mr. Creehan after his team being knocked out in a well fought battle, by St. Dunstan’s at the Semi-final stage last year.