The government grants introduced last year for intercounty Camogie and Ladies Football squads will roll out again in 2018, providing supports in the areas of Medical Cover & Injury Prevention, Player & Team Performance and Training Facilities. Workshops in relation to the grant applications are coming up soon in three different locations – Limerick on Wednesday December 6th, Enniskillen on Thursday December 7th and Dublin on January 9th.
Grant applications are agreed upon by players, management and county board officials and representatives from each are required to be in attendance for their squad to be eligible for the funding in the coming year. In the first collaboration of its’ kind, the scheme is jointly administered by the Camogie Association, Ladies Gaelic Football Association and the Womens Gaelic Players Association, supported by Sport Ireland and the Department of Sport.
The workshops will cover comprehensive information on the spending areas covered by the grants, completing the application forms, documenting expenditure, reclaiming funds and the necessary communications. There will also be an interactive element providing an opportunity for knowledge exchange with other counties and administrators.
2017 was the first time intercounty grants were awarded and they were widely welcomed as a means of supporting county teams and recognising players as elite athletes and acknowledging their contribution to Irish communities. In the first year a total of 55 squads applied for the government grant funding covering a wide range of supports and services including:
Injury Prevention & Medical Cover:
· Physiotherapists and doctors,
· Health and movement screening,
· Cryotherapy and pool sessions,
· Pilates and sports massage.
Maximising Player & Team Performance:
· Strength and conditioning,
· Performance analysis,
· Sports psychology and nutrition.
Access to Training Facilities:
· Gym and pool access
· Wall balls and indoor halls
· Floodlit and astroturf pitches,
· Running tracks.
Sinéad McNulty, Chairperson of the Scheme Implementation Group stated: “The Scheme Implementation Group are delighted with the success of the first year of the Government Grant scheme. The workshops provide a great opportunity to share the knowledge, experience and best practise of the counties who availed of the scheme to increase the impact during 2018. This investment in women's sport has changed not only what counties do, but how they do it – bringing players, managers and county boards around the table together to plan for the future of county teams. It is wonderful to see the positive engagement across the whole Island of Ireland.”
County secretaries are reminded to return their workshop booking form ASAP to Christine via intercountyfunding@gmail.com
