The Camogie Association over the last year or so have piloted our Teenage Multi Activity Camps. These camps have taken place during the Easter, Summer and Halloween breaks, and camps have been showcased across the country. This initiative is in collaboration with the Her Moves Campaign with Sport Ireland.
Please see our promotional video from one of our camps, that took place in Ringtown GAA
These camps allow our teenage girls to play camogie during school breaks, providing teens the chance to try new things in their club and county. But above all, a chance to try new activities and meet new people in a fun, friendly, non-competitive, and nonjudgmental setting. Allowing teenage girls to create exciting memories surrounding camogie and their camogie clubs.
Although the camps are multiactivity, camogie is the focal point. Including other activities that could enhance camogie, such as other movement games/sports, hobbies, interests, and non-sport activities that empower and keep adolescent girls active. These camps are for 13–17-year-old girls.
This camp targets teenage girls who enjoy the social aspect of camogie, enjoy spending time with their friends and trying other activities. Camogie players’ other interests should be tapped into during the camp, and their opinions on what they would like to try during the few days.
We would like this camp to eliminate this stigma and enable females to try new things and enjoy playing camogie. Sport Ireland has found via research that by the time they are 13 to 15 years old, many girls have classified themselves as “not sporty” and live by this label. This camp should give females the chance to participate in activities in a social setting, as research indicates that there aren’t enough possibilities for them to do so and have carefree fun with friends while being active.
Evidence shows that participation levels plummet during adolescence with just 7% of girls aged 14-15 meeting the recommended physical activity levels. We also know that girls who are active in their teenage years and develop a love of sport are much more likely to establish a life-long relationship with sport and exercise into adulthood. We can also use these principles to innovate and provide a culture within the camps to retain our teenage members and keep them enjoying Camogie, and other activities with their friends.
Only 7% of females between the ages of 14 and 15 reach the recommended levels of physical activity, indicating that participation levels decline during adolescence. We also know that girls who are active in their teenage years and develop a love of sport are much more likely to establish a life-long relationship with sport and exercise into adulthood. This was one of the foundations for instilling their culture within our camps to encourage the retention of our teenage members and keep them enjoying Camogie, other activities and enjoy creating memories with their friends in their camogie clubs.
The ultimate goal is to encourage, motivate, and assist more teenage girls to participate in camogie. Our goal is to provide young girls the chance to play camogie, boost their self-esteem, and encourage them to play Camogie while including other activities they might find interesting.
Please send any questions you may have about the camp to shauna.fox@camogie.ie
Keep an eye on our social media channels as we will be opening applications for our Summer Camps in March.
