Letter from President & Ard Stiúrthoir : Up Date on Games Program & Covid 19.
As you may have read or heard through media sources, a meeting of the GAA’s Covid Advisory group was held this evening. (31st January) The meeting considered the question of a return to training for senior inter county teams.
Graphical Breaking News Background with news text on Bluish Outline Worldmap Background.
It was the view of the group that the incidence of the virus in the community remains at a level where it would be irresponsible for the GAA to permit a return to collective training at this moment in time. However, the group did welcome the significant and ongoing reduction in case numbers over the course of the last number of weeks and it was agreed to reconvene on the week commencing February 15th to further consider the matter.
As the situation with the virus remains fluid, it is unfortunately impossible for the Association to put definitive dates in place for when inter county training or games may resume. However, there are positive indications in terms of the reduction of case numbers and the continued roll out of the Covid vaccine and as such, the commencement of competitions in the month of March is a definite possibility. In that context, we remain committed to providing at least a four-week window for teams between the return of collective training and the commencement of competitive games, and remain committed to running all of the various competitions that were outlined in the original Master Fixture plan published last December.
In the interim, I would like to thank our players and managers for their understanding of the current situation and for co-operating with us in ensuring that collective training does not take place. I also wish to remind Counties that all pitches and gyms must remain closed for the time being.
Finally, I want to re-assure Counties and Clubs that despite this necessary delay in getting the inter-county season up and running, we remain committed to ensuring a healthy portion of the fixture calendar is allocated to our clubs so that they can return to training and competition as soon as Government restrictions permit. We are also conscious that outstanding club games from 2020 and the remaining games in the 2020 Minor and U20 inter county competitions need to be factored into the equation in this context.
We will issue a revised Master Fixture Calendar to address all of the above once a date for the commencement of the 2021 inter-county season has been agreed.
Is muidne,
Tomás O Riain Seán Ó hÓráín
ARD STIÚRTHÓIR UACHTARÁN
Coiste na nÓg:
U15 Boys:
This week our U15 boys started back training on their own. The coaches asked the boys to complete a 2km run and forward the run app pictures to their coaches.
On Thursday night the 11th February at 7pm they also start a 4 week zoom class with coach and senior player Vinny Horan.
These are great initiatives and will be great for the lads to get some exercise while being part of their Club.
Compulsory wearing of Mouth-Guards is now in force
As we prepare to get back to the playing fields as soon as its safe we ask all parents/guardians and players to have their mouth-guards ready for training and playing games. compulsory wearing of Mouth-Guards is now in force. This rule now relates to all Football matches and practice sessions for all underage and adult grades. If a player refuses to comply, he can be sent-off by the Referee and players will not be covered under the GAA Player Injury Scheme
Ballymac GAA appreciates your support for our Play Ball Lotto.
We really appreciate the support we have got from our play ball supporters every week.The minimum purchase of €2.00 per week adds up at the end of the year. A small flutter and support your own at the same time.
We are not playing on our pitches at the moment.
When our players return, we want our pitches and facilities to be in top-class condition and anyone involved in our weekly draw is a partner in this work. We are Ballymac. The next draw is Monday night and the Prize €1220.00 Click Here on www.ballymacgaa.com to support us. Míle Buíochas
The results of our Play Ball for the 1st February 2021 (totally online due to Covid19 restrictions) are as follows.
The numbers drawn in this week’s play Ball lotto were: 28, 15, 10, 32.
There was no winner of the Jackpot of €1220.00
Congratulations to the lucky-dip winner Sheila Barnes.
We appreciate your support Sheila and thank you for supporting Ballymac GAA.
We thank everyone who supported Ballymac GAA Play Ball Lotto this week.
All the money raised, is for the upkeep of our two pitches
Next week’s Jackpot is €1240.00 and the draw will take place on Monday 8th February after 9pm
You can buy your ticket by logging on to our web site.
Anyone that needs help can contact Jer Lynch
Changes to Garda Vetting
Until a coach or any other person working with children has been vetted, has attended safeguarding training and has a coaching qualification they are not permitted to work with children in any Gaelic Games Associations
If you or any of your colleagues fall into the 3 year time frame and require to be re-vetted please commence this process by completing the Vetting Identification Validation Form, along with required ID Documents, to your Children’s Officer and then proceed to complete the vetting process at https://www.gaa.ie/the-gaa/ child-welfare-and-protection/vetting.
The GAA has been notified by The National Garda Vetting Bureau that agreement has been reached to amend vetting legislation that will stipulate that the vetting carried out on an individual in the GAA and elsewhere shall in future have a three-year recognition period.
To date all recognised vetting organisations had the right to set their own re-vetting period. The GAA, Camogie and LGFA previously agreed a 5 yr. revetting or recognition period, as per our Code of Behaviour (Underage), and this will now change to a 3-year recognition period for our volunteers and staff, in light of the proposed changes to the Act. While we await the signing of this order by the Minister, the 3 yr. vetting recognition period shall apply in all of the Gaelic Games Associations as and from 1st January 2021. This new 3-year vetting recognition will apply for all vetting carried out on our behalf for those who work with children, whether it is via the Garda National Vetting Bureau or AccessNI. A similar 3-year recognition period applies to all levels of safeguardingtraining delivered by the Gaelic Games Associations Clubs must check that all persons, who work with children on their behalf, and whose vetting falls outside of this new 3-year time frame, are re-vetted now. As the Ministerial order has yet to be signed, we are able to offer our volunteers and Clubs a six-month period of grace to enable this re-vetting to be completed and the period of grace shall coincide with the date for completing the Child
Safeguarding Statement, 31 May 2021. Remember it is not permitted for a person to work with children in the GAA unless they have been satisfactorily vetted as per the new 3 year recognition period, have also attended relevant child safeguarding training and have a minimum coaching qualification.
CHILD SAFEGUARDING TRAINING IN THE GAA
The online Safeguarding Refresher programme is always available as an online programme and may be accessed at https://learning.gaa.ie/ safeguardingrefresher. Last year, 3,700 people completed the Online Safeguarding Refresher Programme. Any person who attended an LSP or other Sports NGB’s Safeguarding 1 workshops can ‘top up’ their training by availing of our Child Safeguarding Refresher and this fulfils their child safeguarding training requirements so that they may work with children in our Gaelic Games Associations.
Any person who attends the new Sport Ireland or Sport Northern Ireland Safeguarding 1 virtual workshop online may also undertake the Gaelic Games online Safeguarding Refresher to fulfil their child safeguarding training requirements.
Safeguarding Training
The Child Safeguarding 1 Programme (Child Protection in Sport Awareness
Workshop) is perhaps the most attended programme for those who work with
children in the GAA with over 12,000 attending this programme last year, despite the many Covid restrictions placed upon our ability to deliver training.
Recognition of this programme continues for a 3-year period when the coach or mentor is then obliged to re-attend the face to face workshop, if they are still working at underage level, or undertake an online refresher training programme.
Clubs will be aware that all face to face workshops are now indefinitely postponed
and the Child Safeguarding 1 workshophs been replaced by a new virtual and interactive workshop. Temporarily, due to the current exceptional circumstances, this 3-year recognition
period for safeguarding training has now been extended to 5 years until 31 June 2021. For example, if a person attended a Child Safeguarding 1 workshop anytime in 2016, they may now complete the Online Safeguarding Refresher programme up to the end of June of this year.
Virtual Safeguarding 1 Workshop
The Virtual Safeguarding 1 Workshop is a live interactive programme, delivered by a Tutor via a virtual classroom platform. There were 166 Virtual Safeguarding 1 workshops delivered in 2020. Applicants click in and complete the programme at any time and once completed it has a 3-year recognition period. The online Safeguarding Refresher is targeted at: (a) Any person who completed the Gaelic Games Safeguarding 1 face to face workshop in the last 5 years i.e. since 2016. They may now complete the online Safeguarding Refresher to enable them to continue in their role for the next 3 years or may defer the training until the new year. If a person can defer until the new year, we ask that they consider this.
GAA Club Newsletter.
Each month Croke Park issue a very informative newsletter covering current happenings in the GAA. This is an on-line newsletter. And the link is on our web site www.ballymacgaa.com. However, if anyone would like to read it and has no accessto the web site please contact PRO Maureen O’Shea @0879795220. This month’s edition features:
- Exclusive interview with Uachtarán John Horan as he prepares to finish his three-year term,
- An insight from GAA Director of Club, Player and Games Administration Feargal McGill on our commitment to a club championship season
- Tips on how your club can be winter ready and also save thousands of euro by going green
- International tech gurus to focus on inventions to help the GAA
- Important coaching ideas for kids in lockdown
- Nutrition advice for players of all ages
- Helping more girls stay active in sport
- As well as important news and updates for club officials and much more..