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40 | SUMMER 2020 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie The Latest to the Additions LGFA Clare Conlon National Development Support Officer Y ou used to play for Laois - a County with a strong football tradition. What are your best memories from those days? Yes I have been fortunate to play with Laois. I joined the senior panel a year or two after they won the All-Ireland in 2001, so I got the opportunity to train and play alongside some Laois legends such as Sue Ramsbottom, Lulu Carroll, Tracey Lawlor and the Caseys. Highlights in the Laois jersey for me would probably have to be reaching the minor All-Ireland final in 2004, losing out to a very strong Cork team that went on to dominate ladies football over the next decade. Also winning the Intermediate Leinster Championship in 2018, winning a Leinster medal in my last year was a nice way to finish up. Y ou still play with Sarsfields - What is the best aspect of your club at the minute? I have been playing with the club since 1997 and still enjoying it. At the minute the most enjoyable aspect would have to be just having the opportunity to get back training and playing football with my friends and team mates. I broke my ankle in August of last year and have been itching to get back. Then the pandemic further delayed any comeback, so when the restrictions lifted, allowing us to get back on the pitch, it has been brilliant. Looking forward to championship on the 19th where we can hopefully defend the county title for an 8th consecutive year. W hat motivated you to apply for the job in LGFA? I have always wanted to work in sport, which led me to study a Degree and Master of Science in Sports Management. As a result, I have been fortunate to get the opportunity to enjoy a career working in sport, first working for over 7 years in various roles with the FAI and now the LGFA. I am a passionate member of the LGFA community and getting the opportunity to be part of the LGFA has always been an ambition of mine. Hopefully my passion for Ladies Gaelic Football along with my experience in sport can be of value to the association as it continues its development as one of the largest, fastest growing, active and dynamic sports in Ireland. H as anything struck you since taking up a position in the administrative side of the organisation? Having joined the Association mid-pandemic, it has been a difficult time to begin a new job but I have been struck by how lovely and helpful my new colleagues are and I am looking forward to getting to meet everyone properly and to really get stuck into my role once we get back operating fully. W hat are the key elements of your role? The key elements to my role involve the: • Management and co-ordination of development events for the development team • Answering queries from clubs, players, officials regarding our various development programmes • Provision of administrative support to the range of development courses delivered by the team • Co-ordination of all education courses with clubs, counties and provinces • Liaison with coach developers and referee tutors for assignments to courses and their resource requirements. F rom a work point of you what are you most looking forward to in the next year? I am looking forward to getting stuck into my role once the Association gets back operating at 100% and really making the role my own and hopefully, improving the role where possible. I also look forward to getting the opportunity to get involved in as many projects as possible so that I can contribute to the future development of the Association. P eople should contact you if.......? If you have any development related queries, such as course bookings, coaching certificate queries, information on courses etc.. please contact me at developmentsupport@lgfa.ie. Amy Coll Injury Fund Co-ordinator Y ou worked in the GAA - what was your role there? I was the GAA Injury Fund administrator, helping the Injury Fund manager with the day to day running of the GAA Injury Fund. H ave you noticed any big difference between GAA & LGFA? Not yet, although I did start a week before the Covid-19 lockdown so it hasn't been the conventional start to a new job. So far, everyone has been really understanding, however confusion around what the Injury Fund is occurs with members of both the LGFA and GAA with so many people under the impression it is an insurance policy – which it isn't. W hat motivated you to apply for the job in LGFA? Injury Funds, like the ones operated by the LGFA and GAA don't exist in other sports. If you get injured during participation, it is up to the player's personal choice whether to pursue public or private treatment and cover the costs. Personally, I feel the funds offer a great benefit to the members and I loved working within the Injury Fund for the GAA. With Rosemary Coyle retiring from LGFA, the role of Injury Fund Co-ordinator was the logical next step to keep learning and developing this benefit for the players.