Ladies Gaelic Football

56 | SPRING 2022 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie and attract new girls into the club for the programme is fantastic – it's such a good gateway to get club numbers and participation up. ED: I think the whole initiative is fantastic. The idea of involving top Ladies Footballers around the country in conducting coaching sessions for the younger generation is hugely beneficial. Providing the young girls with role models to look up to can only inspire them to keep playing football, which has many long-term benefits. Q5. What advice would you give to girls who have a Gaelic4Girls participating club in their area? LR: Enjoy the experience as much as you can and try to get the best out of it for you as an individual. It is a great opportunity to be active and make friends in an enjoyable way. ED: To give it a go. Even if they're not the most sport-driven person, it allows you to meet new girls your age while also having loads of fun! Q6. What motivated you to become an ambassador for the Gaelic4Girls Programme? LR: I always admired the programmes that the LGFA set up – Gaelic4Girls, Gaelic4Teens and Gaelic4Mothers&Others. To me, it was such a creative way to promote the game to not only get girls involved but to stay playing throughout their life. It was an honour to be asked to become an ambassador on the programme as getting girls involved in sport and enjoying it is something that I am really passionate about. ED: As I mentioned above, the idea of being able to inspire the next generation is huge. After all, they are the future and it's important we recognise the need to keep them in the sport. Q7. Gaelic4Girls will bring new groups of friends together through Ladies Football. What was your experience like when joining a new group or team? LR: I was always nervous about going to play with girls I didn't know, I was quite shy when I was younger but I found that the minute I got there and started kicking a ball, with people it was like we already had something in common. It helped me come out of my shell and learn to talk to people which I am so grateful for now. ED: It can be quite daunting going into a new team, meeting new people. I remember not knowing if the girls were going to like me, or if I would get on with anyone but having that first chat with someone is always important to put yourself at ease and realise that you're going to get on just fine! Q8. What's the best advice you would give to any player that plays Ladies Gaelic Football? LR: Always give your best effort and you will eventually see the progress. Also – make sure you are enjoying yourself! ED: Work as hard as you can to get the best out of yourself and reach your potential. Your best is always good enough! Q9. With the inter-county Championship just around the corner, what are you most excited about for the coming months? LR: I am so excited for the start of Championship. I think that getting to play games in the summer is what everyone wants. With Clare, we are coming off the back of a tough League campaign and hoping to put things right for Championship. I hope that we can finally get back to Croke Park this year and go on to win the Intermediate All-Ireland – it's such a tight competition with so many teams in contention to win it. ED: The Championship this year is going to be extremely competitive and that will bring its own challenges so that's exciting. I also look forward to summer football, hopefully feeling as physically fit as possible and hitting peak performance- fingers crossed! "I THINK THE WHOLE INITIATIVE IS FANTASTIC. THE IDEA OF INVOLVING TOP LADIES FOOTBALLERS AROUND THE COUNTRY IN CONDUCTING COACHING SESSIONS FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION IS HUGELY BENEFICIAL. PROVIDING THE YOUNG GIRLS WITH ROLE MODELS TO LOOK UP TO CAN ONLY INSPIRE THEM TO KEEP PLAYING FOOTBALL, WHICH HAS MANY LONG-TERM BENEFITS." AMBASSADORS GAELIC 4GIRLS

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