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GAELIC4MOTHERS &OTHERS BLITZ DAY www.ladiesgaelic.ie | AUTUMN 2023 | 31 singing the night away…how wouldn't a team bond? What was the most enjoyable aspect both from a playing aspect and socially? The positive atmosphere both on the pitch and socially. On the field, skills were on show, everyone was encouraged and sportsmanship was the order of the day. Off the field, the craic was mighty, the singing was loud and the dancing was done on the tables! In an overall context, how would you describe the day to anyone who has never seen it? Buses – Gaelic pitches - fancy dress costumes adorned with football socks - club jerseys worn with pride - a mass warm up - skilful football - a well taken point, a cracking goal - shouts of encouragement - sportsmanship - hair braiding - a silent disco - chatting over a burger – 'a pint or a bottle?' - making connections – laughing – Maniac 2000 - Mr. Brightside - shouts of 'what part of the country are you from?' and 'hope to see you next year!' Above is just a snippet, and while participants come from all corners of the country, they each have something in common. They are busy ladies who, for a day, are prioritising themselves, to go play a sport they love with friends, old and new, where smiles are plentiful and the craic is top notch. Huge thanks to all involved in the LGFA and Sports Direct for the excellent organisation of the day; and a big shout out to all the team coaches, referees and volunteers who make the National Blitz Day possible. From All in Bray Emmets G4M&O ROISIN MOYLES ENNISCRONE KILGLASS, SLIGO What was your preparation like for the 2023 Sports Direct National Gaelic4Mothers&Others Blitz? We had our usual training session once weekly on a Monday. We focused more on the rules of the game so that everyone would be familiar with the game especially the newer members. We met a few times to go through the schedule for the day, ethos of the programme and most importantly to discuss our dress up plan!! Was there any aspect of the day that you were pleasantly surprised by? The relaxed atmosphere and the friendly interaction with other teams. The whole day was a fantastic experience. From the group warm-up to the radio broadcaster, silent disco, variety of food vendors to the impressive post blitz party, there was something for everyone, we really enjoyed it. How do you feel the group cohesion, camaraderie or familiarity improved or benefitted from in the National Blitz? Our girls gained so much from the day. Firstly, they all made sacrifices to be there and were well and truly rewarded with a great day out. For newer members it was a great way to get to know others in the group. Some girls would never have dreamed they'd be playing a football match never mind a blitz so that was a massive confidence boost for them. What was the most enjoyable aspect both from a playing aspect and socially? We were so impressed by the whole event. The numbers that attended, the organisation beforehand and on the day. The fun element is foremost. I think the LGFA have recognised a group of people who deserve to be recognised, they've provided an outlet for them on a weekly basis and then capped it all off by organising an amazing event. We felt like we were part of something really special and empowering. In an overall context, how would you describe the day to anyone who has never seen it? A brilliant day out, great craic. A super organised event. ORLA SCANNELL PASSAGE PYTHONS, CORK What was your preparation like for the 2023 Sports Direct National Gaelic4Mothers&Others Blitz? We train every Tuesday night from 8-9pm. We were lucky to be invited to a number of blitzes this year and got to meet and play a range of teams from Cork and West Cork, the highlight being a fab blitz hosted by our friends the Meela Moos in the 4G Astro in Pairc Ui Chaoimh which was an amazing experience. We also took part in the Munster Provincial Blitz which was similar to the National Biltz but on a smaller scale! Was there any aspect of the day that you were pleasantly surprised by? The smooth running of all the games was fantastic considering the sheer size and numbers of teams, there was no hanging around, everyone was in good spirits and we had great fun meeting new people and making contacts for future games. The Refs and Pitch Co-Ordinators were all really friendly. The after-blitz entertainment was fantastic with the band encouraging teams onto the stage to get the crowd going, we had such a fun day from start to finish. How do you feel the group cohesion, camaraderie or familiarity improved or benefitted from in the National Blitz? Usually we only have an hour a week with each other at training so it was great to have a full day together, from early morning chats on the bus, getting to know each other more, just having a day to ourselves without running around after the kids or family and just enjoying a girls day out. The laughs and memories will last forever! What was the most enjoyable aspect both from a playing aspect and socially? The best thing about G4MO is it a place to go, to give yourself an hour to yourself a week, you can forget about any troubles or whatever is going on at home, get some exercise, make new friends and have a laugh without any pressure to be a good player. A few of our team played before but the majority are new to the sport and although nervous at the start everyone knows it is all about having fun and just getting a bit of exercise. It's great to have a group of women looking out for each other. In an overall context, how would you describe the day to anyone who has never seen it? The National Blitz is an amazing event unlike any other. Everyone is there for the same reason to have fun and enjoy a bit of football with the girls. To see the number of teams together at the warm up is just brilliant and the costumes make the day so much fun. The organisers do a fantastic job having so many teams and pitches to organise yet they make it look so easy. I can only imagine the work ye put into it for us all. We really appreciate it. Thanks again for having us at the blitz, we had the best day!