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46 // Ladies Gaelic Football Association INNER CITY SPORTS DEVELOPMENT PEIL Spring | Issue No 1 | Volume 14 orth East Inner City Sport & Wellbeing & Dublin City Council joined forces with Dublin Ladies Football and LGFA to deliver some specific support for girls in the North East of Dublin's inner city. BACKGROUND OF THE PROJECT: Under the North East Inner City Sport & Wellbeing Project, the LGFA/Dublin Ladies County Board in conjunction with Dublin City Council committed to developing a quality school club link programme that will (a) Promote teenage girls being active via Ladies Football in North East Inner City Dublin (b) Create a culture of Ladies Football in the proposed schools. (c) Provide a fun four week programme of Ladies Gaelic Football activities to attract new girls aged 13-15 from local post primary schools into the local club (d) Provide a fun blitz day whereby the girls can demonstrate skills learned in an safe and enjoyment environment (e) Provide Teachers and Coaches, with LGFA Coaching skills that will be transferable to many aspects of academic (PE Curriculum) and social situations both inside and outside the school i.e. local LGFA clubs The programme engages with following key stakeholders: • Dublin Ladies County Board • Scoil Uí Chonail Ladies Club • Larkin College • Mount Carmel Post Primary School SCHOOL COACHING SESSIONS: Scoil Uí Chonail GPO Thomas Gleeson attended Larkin College and Mount Carmel for 4 weeks coaching the skills of the game through fun, varied games to 1 st and some 2 nd year students. As part of the programme each school received North East Inner City the location for Ladies Football Development an equipment pack with balls, bibs and cones and sample sessions to allow the teachers continue coaching in the school post programme. BLITZ: A blitz was arranged on the 23 rd March with over 60 girls travelling to Scoil Uí Chonail grounds. A great opportunity for the club to showcase their club grounds, coaches and activity. The girls were not disappointed and played a variety of fun games for 2 hours. Coaches that are involved with some of the Ladies teams got to meet and coach the girls. Healthy refreshments fruit, water and orange was provided for the girls and each girl received a goody pack to take home. 'WHAT THEY SAID' Participants: 'I never played ladies football before but I enjoy playing with my friends, it was challenging but fun. My favourite skill is the solo'. School: 'It is a fantastic programme which allows girls have access to great coaching and learn new skills. As a teacher I learned a lot from the coaching and would be more confident in trying to continue Ladies football as part of my PE. The programme is great as it creates a link to the club where girls prior to the programme did not know where or who was involved in the club. Girls now know where the club is, times of training and familiar with the coaches eliminating barriers to activity'. Club: 'It was great to see the interest and skills grow in the weekly coaching sessions. The blitz was fantastic with over 60 girls experiencing Ladies football, majority for the first time'. Dublin City Council: 'Any opportunity we have to provide girls with a chance to be active through sport is great. Both schools and Scoil Uí Chonail were fantastic to work with and showcased what can be done to create and sustain a school-club link. Special note has to be given to Thomas GPO who was organised, enthusiastic and provided great coaching, and the teachers who encouraged the girls to have a go and create positive awareness within the school' N