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Recently I was delighted to be approached by the City and Connacht Tribune sports reporter Stephen Glennon regarding my work on friendship and empathy within the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Stephen had the know how to see that my project was going to cause interest in not only the GAA but in all other sporting organisations nationally. The project looks at friendship and empathy with you people in their adolescent years. It attempts to discover the opinions and perceptions of young people regarding their experience in GAA clubs and in life in general.
Many children find sport as being a healthy outlet for them as they grow and develop. Many parents too find that sport is a good place to channel growing energies in a positive light and that in partaking in sport their child will not only learn the technical skills of being a good athlete but also learn the ups and downs of life through a different lens. That said, there are also parents who do not feel this way, but may feel as if sport is simply about winning and losing.
In the study all opinions, good and bad, are welcome. It will be an interesting study and one that ought show a lot of feelings on health and well being from a child and young person`s perspective. In the coming months the results of the overall study will be published but until then I`d like to thank the City and Connacht Tribune, and most especially Stephen Glennon for having the sporting sharpness to spot the opportunity.
Here`s hoping his observation will be as a spot on as a real goal poacher!