Reclaim the Playgrounds
Credit:
What has happened to real grassroots football? Where are the 15-a-side games in the playgrounds of our schools? Does anybody still play combo or lampers? Does street football still exist where neighbouring roads would play each other on the street with jumpers thrown down for goals?
Health and safety restrictions in our national schools are destroying any natural talent from developing at an early age. Yes, the safety of our children in schools is of paramount importance, but banning kids playing a game of ball on their breaks, in my opinion, is just plain ridiculous.
In the 70’s my family moved from Coolock to Cabra, so naturally this meant I would be attending a new school. As my Dad brought me through the gates of Christ the King School to meet my new principle, a kid flew past us looking anxious. A group of about 12 other kids came charging after him, caught him and proceeded to beat him up a bit, which as an 11-year-old just starting in a new school I found a bit intimidating to say the least. My Dad smiled and said don’t worry they are only playing captain.
Captain was a game that consisted of two teams with any number of members. One of the teams would give a member of their group a piece of paper with the name captain on it. They would then disperse all over the yard; the other team’s objective was to catch the captain by forcing the opposition members to disclose his identity.
Schoolyard games like captain are still been played today so can someone please tell me why football is banned from our schools? A child can fall over playing chasing, do we ban that game? A child can fall over playing cops and robbers, do we ban that also? Where does the madness end?
Not every child wants to play football but the ones that do should not be prevented from doing so by this bureaucratic bullshit. Football in the playground not only builds the children’s technical skills it but it also builds friendships, it encourages teamwork and loyalty, as well as their communication skills but more importantly it allows our children to express themselves and their talent.
How does street football improve our young players? If you can imagine a narrow street with 15-a-side, how well would you be learning how to shield the ball, how good would you become at finding space, how quickly would you move the ball, and how good would your dribbling become? All these skills of the game were being learned by our school kids without them realising it until it was taken from them by some faceless idiots.
Combo was a game we used to play while we were waiting for enough lads to show up for a match on the road. Combo is a crossing and finishing game but you only score with a header. Again it was a game where the skills of crossing and heading were been self thought without the constant interruptions of a man with a nice training coat on him.
Lampers was another great street game played, mainly as a three or four-a-side game. To score a goal you had to hit a nominated lamp post. Hitting something narrow like a lamp post is a difficult skill when you’re not under pressure, let alone when players are closing you down but, as I said before, the young lads’ shooting and passing accuracy was improving all the time.
All codes of sports have helped young people express themselves in many different positive ways. In many ways sport has helped shy kids to become outgoing, quiet kids have become outspoken and opinionated, lazy kids have become dedicated athletes bursting with energy and ideas all through the positive medium of sports. Surely it is our schools obligation and duty to encourage our children to be the best they can be in all aspects of their lives .What better way to start by allowing them have a game of ball at lunchtime?
Health and safety restrictions in our national schools are destroying any natural talent from developing at an early age. Yes, the safety of our children in schools is of paramount importance, but banning kids playing a game of ball on their breaks, in my opinion, is just plain ridiculous.
In the 70’s my family moved from Coolock to Cabra, so naturally this meant I would be attending a new school. As my Dad brought me through the gates of Christ the King School to meet my new principle, a kid flew past us looking anxious. A group of about 12 other kids came charging after him, caught him and proceeded to beat him up a bit, which as an 11-year-old just starting in a new school I found a bit intimidating to say the least. My Dad smiled and said don’t worry they are only playing captain.
Captain was a game that consisted of two teams with any number of members. One of the teams would give a member of their group a piece of paper with the name captain on it. They would then disperse all over the yard; the other team’s objective was to catch the captain by forcing the opposition members to disclose his identity.
Schoolyard games like captain are still been played today so can someone please tell me why football is banned from our schools? A child can fall over playing chasing, do we ban that game? A child can fall over playing cops and robbers, do we ban that also? Where does the madness end?
Not every child wants to play football but the ones that do should not be prevented from doing so by this bureaucratic bullshit. Football in the playground not only builds the children’s technical skills it but it also builds friendships, it encourages teamwork and loyalty, as well as their communication skills but more importantly it allows our children to express themselves and their talent.
How does street football improve our young players? If you can imagine a narrow street with 15-a-side, how well would you be learning how to shield the ball, how good would you become at finding space, how quickly would you move the ball, and how good would your dribbling become? All these skills of the game were being learned by our school kids without them realising it until it was taken from them by some faceless idiots.
Combo was a game we used to play while we were waiting for enough lads to show up for a match on the road. Combo is a crossing and finishing game but you only score with a header. Again it was a game where the skills of crossing and heading were been self thought without the constant interruptions of a man with a nice training coat on him.
Lampers was another great street game played, mainly as a three or four-a-side game. To score a goal you had to hit a nominated lamp post. Hitting something narrow like a lamp post is a difficult skill when you’re not under pressure, let alone when players are closing you down but, as I said before, the young lads’ shooting and passing accuracy was improving all the time.
All codes of sports have helped young people express themselves in many different positive ways. In many ways sport has helped shy kids to become outgoing, quiet kids have become outspoken and opinionated, lazy kids have become dedicated athletes bursting with energy and ideas all through the positive medium of sports. Surely it is our schools obligation and duty to encourage our children to be the best they can be in all aspects of their lives .What better way to start by allowing them have a game of ball at lunchtime?
