Dear Active School Flag Coordinator,
The Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) would like to help your school to achieve the Active School Flag. We can assist and support you in each of the following review points:

The School Makes A Range Of Extracurricular Activities Available To All Pupils On An Individual And Team Basis In School.

The LGFA is a vibrant and dynamic association that strives to ensure our game:

  • Is the number one sport for Females, the game for Fun and place for Communities
  • Provides life long opportunities for girls and women of all ages and abilities to develop and practice teamwork, agility, balance, coordination, physical fitness, decision making and self confidence
  • Is suitable to all as it can be coached on an individual basis or as a group activity both indoors and outdoors

What is available to your school to achieve the above review point:

  • Primary school competitions and small sided blitzes are organized at divisional and County level
  • Post Primary School competitions are organized at County, Provincial and National level
  • Post Primary School first year blitzes are organized at County and Provincial Level

How can LGFA assist your School with this review point?

  • LGFA have County, Provincial and National development officers that would be delighted to assist your school introducing and promoting Ladies Gaelic Football at all levels and abilities
  • LGFA will assist to develop strong school/club links in your area to provide sustainability

The School Takes Steps To Promote Physical Activity During Breaks And Lunch Times.

It is easy to play Ladies Gaelic Football in an informal manner – perfect to play at break or lunch times. All that is required is a ball!

How can LGFA assist your School with this review point?

LGFA have a resource pack available to teachers so that Ladies Gaelic Football games can be up set up with minimal equipment and in small spaces during breaks and lunch times. These games will help pupils and students of all ages and abilities improve their skills in a fun and structured way.

The schools extracurricular programme is inclusive. It caters for diversity of students including those with special needs.

One of the key values of the LGFA is inclusiveness. LGFA want to ensure we provide appropriate opportunity for all to take an active and satisfying role in our Association.

Progress is being made on integrating ‘coaching people with disabilities’ into our Coach Education Programme. Teachers attending our TEACH programme will benefit from this inclusion in the coming year.

Other areas LGFA could possibly assist your School with this review point:

Small Sided Games (SSG) – We can provide an information resource on SSG. These are non competitive games with fewer players competing on a smaller sized field. They are fun games with modified rules to encourage players to have more contact with the ball. SSG have a definite development impact on younger players especially those who have never played before. The more confidence players have in their own ability and the greater level of enjoyment that they derive from developing and expressing this, the more likely they will maintain a lifelong involvement in our game.

Gaelic4Girls – G4G is a 10 week programme incorporating coaching sessions with fun non-competitive blitzes aimed at increasing participation in Ladies Gaelic Football. The programme targets girls aged between 8-12 years who are not currently registered with a Ladies Gaelic Football club. In essence, this is a tool to attract new players. See more information on this initiative on www.ladiesgaelic.ie

The School Seeks Assistance Of Outside Agencies Such As Ngb’s, Lsp’s And Hse To Help Promote Physical Activity

Important LGFA is the most attractive and enjoyable game for Women to play, attend and coach.

The following are support systems available to schools from LGFA:

TY Programme – Our TY Programme is designed to provide coaching, referee and event management skills to teenagers. The students utilise their skills developed in Day 1 of the programme to host an event in their school for one of the two groups listed below. Working in groups they will organise the event in all areas such as promotion- pre and post event, coaching and refereeing.

Day 2 can be organised in conjunction with the following group:
o Local Primary Schools in the catchment area (5th/6th Class Girls)
o 1st year female students in the school and/or surrounding schools

TEACH Programme – This coaching course is for Primary and Post Primary school teachers interested in coaching Ladies Gaelic Football, through their PE classes or school teams, and all participants will be awarded with our FUNdamentals Coaching Certificate. The course aims to provide training and support to teachers, who impart valuable coaching services to many players.

The School Offers Pupils To Celebrate Their Physical Activity Skills And Achievements

The following are support systems available to schools from LGFA:

TY Programme – The LGFA TY/AS programme key focus is to ensure students gain lifelong skills that are transferable to many aspects of academic and social situations both inside and outside the school. In addition, this programme will provide your school with an opportunity to forge strong sustainable links with the local Primary schools and LGFA clubs in your catchment area. This two day programme develops personal skills particularly in the areas of coaching and refereeing of Ladies football. It creates links with key partners in the community during the event planning module, therefore preparing them for their role as responsible members of society.

The School Works With Parents And The Local Community To Promote Physical Activity

The following are support systems available to schools from LGFA:

Club/School link – LGFA has a strong club network with over 1100 clubs all over the Country, many of whom are more then delighted to welcome young juvenile members. The LGFA can assist in fostering a strong school/club link in their area thus advancing the skills of young players and offering them increased opportunities to play and improve. Local clubs may be able to offer coaching assistance and/or offer schools their facilities or equipment especially to schools with limited facilities/equipment. Visit www.ladiesgaelic.ie to locate the nearest club to you.

Gaelic4Mothers&Others – This initiative is an innovative way to introduce mothers and other women to playing Ladies Gaelic Football. This initiative sees women playing Ladies Gaelic Football in a fun, non-competitive and social environment. It also provides women to get their recommended weekly exercise in a fun way while meeting others in the area.

The School Encourages Staff To Attend In Service Courses And To Participate In Other Forms Of Continuous Professional Development Appropriate To Their Needs.

The following are support systems available to schools from LGFA:

Primary Teacher In Service Course – The LGFA, in conjunction with the Gaelic Games Family has developed a week long Primary School Teacher In-Service Course based around the primary school PE curriculum and incorporating all the Gaelic Games Codes.

TEACH Programme – This 6 hour coaching course is for Primary and Post Primary school teachers interested in coaching Ladies Gaelic Football, through their PE classes or school teams, and all participants will be awarded with our FUNdamentals Coaching Certificate. The course aims to provide training and support to teachers, who impart valuable coaching services to many players.

The school has adequate equipment to provide pupils with comprehensive PE and co-curricular Physical activity programmes

Schools with limited facilities and equipment can play Ladies Gaelic Football.

The following are support systems available to schools from LGFA:

Resource Booklet – LGFA have resources available to teachers so that fun Ladies Gaelic Football games can be up set up with minimal equipment and in small spaces. These games will help pupils and students of all ages and abilities improve their skills in a fun and structured way.

Clubs – May be possible for schools to make use of the local facilities and equipment if required.

General Contact Information:

Address: Ladies Gaelic Football Association,

Croke Park,
Dublin 3.

Telephone: 01 836 3156

Email: info@lgfa.ie

Website: www.ladiesgaelic.ie