Gaelic Football Has Irish Looking To Recruit Kiwis

7 November 2008

Wellington's fastest growing sport's '7 a side summer competition' is starting on Wednesday the 12th November. Wellington Gaelic Football Club have launched today, Thursday 7 November, their inaugural mixed 7 a side fun Gaelic football competition. The games will run each Wednesday evening for a month and will take place in Ian Galloway Park in Wilton.

"All our players are really excited about this mixed 7 a side tournament as it's the biggest development in the club for years" said Combie Cryan President of Wellington Hutt Valley Gaelic football club.

"Numbers have swelled over the past few weeks and our kiwi players now frequently outnumber our overseas born contingent. We are hoping that this competition will really catch people's attention and that Gaelic football will be the main summer sport for people to play" he said.

There have been many kiwis who have already taken to the game, "I didn't really know anything about Gaelic football when I started playing it earlier this year", Said Andy Cameron, who has been playing Gaelic football for the past year, "But it's a great game because you pick it up so quickly",

"I know kiwis will love it, and this has been evidenced by the sharp increase in take-up over the past few weeks, because it has the best skills and attributes of soccer and rugby all in one game, it is the ideal summer sport to play. Plus the fact you also get to meet loads of new people and being an Irish sport they certainly know how to mix sport with social" he said.

This league is part of Wellington Gaelic football clubs plans for further developing Gaelic games in the region. With sponsorship support from The Establishment Bar they have been able to focus on developing real foundations for the development of the sport in Wellington. This also involved the redevelopment of their website, wellingtongaa.com, and the production of a promotional video.

"We are launching a comprehensive marketing campaign, which includes our new wellingtongaa.com, the development of Facebook and Bebo accounts and the production of promotional Youtube videos", said Combie Cryan, "We want to show people that we are serious about our game and most importantly we want kiwis playing and enjoying our game"

The club has had some recent success with the ladies and men's 7 a side team winning the New Zealand championships in Kapiti on Labour weekend. The men's senior team lost out by only one point for a semi final place at this years Australasian games in Adelaide.

We are a game on the up and we'd love to see Kiwi's join us in our sporting endeavours and but most importantly to have a bit of craic (sic. fun). Our vision for the club is to have a majority of players who are kiwi's and we are realising this vision now" said Cryan.

ENDS

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