Feb 26, 2014
Following on from the success of the National 3on3 Championships for U14 and U18 boys and girls last year, Basketball Ireland are expanding their programme this year to include a senior championships with the winners being sent to Europe to represent Ireland.
3on3 is both a new and an old form of the game. It does pretty much what it says on the tin so to speak and pits teams of three players against each other as opposed to the five versus five of traditional basketball.
Played for generations as part of training sessions and in courts across the world as an informal pick-up version of the game, it has been given a new lease of life in recent years with official backing from FIBA, the governing body for international basketball.
While the basic rules of the game are the same, there are a number of noticeable differences. For starters, only one basket is used, restricting the game to half of a traditional basketball court. When a team scores, the opposing team restarts the game from the top of the three point line, attacking the same basket.
In official games and tournaments, games last 10 minutes, or until the first teams reaches 21 points, and once a team gains possession of the ball it has 12 seconds to attempt a shot. The clock is stopped for all dead-ball situations and restarts as soon as it is in the offensive team’s hands. In case scores are equal after regular time, overtime will be played until the first team scores two points.
The rules are suited for elite international competition, but can be easily adapted to games played with little or no equipment other than a basketball and a hoop.
The fun and fast paced nature of the game was on full view last summer in Gormanston College where the U14 and U18 National Championships were held as 240 players took to the courts.
“It was great to see so many kids playing and enjoying 3on3 in a structured national tournament,” said Matt Hall, competition manager.
“A lot of them would be very used to playing a form of 3on3 amongst themselves but that was the first time they had played for an official title. It was a great start and a lot of fun and something that is really going to grow over the next few years, particularly as FIBA Europe have really gotten behind the initiative.”
This year’s championships will likely be a much larger event again as a national initiative, funded by the €10,000 received from the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund, will be rolled out on a national basis throughout local area boards. Games will be tournament based and aimed at young men and women, introducing more people to the game.
Indeed, FIBA Europe will this summer be running a Senior European Championships for which 29 countries have entered Men’s teams and a further 23 have entered Women’s teams.
Basketball Ireland is one of the federations to have entered a team in both, all that remains is to select the players that will represent them!
“Discussion are ongoing about the format of 3×3 National competitions for Senior Men and Senior Women but they will carry with them a prize of entry into an official FIBA Europe tournament during the summer in mainland Europe,” said Matt Hall.
Initial ideas are that all Men’s and Women’s Basketball Ireland Premier and Division One teams will be invited to enter at least one squad of 5 players and the winners will be on a plane heading to represent Ireland on a European stage.
The competition will also be open to all clubs outside of the major national leagues in Ireland.
Any player looking to register their interest in this (does not matter if you are a player, a coach or club secretary) then send an email to mhall@basketballireland.ie
Feb 25, 2014
Introduction to Fáilte Ireland Major Events Unit
Fáilte Ireland has launched a new Major Events Unit tasked with growing international visitation through the events sector. This will be achieved by identifying, bidding for and winning major events for Ireland in partnership with relevant stakeholders. Any event available for bidding, with a proven track record of delivering in excess of 6,000 international bed nights will be considered by the Major Events Unit for both practical and financial support. To learn more about criteria for attracting an international event, further information is available in the attached document. A full explanation of these criteria and the supports on offer will be given by Keith McCormack (Head of Business Tourism and Events Ireland), Fáilte Ireland at the CEO Forum Event on Monday March 24th, from 12.30 to 14.00 at Irish Sport HQ.
Fáilte Ireland Key Criteria for Major Events
Invitation to bring Sporting Federation contacts to Ireland for familiarisation trip in May
In order to showcase the advantages of bringing a major event to Ireland, Fáilte Ireland in conjunction with Sport Tourism Ireland/W2 Consulting is hosting a familiarisation trip for International Sporting Federations to coincide with the inaugural European Sport Tourism Summit being held in Thomond Park, Limerick from 15-16th May 2014. Please see www.sporttourismsummit.ie for event details. The programme offered to potential parties, will include a two day visit to Limerick, including attendance at the European Sport Tourism Summit, followed by a two day trip to Dublin with privileged access to some of Ireland’s most iconic sport tourism venues.
If you have an affiliation to an International Sporting Federation or Sport Tourism contact with the potential to bring a major event to Ireland, Fáilte Ireland is offering you the opportunity to invite them on this trip to experience first-hand our excellent infrastructure, knowledge base and tourism offering. To register your interest in nominating an International Federation or contact- please click here
Fáilte Ireland Queries can be directed to:
Miriam Kennedy
Tel: +353 86 7726640
Email: Miriam.kennedy@failteireland.ie
Or
Edel Mitchell
Tel: +353 1 8847 897
Email: edel.mitchell@failteireland.ie
Feb 24, 2014
Background:
Limerick City and County Local Sports Partnerships merged to form Limerick Sports Partnership in January 2014. The aim of Limerick Sports Partnership is “Getting Limerick Active” together with:
- Increasing participation in sport.
- Ensuring that local resources are used to best effect.
- A mechanism to co-ordinate the efforts of all key influencers to further develop sporting opportunities for local communities.
- A vital link between the needs of local people, the work of other sports organisations/officers and national agencies and state agencies.
Limerick Sports Partnership is now based in UL Sport Arena at the University of Limerick. This location provides us with access to a weekly footfall of 12-15,000 people while also creating links and relationships from grassroots, education and professional sport.
The LSP is an inter-agency and multi-sector organisation established as a limited company with representatives from all the main statutory, community and voluntary fora represented on a dedicated Board of Directors.
The role of Limerick Sports Partnership is:
Information: establish a consultative forum, initiate research, compile a sports directory and database, and identify needs and resources to form the basis of local planning. The LSP are in the process of developing a new website where we will have an a-z of sporting clubs/organisations throughout Limerick. Our website will also be an information sharing hub for clubs and individuals who decide to become “LSP Members”. An example of this will be creating a central hub for all walking related activities/resources. We will continue to provide information in relation to upcoming funding streams as soon as they become available.
Education: overall objective to provide quality opportunities for education and training at local level, provide training courses targeting volunteers, provide access to sports specific courses through the National Governing Bodies of Sport. We run a number of education and training courses namely Child Protection in Sport Basic Awareness, Children’s Officer, Active Leadership and Sports First Aid. Through our seminar series we continue to offer Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for all coaches and teachers.
Implementation: develop a strategic plan for local sport, select participation programmes for LSP’s modified to suit local needs, increase impact of national programmes delivered locally, market and promote sport.
In 2014 the Limerick Sports Partnership will develop a Strategic Plan, together with our Stakeholders and Partners, which will identify the requirements of targeted groups throughout Limerick. We will endeavour to tackle the rise in obesity issue together with providing education and training to sporting clubs and groups so that proper Governance is in place throughout!
What we do
Jointly, in 2013, Limerick County and City Sports Partnerships had direct contact through targeted programmes with 20,046 participants from key target groups; disadvantaged youth, older adults, travellers, young people, teenage girls and mothers. Programmes included active girls and mothers, meet and train, gaelic for girls, people with disabilities, older adult sports fests, mass participation events (run/walks/jogs/cycles), school completion physical activity programmes, Link2BActive, girls outside, fittlesticks and fitwalk. The LSP has developed strong links with youth organisations i.e. Limerick Youth Service and Foroige in supporting and delivering physical activity opportunities and programmes.
Key activities relating to mass participation and physical activity i.e. runs, walks and cycle series are delivered in targeted locations throughout Limerick. The Sports Partnership run events under National Initiatives namely BikeWeek, Play Day, Mobility Week and World Heart Day.
The LSP run a number of schools initiatives namely Schools World Marathon Challenge, Sportshall Athletics, Kids Run for Fun and Splash & Dash. These athletics and swim programmes are offered to all schools in Limerick and aim to get young people together with their families physically active. The Sports Partnership offer specifically developed programmes to schools to assist with training for these events. We also deliver a Nutrition and Physical Activity Workshop to all classes in a selection of primary and post primary schools throughout the year.
The LSP deliver programmes and activities to schools, clubs, organisations and community groups where access to physical activity opportunities may not always be available. We encourage and enable participation and physical activity for all and are able to do so because of the commitment and dedication of the staff and Board of Limerick Sports Partnership to “Getting Limerick Active”.
See more on our website www.cllsp.ie or www.limerickcitysports.ie
Follow us on “Facebook” and “Twitter”
Limerick Sports Partnership,
UL Sport Arena, University of Limerick, Castletroy, Limerick
Tel: 061-333600 / Mobile: 087-2079172
Email: info@limericksports.ie
Feb 24, 2014
The National Sports Campus Development Authority has received notification from ESB Networks that it is necessary to shut power to the building on Wednesday of next week (26th Feb 2014) for upgrade works to allow for a changeover from overhead to underground cables necessitated by development works on campus site as a whole.
The maintenance works are quite likely to result in power outages and interruption to ICT services, so taking into account the health & safety implications of having temporary generators at the offices and the logistics of a safe transfer of power at the start and finish of the works, the NSCDA has determined that the safest course of action is to close the building on Wednesday 26th February.
As a result the FIS Office will be closed & no visitors will be allowed access to Irish Sport HQ on the day. The main telephone line will divert to Conn McCluskey, Support Services Officer who is also available on 083-1285169 and by email conn.mccluskey@irishsport.ie.
We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Feb 24, 2014
Paralympics Ireland today announced its 2014 Athlete Panel. The panel of forty five athletes across eleven sports is comprised of those considered most likely to qualify for the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. The panel will come together for the first time as a group in March when they meet for the initial multisport training camp of the Rio cycle, in Limerick.
Commenting on the announcement of the 2014 Panel Paralympics Ireland Performance Manager Dave Malone said; ‘Being named on the panel is always a notable step on the journey to secure Paralympic Games qualification for an athlete. We are looking forward to the first engagement as one entity in Limerick in what is set to be another busy year with a European or World Championships as the focus for the majority of athletes.’
The panel boasts several London 2012 medallists including athletes Jason Smyth and Michael McKillop, swimmer Darragh McDonald and handcyclist Mark Rohan. Also notable is the welcome return of the 7-a-side CP football squad who agonisingly missed out on London qualification. Promisingly, there is one athlete each from the two sports set to make their Paralympic debut in Rio; Canoeing and Triathlon, on the panel.
Alongside those named an additional twenty athletes from eleven sports will attend the Limerick camp under Paralympics Ireland’s new Fast Track Programme. This programme provides ring fenced supports for promising athletes that have emerged from the post London 2012 talent search.
With the 2016 Paralympic Games Qualification guide recently published by the International Paralympic Committee targets can clearly be set ahead of the qualification period opening early next year. 2014 will provide many competition opportunities with European Championships in Swimming, Athletics and Football, and World Track and Road Championships in Para-cycling, amongst others (detailed below).
Some notable retirements following the 2012 Games include six time Paralympian Catherine Walsh who claimed tandem cycling silver and bronze in London. Distinguished and decorated Boccia players Gay Shelly and Tom Leahy step aside after five and eight Paralympic Games respectively. Following Equestrian Dressage team bronze at London double Paralympian Eilish Byrne and horse Youri have retired, as has fellow double Paralympian table tennis player Eimear Breathnach who now chairs the Athletes Commission at Paralympics Ireland.
2014 Paralympics Ireland Athlete Panel
Athletics (7) Jason Smyth (Derry), Michael McKillop (Antrim), Orla Barry (Cork), Catherine O Neill (Wexford), Nadine Lattimore (Clontarf, Dublin), John Mc Carthy (Cork), Deirdre Mongan (Galway), Heather Jameson (Garristown, Dublin)
Boccia (2) Roberta Connolly (Foxrock, Dublin), Johnny Cronin (Cork)
Canoeing (1) Pat O’Leary (Galway)
Cycling (7) Colin Lynch (Based in UK), Mark Rohan (Westmeath), Enda Smyth (Santry, Dublin), James Brown (Based in UK) + Brian MyCrystal (Pilot), Katie George Dunleavy (Based in UK) + Eve McCrystal (Pilot)
Equestrian (2) Helen Kearney (Wicklow), James Dwyer (Waterford)
Football 7-A-Side (14) Senior Panel -Brian Mc Gillivary (Firhouse, Dublin) ,Simon Lestrange (Mullingar), Joe Markey (Monaghan), Luke Evans (Artane, Dublin), Gary Messett (Wicklow),Daragh Snell (Wicklow), Eric O Flaherty (Galway), Daragh Byrne (Santry, Dublin), Podge Leacy (Wexford), Peter Cotter (Cork), Aaron Tier (Limerick), Tom Badun (Drogheda), Dillon Sheridan (Ballyfermot), Ryan Nolan (Wicklow)
Sailing (3) John Twomey (Cork), Ian Costello (Kerry), Austin O’Carroll (Cork)
Shooting (1) Sean Baldwin (Kildare)
Swimming (5) Ellen Keane (Clontarf, Dublin), Darragh McDonald (Wexford), Laurence McGivern (Down), James Scully (Meath), Jonathan McGrath (Clare)
Table Tennis (2) Philip Quinlan (Sandymount, Dublin), Rena McCarron (Donegal)
Triathlon (1) Michael Delaney (Dublin 3)
2014 Key International Competitions
4-11 Apr; IPC Powerlifting World Championships, Dubai
10-13 Apr; UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships, Mexico
20-22 June; ETU Triathlon European Championships, Austria
17-26 July, IPC Shooting World Championships, Germany
20 July – 4 Aug; CPISRA Football 7-a-side European Championships, Portugal
4-10 Aug; IPC Swimming European Championships, Holland
18-23 Aug; IPC Athletics European Championships, Wales
24-13 Aug; FISA World Rowing Championships, Holland
25-29 Aug; FEI World Equestrian Games, France
28 Aug – 1 Sep; UCI Para-cycling Road World Championships, USA
6-15 Sep; ITTF Para Table Tennis World Championships, China
8-21 Sep; IFDS Sailing World Championships, Spain
19-28 Sep; BISFED Boccia World Championships, China
TBC; ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships, Italy
Played for generations as part of training sessions and in courts across the world as an informal pick-up version of the game, it has been given a new lease of life in recent years with official backing from FIBA, the governing body for international basketball.
