May 11, 2020
Following the call for nominations for the position of President of Basketball Ireland, one nomination was received within the prescribed timeline.
Accordingly, Basketball Ireland has confirmed that candidate, PJ Reidy, is accepted unopposed as in order, and he will assume this position once ratified at the Annual General Meeting of Basketball Ireland, which will provisionally take place on Saturday, 5th September 2020. Once ratified, he will become the 25th President of Basketball Ireland, taking over from outgoing President, Theresa Walsh, who has served two fantastic terms since assuming the role in 2016.
PJ Reidy is well known in Irish basketball circles, having made a huge contribution to the game for many years and is heavily involved in school’s basketball. He is the secretary of the Post Primary School Committee and represents the PPSC on the Basketball Ireland Council. Reidy also helps to run the fixtures of several regional competitions for school’s basketball. He has served as Head of Delegation to Irish Schools teams in the World Schools Championships and has been team manager for various international underage teams. He is also a referee, a coach, a regional organiser for the Midlands Region and a proud founding member of Dublin Lions BC.
Reidy was also recently recognised for his outstanding contributions to basketball when he was named the Post Primary Schools Tom Collins award winner in the 2019/2020 Basketball Ireland Annual Awards.
Commenting on the announcement, PJ Reidy said; “I am delighted to become the next President of Basketball Ireland. Basketball has been a huge part of my life for three decades and I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to give back to the basketball community in Ireland. I would also like to pay tribute and acknowledge the work of the outgoing President, Theresa Walsh, who has been a fantastic leader for the past number years.’
Commenting on the announcement, outgoing President of Basketball Ireland, Theresa Walsh said; “It has been a real honour to serve as President of Basketball Ireland for the last four years and I would like to thank all my colleagues for their support. I wish PJ the very best for his upcoming tenure as President and have no doubt that he will be a great success for Basketball Ireland.”
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Jenny Kelly, Community Relations Manager and Women in Sport Lead
E: jkelly@basketballireland.ie
M: 085 107 6806
May 7, 2020
Cycling Ireland are delighted to announce that with the slight ease in restrictions surrounding outdoor exercise, they are introducing Virtual Solo Bike Rides.
Virtual Bike Rides are solo bike rides that you sign up to take part in on your own, within a 5km radius of your home which you will get credited for completing. So you can earn rewards while you cycle!
Anyone who is a member of AXA Community Bike Rides can sign up to take part in a ride on their own at ANY time that suits them on that specific day. To get credited for completing the bike ride, they must submit a picture from their ride to axacommunitybikerides@cyclingireland.ie within 24hrs of completing the ride or alternatively tag AXA Community Bike Rides in their picture on Facebook, so that we can then use these images to further promote on social media the opportunity to participate.
Although we can’t ride together in our local communities, we can ride as individuals as part of this virtual community and look to stay connected during this time. For those who aren’t members, they can simply join for free by registering their details on https://www.axacommunitybikerides.com/members/join
Click here to view the upcoming solo rides or alternatively go to the Find a Ride page and select ‘Virtual Rides’ from the drop down menu.
Apr 30, 2020
- Additional 500,000 regular walkers; 450,000 runners; 220,000 cyclists
- Percentage of inactive adults drops 8% from same period in 2019
- Active adults report significantly higher levels of self-rated physical health compared to inactive adults.
Irish people are partaking in more individual sport and recreational walking during the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions. That was the key finding of research published today by Sport Ireland, which shows a surge in numbers walking, cycling and running since the restrictions were put in place in March.
The research, conducted by Ipsos MRBI on behalf of Sport Ireland, reveals that Irish adults have adapted remarkably well in keeping up their sport and recreational walking habits during this difficult period. More adults are now active than previously despite the restrictions, and the increase in recreational walking in particular has been profound.
The survey was undertaken in three waves: 28 February-9 March, 16-31 March; and 1-13 April. The “Delay” phase of Ireland’s response to Covid-19 commenced on 12 March (school closures, limited outdoor gatherings, work from home if possible, etc) while the “Stay at Home” enhanced restrictions phase commenced on 27 March. 1,009 respondents took part in Waves 1 and 3, and 1,003 took part in Wave 2.
By Wave 3, 78% of Irish adults were reporting that they were walking for recreation at least once per week. This is roughly equivalent to an additional 500,000 regular recreational walkers compared to the numbers of reported walkers during March and April of 2019.
There were also large increases in the numbers of runners and cyclists compared to the same period last year. The research shows that this approximately equates to an additional 450,000 regular runners and 220,000 regular cyclists.
The research found that the gender gap in participation in sport at present is virtually non-existent; however, the social gradients in sport are still as strong as ever.
Minister of State for Tourism and Sport, Brendan Griffin TD, welcomed the publication: “The findings of the research commissioned by Sport Ireland are extremely positive. During these uncertain and unprecedented times, it is highly encouraging that Irish adults are seeking to look after their own health and well-being. It is important that people continue to do this by taking part in regular sport and physical activity, while observing the necessary physical distancing and 2km radius restrictions.
“The decline in the number of inactive people is also welcome and in line with measures outlined in the National Sports Policy. I commend the great work being done by the National Governing Bodies for Sport and the Sport Ireland Local Sports Partnership Network in providing opportunities and guidance on staying physically active. These organisations will continue to have a big role to play in keeping Ireland physically active and participating in sport once the current restrictions are eased.”
As a result of this increased activity, the proportion of inactive adults was down to 14% by wave 3, compared to 19% in wave 1 and 22% in March / April 2019.
Chief Executive of Sport Ireland, John Treacy, commented: “Like all areas of society, the current sporting landscape bears no resemblance to what we had envisaged at the beginning of the year. While our playing fields, stadia and training facilities lay idle for the moment, what is encouraging is that evidence suggests that people are substituting their usual sporting activity with regular recreational walking and other individual activities. Increases in walking, running and cycling mean that overall levels of sports participation are similar to what they were during the same period in 2019. The sports sector has reacted quickly to the ongoing situation, with innovative programmes and initiatives being developed to help people stay active safely.”
Those who are active are more likely to report significantly better physical health than the inactive, evidencing the important role sport and physical activity plays in the promotion of the health of the nation.
Kieran O’Leary, Director of Ipsos MRBI who carried out the research, added: “What is interesting about the research is that it demonstrates the adaptability of the nation in dealing with the introduction of significant restrictions and disruption to everyday life. We saw a decline in the numbers of people partaking in sport and physical activity between wave 1 and wave 2 of the research, before significantly rebounding in wave 3. This suggests that people looked to replace their regular activities, which have been impacted by the restrictions, with alternative activities. The research shows that sport and physical activity remains a key component in people’s lives, despite the challenges the ongoing situation presents.”
Download ‘Impact of Covid-19 Restrictions on Sport and Recreational Walking’ here.
ENDS.
For Further Information:
David Gash
Communications Manager, Sport Ireland
087-2277643
dgash@sportireland.ie
Apr 20, 2020
Ireland’s first online sports camp – delivered by Volleyball Ireland saw over 130 kids take part in a 3 day education and activity bonanza, that featured world class speakers from across the sports industry.
Delivered through Zoom Webinars the camp engaged kids and parents from 12years old up providing fitness workouts, ball skill workshops, educational seminars and Q&As with some of the worlds best players and volleyball coaches.
The camp featured exclusive interviews and presentations with:
Cody Kessel – A holistic approach to being a world class Volleyball player TEAM USA and Berlin R VC Outside Hitter
Lauren Soderberg – What it Takes to Become an Olympian Australian Olympic Beach Volleyball Coach
Vuk Karanovic – Playing and Working a Career in Volleyball (108 Intl caps and 10 year professional career on the court and current Volleyball Development Manager for the CEV (European Federation)
Izzy Carey – You can only play as well as you train UCLA Beach Volleyball star
Alex Graves – Court to Sand transitions Ireland National Team Captain
Hannah Thornton – Fuelling Your Body For Volleyball Basketball International and nutritionist
Jessie Carmody – Understanding Anti Doping Anti Doping Specialist
The camp kicked off with a Q&A with Cody Kessel – a male USA player who is currently playing pro with Champions League team Berlin Recycling Volleys. Cody discussed his career and dreams of playing in the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games. Cody’s key messages:
“Focus on the things you can control, don’t worry about noise”
“Be a holistic athlete, 24/7, eat well, sleep well, stretch”
Cody talked through his favourite match when he played in the semi final of the German Cup for underdogs SVG Luneberg as they came from 2nil down to beat his current club and powerhouse Berlin Recycling Volleys. Cody highlighted some key aspects of his technique and what he works on so jump so high. He also talked about the importance of team culture and how his Luneberg team mates had the mission to “Choose Joy”.
Jessie Carmody provided an educational insight on Anti Doping in sport with great engagement from our participants asking about banned substances and the testing process. We also followed an online documentary about the Stanford College University Team.
On Thursday we had the pleasure of welcoming Australian Beach Coach Lauren Soderberg who presented an inspiring talk on ‘What it takes to become an Olympian”. Lauren provided some remarkable insights including some great words of wisdom:
“Talent only gets you in the door”
“Winning is a terrible teacher”
“Tear your losses apart”
“Celebrate small successes”
“Take responsibility for your own learning”
“The Standards you walk past, are the standards you accept”
USC’s Victoria Garrick provided a TedTalk on the Hidden Opponent – and the importance of looking after your mental health.
Thursday evening featured a Q&A with Izzy Carey and Alex Graves, where preparation was again a consistent theme. “You can only play as well as you train”.
Friday morning saw a change of pace with CEV Development Manager and 10 year professional Vuk Karanovic chatting about life as a professional playing and working in Volleyball. His 108 caps for Macedonia prepared himself for a career off the court. He reiterated the great “gift sport gives, it teaches discipline, team work and continuous improvement”. Vuk reiterated that the group should have an open mindset to different cultures and learning. “Volleyball can provide you with amazing experiences in different cultures around the world”.
Our final guest speaker was Nutrition expert Hannah Thornton who provided a brilliant insight on the importance of nutrition, particularly for Teens – which is an area she specialises in after studying the subject in Colorado. Hannah emphasised “you get out of your body what you put in”. She also recommended Daniel Davey and David Gillick’s recipe books and reminded us all that everyone is different and need different fuels at different times.
A key theme from all of our guest speakers:
Preparation is key. Work hard and train hard. Look after your body.
Focus on what you can control.
Sport can provide you with wonderful experiences and opportunities.
Watch Volleyball, check out YouTube.
You are the master of your own destiny.
Volleyball Ireland would like to thank all of our attendees and speakers for supporting a fantastic programme of activity
Apr 15, 2020
Clubforce, official data partner of the Federation of Irish Sport, are hosting weekly webinars covering fundraising online during the COVID-19 crisis. In addition, Clubforce have an introductory offer where organisations/clubs can sign up for online lotto and not incur a sign-up fee for the first three months to help them get their online fundraising off the ground. The organisation/club will need a valid lotto license granted by the local district court to avail of this offer.
The below link will provide some more information on the weekly webinars.
https://clubforce.com/weekly-clubforce-webinar/
This includes registration for upcoming webinars and recordings of previous webinars. To access the recordings of previous webinars, simply provide your name and email address.
Apr 14, 2020
Volleyball Ireland are delighted to launch their first online camp. The 3 day programme will feature a range of activities including fitness workouts, ball skill challenges and match analysis sessions. The programme will also delve into a range of educational topics around Anti Doping Awareness, Nutrition and creating a positive mindset. The highlight for many will be the Inspiring Player Series which will see a top player hosting a Q&A every evening next week. All workshops will be delivered online through the Zoom platform.
General Manager of Volleyball Ireland, Gary Stewart commented, “VolleyCamp Virtual is a great opportunity for players young and old to get their volleyball buzz back next week. There’s a great mix of activities suitable for all ages and abilities and I’m very proud of our development team for turning it around so quickly.”
Contributors include Izzy Carey, who is the most successful Beach Volleyball player in American Collegiate History winning over 120 matches for UCLA. She’ll be joined by National Women’s Team captain Alex Graves for a special Q&A.
For registration and the FAQs visit : http://www.volleyballireland.com/volleycamp-virtual.html
