This afternoon.
The Gaelic Players Association (GPA) has published the latest insights into the lives of over a third of its members, who are third-level students.
To wit:
35% had to repeat a college exam; 11% had to repeat an entire academic year
65% feel their training load negatively affects their academic performance
54% don’t receive supports from their college if they are under pressure
48% felt more like an inter-county player than a student trying to earn a degree.35% had to repeat a college exam; 11% had to repeat an entire academic year
65% feel their training load negatively affects their academic performance
54% don’t receive supports from their college if they are under pressure
48% felt more like an inter-county player than a student trying to earn a degree.83% are playing with at least three teams
81% take part in social activities less than most other people their age
70% travel home for training 3 or more times per week
48% felt confident to talk to their county manager about a reduced training load.78% report feeling stressed at least once a month (up 24%)
73% would like to spend more time with family and friends (up 12%)
69% travel from college to training at least three times a week (up 17%)
69% would like more time to devote to their studies (up 13%)
Gulp.
Via GPA:
63% of the GPA’s student-members are 21 – 24 years of age and 93% are full-time students, and all of them face the specific challenge of managing the demands of being an inter-county player alongside their academic commitments and personal lives.
The GPA Student Report 2019 highlights the challenges experienced by GPA student-members, some of which were also highlighted in the most recent ESRI study published in 2018 on the demands on all senior, inter-county players. This report also provides actionable GPA recommendations to help student-members achieve better-balanced lifestyles so they can thrive on and off the field….