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Should underage players be streamed by ability in Gaelic Games?

In this episode, I’m joined by David Moran, postdoctoral researcher at DCU and coach developer, to explore one of the most debated topics in youth sport — ability grouping and streaming in underage teams.

We discuss research examining the experiences of players, parents and coaches in clubs that stream players at U13, U15 and U17 level. Rather than framing streaming as simply “good” or “bad,” the conversation focuses on how it is implemented and the impact it can have on player development, challenge, belonging and motivation.

We cover:

Why streaming is becoming more common in large clubs
Potential benefits of appropriate challenge and stable teams
The risks of rigid streaming structures
Movement between teams and maintaining development opportunities
Resource allocation across A, B and C teams
Differences in boys’ and girls’ experiences
Why lower-tier teams still care deeply about competing and winning

A thought-provoking conversation for coaches, club leaders, parents and coach developers navigating how best to structure underage teams in growing clubs.

Should We Stream Players in Underage GAA? | David Moran