Sport

Nutrition expert shares advice with Ross ladies

March 11th, 2019 9:00 AM

By Ger McCarthy

Conor McCarthy, Rachel Cooke, Aishling O'Hea, Cait O'Mahony, Laoise O'Keefe, Caoilann McCarthy and Edel Hayes at Rosscarbery Ladies GAA registration day and nutritional talk.

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Rosscarbery Ladies GAA incorporated a talk on the values of nutrition during a successful club registration day at the Celtic Ross Hotel.

ROSSCARBERY Ladies GAA incorporated a talk on the values of nutrition during a successful club registration day at the Celtic Ross Hotel.

Chairperson Conor McCarthy and a new-look committee got the Ross ladies’ new season off to a positive start when the West Cork club invited Aishling O’Hea to speak to Rosscarbery’s underage, junior and senior players.

A Nutritional Scientist in UCC and member of Derval O’Rourke’s health and well-being team, O’Hea covered the basics of nutrition for health and sports performance before an appreciative audience. 

The importance of sleep and recovery, Macronutrients, how to build a balanced plate, what to eat during and after matches plus myth busting were just some of the topics covered.

‘As a club, Rosscarbery Ladies are trying to take a wider view of the younger people we are coaching by giving them as much information as we can on their health and well-being,’ chairperson Conor McCarthy said.

‘We have also partaken in a talk by Lisheens House on mental health in conjunction with Carbery Rangers GAA Club. Ross Ladies took the initiative to incorporate a nutrition talk so that girls at all levels understand the importance of how they are fuelling their bodies for sport.

‘With that in mind, Aisling O’Hea provided a two-layered talk. One was for parents and the U12/U14s with the second talk focussed on our U16 to adult players.’

Rosscarbery Ladies GAA Club’s approach of getting their young players into good nutritional habits and doing the right things before and after games is a commendable approach. Giving young players relevant information on how to properly hydrate plus correct food and drink intake will help the club’s footballers ahead of another busy season.

‘Rosscarbery Ladies would have on average over 20 players at every age group,’ McCarthy explained.

‘I suppose we would have bigger numbers from U16 to U12 and then like most clubs there is a bit of fall off when girl enter their teenage years. We, as a club, are hoping to change that trend as best we can by providing talks like Aishling O’Hea’s and ensuring the experience of playing football is as enjoyable it can be for all our female players.

‘We want to be as competitive as we can at all the grades we compete too. 

‘They may not always win matches but our players should be coming off the pitch knowing that they did well and achieved something no matter what the outcome was.’

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