Player Welfare

Welcome to the Player Welfare section of our Website, an issue of paramount importance to our Club. Castleblayney Faughs GFC aims to assist its members in achieving a healthy lifestyle through offering up to date information on areas of health, fitness & welfare.

The Clubs Welfare Officer is Melissa Conlon, who can be contacted if any further information is required:

Melissa Conlon 087 7617216

 

Player Welfare Booklet: This document has information on a wide range of topics including injury prevention, nutrition, hydration and more.
Further information in regards GAA Player Welfare, can be obtained by visiting the GAA/Ulster GAA website (links below).

http://www.gaa.ie/medical-and-player-welfare/

http://ulster.gaa.ie/community/health-wellness/

 

Keeping Healthy!

The following are top tips to help you keep healthy:

• Eat a balanced diet
• Take some physical activity every day
• Do not smoke
• Do not misuse alcohol
• Eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables each day
• Maintain a healthy weight

1. Eat a balanced diet – eating a balanced diet will ensure that you are getting the right amount of vitamins, minerals and nutrients to keep you healthy.

2. Take some physical activity each day – being active in childhood and adolescence will help you stay healthy and promote growth and development. Children and young people should accumulate 1 hour of moderate physical activity each day, while adults should accumulate 30 minutes each day. Being active will build strong bones, healthy joints and a healthy heart – reducing the risk of serious diseases in adulthood.

3. Do not smoke – there are over 4000 chemicals in cigarette smoke which can cause severe health problems. It is estimated that 1 in every 2 long term smokers will die as a results of their smoking (through diseases such as lung cancer, heart disease, bronchitis, lung disease etc).

4. Do not misuse alcohol – there are no safe drinking limits for people under the age of 18 because:
• Their body is still developing
• Alcohol will affect them quicker
• Alcohol will do Under 18s more damage than it would an adult
Drinking too much over a long period of time is linked with many health problems including heart disease, cancers, liver problems and alcoholism

5. Eat 5 portions of fruit & vegetables each day – Fruit and Veg are the main source of vitamins and minerals which the body needs to maintain good health. Since the body cannot make these, we must feed them to it. They also contain fibre and antioxidants which keep us healthy!

6. Maintain a healthy weight – eating a balanced diet and taking some physical activity each day should ensure you keep your weight at a healthy level. Being overweight or obese causes major health concerns to both children and adults.

Useful links / References

fitness-testing-guide Source: Topend Sports http://www.topendsports.com/testing/fittest.htm

Conditioning the GAA Player

Nutrition for the Immune System

Nutrition & Hydration Team Leaflets

Diet & Exercise

Food for Fitness

A High Carbohydrate, Low Fat Diet

http://www.gaa.ie/medical-and-player-welfare/publications

 

What Are Sports Injuries?

The term sports injury, in the broadest sense, refers to the kinds of injuries that most commonly occur during sports or exercise. Some sports injuries result from accidents; others are due to poor training practices, improper equipment, lack of conditioning, or insufficient warm-up and stretching.
Although virtually any part of your body can be injured during sports or exercise, the term is usually reserved for injuries that involve the musculoskeletal system, which includes the muscles, bones, and associated tissues like cartilage.

Common Types of Sports Injuries
• Muscle sprains and strains
• Tears of the ligaments that hold joints together
• Tears of the tendons that support joints and allow them to move
• Dislocated joints
• Fractured bones, including vertebrae
• Concussion. One of the most common form of head injury suffered by players and should be treated seriously. The below document gives additional information about concussion and its symptoms.
Position Statement on Concussion In Gaelic Games

For further information on Injuries / treatments / returning to play, check out the following link: http://www.gaa.ie/medical-and-player-welfare/injuries/

 

Injury Procedures

Unfortunately in Gaelic Games, Injuries will always occur. To ensure our Players are taken care of in the best possible way, we have drafted an Injury Procedures Document for both Juvenile and Senior Players. At the beginning of each year, we issue players with a Membership form together with a copy of this document

INJURY PROCEDURES POLICY – IMPORTANT POINTS

The following must be observed when a player sustains an injury whilst participating in a competitive/challenge match or official training session with Castleblayney Faughs GFC.

• All injuries must be immediately notified to your Team Manager.

• Injuries requiring treatment of any sort must be notified to the Club Welfare Officer (Melissa Conlon 087 7617216), before treatment is received. (exceptions being injuries requiring immediate treatment).

• Authorisation Slip must be obtained before any physio is received
– these slips are available from Melissa Conlon.

• Anyone holding their own private medical insurance (VHI/BUPA etc) must claim through their own insurance for any recoverable expenses. The Club will only be liable for any remaining costs.

• Players who pay for treatment and require re-imbursement from Club – must present receipts, on headed paper, detailing treatment received and amount paid.

• Insurance Claim forms must be signed by the injured player.

Our Club is committed to looking after the welfare of each and every player and, your adherence to the above is the only way we can ensure this happens.

Sincere thanks,
Club Executive.

Please click on the links below to obtain copies of letters/forms relating to Injury Procedures:
Player Membership Injury Cover
Injury Procedures Policy
GAA Claim Form

 

Cardiac Screening

Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, with approximately 6,000 each year in Ireland. The majority of victims have no warning as they have no prior symptoms. During sudden cardiac arrest the heart abruptly stops pumping usually due to an electrical malfunction called ventricular fibrillation. The victim collapses, stops breathing and quickly loses consciousness due to a lack of blood flow and oxygen to the brain. Death quickly ensues unless a normal heart rhythm can be restored within a few minutes. Once ventricular fibrillation has developed, time is the most crucial factor that determines the chances of successful resuscitation.

Automated External defibrillator (AED) now means that the average person, following a brief period of training, should be able to easily perform defibrillation.
The Club has a Heartstart Defibrillator (AED) located in the Clubrooms at St. Marys Park, and there are a number of members trained AED user.

All teams in the Club have been given an information and awareness talk in cardiac risk, and all players have been asked to complete a cardiac screening questionnaire.
Cardiac Screening Questionaire

Useful links / References

http://www.healthyheartshealthylives.com/

http://www.thecormactrust.com

http://www.gaa.ie/medical-and-player-welfare/cardiac-screening/

Happy Heart

Healthy Hearts Healthy Lives – Patient Information

ASAP ~ Alcohol & Substance Abuse Prevention programme

The Alcohol & Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) Programme is a joint venture between the GAA and the HSE that aims to reduce the harm being caused by alcohol and other drugs.

Its mission is simple: To promote healthy life-choices by reducing the harm caused by the misuse of alcohol and other drugs.

Casltleblayney Faughs GFC ASAP Officer, Melissa Conlon, drafted up a Club Drug and Alcohol policy, which the Club formally adopted in 2010.
Castleblayney Faughs GFC A.S.A.P. Policy

Quick question – how many of you have drunk 3 pints on a night out? To anyone who drinks – 3 pints is nothing, it’s what, approx 60 mins drinking time?
Next Question – how long does it take the body to rid the effects of 3 pints and what effect can 3 small pints have on your performance?
Answer – 72 Hours, that’s 3 whole days – Surprised???????

As for the Effects, well to name a few, there’s
* Greater risk of muscle cramps / injury * Reduced endurance
* Greater risk for injuries and complications * Dehydration
* Greater body heat loss * Slower reactions
* Vitamin and Mineral Depletion * Reduced aerobic performance
Not to mention, that any medication/treatment being received for injury is totally useless during this period.

Test your alcohol use!!!!!!

Ever wondered what effect the amount of alcohol actually has on you or the people around you? Has your drinking become a problem?

The link below is for a questionnaire which will give you a good idea if your drinking is harmful to you or the people around you. It might be best if you do this privately and it is important that you answer all the questions honestly. Select the option that best describes your answer for each question and then click the “Submit” button at the bottom.
http://www.asap.gaa.ie/cgi-bin/audit.cgi

If you are concerned for yourself . . . .

It can be very hard to admit to yourself, or anyone else that your use of alcohol or other drugs are causing a problem. Part of you probably knows its true and part of you is probably fighting against the idea. It can be like having a battle going on inside you.
This is normal behaviour as most people don’t want to admit to having problems. Admitting to yourself that things are not as you would like them to be can be a big step. Doing something about it is an even bigger one.

The idea of talking to someone about it may be the last thing that you would want to do but don’t write off the idea completely. It can really help to have someone listen to you and help you get back on top of things. Asking for help can be a scary thing to do. You probably won’t want to and will have lots of reasons not to do it. That’s ok, most people avoid things that make them feel uncomfortable for as long as they can.

You may know someone who is a good listener and would help if you asked them or you might prefer to talk to someone you don’t know who can listen to you from a fresh viewpoint, only you will know that. What matters most is finding a good listener.

The below link will bring you to lists of services all over the country that are experienced in helping people with alcohol or drug problems. Many of them are free and all of them are confidential.
If you think you might need help, it’s there for you…

 

Alcohol & Drug Agency Support

Talking to someone about their drinking or drug use . . . .

It can be very difficult to see someone you care about using alcohol or drugs in a way that is harming them and you may feel unsure about what to do about it. You may feel uncomfortable talking about it with them or worried that it will make things worse instead of better.
The information below has some “Do’s” and “Dont’s” and may be of help to you in bringing up the subject and seeing it through in a helpful way.
Some “DO’s”
Do listen. When you decide to bring up the subject you might feel like it is your time to talk but it is probably more important that you listen and find out what is going on for them.
Do talk to the person when he/she is sober. What you have to say will have more impact when they are clear thinking rather than when they are drunk or stoned.
Do talk about what YOU feel. For example saying something like “I want to talk to you because I am worried about you” or “I don’t like to see what’s been happening to you lately as you mean a lot to me” are much more likely to be accepted than remarks like, “Everyone’s disgusted with you”, or, “Mary thinks you have a real problem”. These will probably lead to arguments about Mary’s problems or who ‘everyone’ is.
Do talk about what you have witnessed. Use concrete examples of things that you have seen happening. Use statements that begin with the word “I” as these cannot be disputed so easily. For example, saying someting like “I want to talk to you because I am worried about you” is much more helpful than “John told me he heard you were in a fight”.
Do tell the person what you like about him/her. Emphasise the difference between the behaviour that you like and behaviour that you dislike but be sure to distinguish between the person and the behaviour.
Do talk about your concerns with other people you trust. You are likely to find that there are others who share the same concerns as you. You may also find that some of them will try to excuse his/her behaviour and want to brush it under the carpet.
Some “DONT’s”
Don’t lecture or moralise. Remain factual, listen to their side of the story as they will have reasons for drinking or using drugs like they do.
Don’t be judgmental with them. Their behaviour might not make sense to you but it does to them on some level. The more understanding you are, the more likely they are to talk about why they are behaving as they are.
Don’t accuse or argue. If they get angry or try to provoke you, remind yourself to remain calm and to stay focused on their drinking or drug use. These can be difficult conversations to have. It is important that you emphasise to him/her that you are doing it because you care.
Don’t give up. If they seem resistant, you can bring it up later or let them know you’re there for them if they ever want to talk.
The links in the table below lists services that are experienced in helping people with alcohol or drug problems. Many of them are free and all of them are confidential.
If you are going to ask a person under the age of 18 who is not your child about their drug or alcohol use it is good practice to let their parents know in advance.
If you want to find out more about talking to people about their drinking or drug use look at the GAA ‘Club Matters’ DVD on this website.
Alternatively you can read ‘Straight Talk: A Guide for Parents on Teenage Drinking’. It is available from Health Promotion Departments or www.healthinfo.ie

Useful links / References

Alcohol & Sports Performance

GAA Anti Doping Code

 

GAA ASAP Site: http://gaa.ie/clubzone/asap-programme/

Know Your Drinking: http://www.yourdrinking.ie/

Live Helper Service: http://www.drugs.ie/live_chat/

Up to You: http://www.up-2-you.net/

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