Wexford chairman Micheál Martin is confident that the county can weather the Covid-19 impact and implement its strategic plan.
The ‘Wexford GAA strategic Plan 2021-25’ was launched yesterday and, among other things, aims to establish a development programme for young players in the county, which will be driven by a committee containing high-achieving Wexford people from other sporting fields like Billy Walsh, Ciaran Deely and Fionn McPartlin.
It is also hoped to increase the number of games promotion officers in Wexford from 10 to 12 by the end of this year and to 15 by the end of 2025.
Additionally, 500 children per year will participate in the VIP (Very Important Player) Programme, which will offer a quality sporting experience to children with special educational needs.
“Obviously if funding is impacted to that level we'll have to review certain aspects,” Martin admitted.
“I would be still confident we can deliver on this. I think the clubs in Wexford have amazing facilities and there has been a real shoulder to the wheel approach within the club community.
“As a county if we want to fulfil our ambition it will require that approach.
“I realise there are financial challenges for people and businesses, but we have developed a fundraising plan that will deliver, certainly our Centre of Excellence, a 4G pitch and not impact on our coaching and player development programme in terms of more GPOs.”
The plan steered clear of setting specific targets for trophies at senior level.
“We have spoken to some of the leading sporting figures in the world over the last couple of months. If you put in that you're going to win three Bob O'Keeffes or two All-Irelands and for example you get beaten in the All-Ireland final by the last puck of the ball, is that a failure or a success?
“So the language we've used is that we'll be consistently competitive in terms of our hurling, that we'll consistently dine at the top table and we're putting structures in place to deliver that.”
Amid a call from Offaly chairman Michael Duignan for the GAA to equalise its funding model at last Saturday’s Congress, Martin added: “If we get fans back in the stadiums and if Wexford are competitive we will more than fund our own bill that we’ll ever get from central level, in that we have a huge fan base.”
