The Carlow Training and Development Group is an innovative and collaborative initiative established by local clubs in the Carlow County area, aimed at improving participation and retention among teenage athletes.
Five years ago, ahead of the winter season, three clubs came together with a shared vision—to combine resources and create larger, more engaging training groups during the off-season.
Damien Malone of Ballon AC explained that declining teenage participation was a common challenge across smaller clubs in the county.
“There was a couple of clubs in the county, especially some of the smaller clubs. And we really struggle as the kids get older and move up along, the numbers drop off. We really wanted to keep the kids interested, keep them going,” detailed on the Athletics Ireland club series on YouTube.
From the outset, the group placed a strong emphasis on enjoyment and inclusion, recognising that fun is key to keeping young athletes engaged—particularly during the darker winter months.
“Some of the small country clubs, when you have kids coming along and there’s only them or one or two others in a dark field on a November night, they’re not going to keep coming.
“It’s not fun, and if it’s not fun, they’re not enjoying it, they’re going to drop off. And we don’t want them to drop off, but we wanted to keep them going,” he added.
What began as a small collaboration has since grown into a thriving group of more than 20 participants, demonstrating the power of cooperation between clubs.
“I think we had a great relationship between the management of the three clubs… We learned off each other as well of better training techniques, what’s working in this club.
“And it meant that all the clubs were working together for a shared goal.”
Open to members of athletics clubs in Carlow aged 12 and over, the group meets twice weekly at SETU in Carlow, where sprint and endurance sessions run simultaneously, catering to a wide range of athletes.
Mary Behan of St Pats highlighted that the benefits of the initiative extend well beyond the weekly training sessions.
“We’ve been trying to upskill ourselves coaching-wise. We’ve brought them warm weather training. We’ve brought them to Sport Ireland for testing,”
“So we try and do things every so often that will, you know, just give them new experiences and reasons to just stay. Because some like competing, some of them not so much, but they still get to experience different things, you know. And I think above all, they’re good friends.”
Importantly, the group complements, rather than replaces, the work already being done by local clubs, with a clear focus on supporting teenagers at a stage when dropout rates are typically higher.
“This is not to take away from the clubs either the clubs are all doing great work.
“They have much bigger numbers in the smaller age groups, especially the small clubs. We want to obviously keep that. But as they drop off and all of a sudden, there’s nobody for them to train in their own clubs. They have somewhere to go,” Behan reflected.
Volunteer coaches have played a central role in the group’s success. Lorraine Broderick of St Laurence O’Toole AC spoke about the rewards of getting involved after her daughter joined the programme.
“I think that everyone should give back. Like, I mean, we all probably did athletics when we were younger. So there was obviously people helping out then.
“And I think the more people coming in, the better. And this is great because we’re giving kids the opportunity to develop,” said Broderick.
Ardattin AC coach Barry Byrne also pointed to the importance of the group’s connection with SETU in helping it grow and providing new opportunities for athletes. He noted that maintaining participation into adulthood remains a key ambition.
“We’d love some of the kids to maybe come forward and go to college here then as well and get involved in their varsity teams and things like that. I think that’d be really positive that they stay within sport that way.”
The Carlow Training and Development Group stands as a powerful example of what can be achieved when clubs work together with a shared purpose. By prioritising enjoyment, inclusivity, and athlete development, the initiative has created a supportive pathway for teenagers to remain engaged in athletics during a critical stage of their sporting journey.
As it continues to grow, the group not only strengthens participation today but also lays the foundation for the next generation of athletes to stay involved in the sport in the county for years to come.
