A SLICE of Ireland is emerging in Ballarat with the team behind a new Gaelic football club hosting a recruitment drive this Sunday.<\/p>\n
The founders of Ballarat Clovers are inviting the community to the Munster Arms Hotel for a meet and greet in an effort to form their ranks.<\/p>\n
The team comprises eight core founders, and one of them, Niamh Younger, said the team grew out of her desire to bring Gaelic football to Ballarat.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m Irish so of course I grew up with the sport in Melbourne. Every weekend I\u2019d be out learning how to play it so it\u2019s just a passion of mine,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe moved to Ballarat and I met another Irish lady through a mother\u2019s group. I asked her if she\u2019d be interested in starting a Gaelic football club and she said of course.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re holding our meet and greet now to get people interested in the sport. To have some drinks, have some food, to come meet us and find out what the club\u2019s all about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Younger described Gaelic football as \u201clike combining football and soccer,\u201d in which the ball can be handled with both feet and hands.<\/p>\n
Over 15 people have expressed interest in joining the club, and they will begin their weekly training sessions at Russell Square on Wednesday, 6 April before taking a break over winter.<\/p>\n
The club aims to play in the Gaelic Football League under Gaelic Games Victoria, which would see them going up against teams from Geelong and Melbourne.<\/p>\n
Although the team will take part in competitive matches, Younger said the social aspect is a core focus of the club, with future community events being discussed among the founders.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re a family-friendly group, and hopefully we\u2019ll become a real community team. Most of the people in the club have got a family, so we want it to be flexible and casual,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don\u2019t need you to come every week but come have a run around and learn a new sport. We\u2019ll have club dos during our winter break and plenty of other events.<\/p>\n
\u201cCome and be social and get into the Irish spirit. We\u2019ve been locked up for two years. It\u2019s time to get back out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Ballarat Clovers meet and greet will take place from 2pm on Sunday, 3 April at the Munster Arms Hotel at 10 Victoria Street, Bakery Hill.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A SLICE of Ireland is emerging in Ballarat with the team behind a new Gaelic football club hosting a recruitment drive this Sunday. The founders of Ballarat Clovers are inviting the community to the Munster Arms Hotel for a meet and greet in an effort to form their ranks. The team comprises eight core founders, […]<\/p>\n