Rianna Jarrett on her FAI Summer Camps experiences

Posted on June 3, 2021 at 12:29 pm.

Intersport Elverys brand ambassador and Republic of Ireland international Rianna Jarrett’s very early experiences of soccer came from her time in the FAI Summer Camps.

The 27 year-old Wexford native began her career battling with the local boys and girls down at her home club, before going on to play professional soccer in England and representing her country.

We recently caught up with her at the launch of the Intersport Elverys FAI Summer Camps, where she spoke of her love for the camps, breaking the mould of a then male-orientated sport, battling injury and her love of sport.

Here it is.

FAI Summer Camp fun

“Playing in the FAI Summer Camps was always fun and for me it was a case that my friends were doing it, so I wanted to. Me, my twin brother and our younger brother were asking our Mom for a while if we could go and she eventually agreed.

I’m from Wexford Town, so the FAI Summer Camps were mainly at North End United, which was my local team and that’s where all the townies went.

So all the boys from the street were there, and a few girls but not too many, but it was something I really enjoyed – doing the drills, the fun games and then there were little prizes at the end of the week. It was great fun.

North End United is a family orientated club, and a lot of my family are involved in it, so that’s how I got involved. My twin brother, Jordan, started playing a week before I did and I was jealous, like all twins are when one is doing something are you are not. When I first asked my mom, she said ‘No Honey, football isn’t for girls’. But by the time the next session came around a week later, I had annoyed her so much that she brought me along

She didn’t think for a second that I would stick with it, but I did.

Playing against the boys at the FAI Summer Camps

“I never knew anything different because there were no girls team at the time and my cousin, Saoirse and I played on the boys team in our age groups, so it was all I ever knew. From the days of playing on the streets with the boys, they never took it easy on me. They were flying in with tackles like I was one of them, not holding back if I gave a bad pass, I was scoring goals and we were all having fun.

That thought me a lot about football when I was younger, especially as you got older, because the boys were bigger, stronger and faster, so you have to learn to stand up for yourself.

Everything was a competition at the FAI Summer Camps – who scored the most, who passed the best, who was fastest – I think kids are like that anyway. It’s health competition. We had our fun, our laughs and some tears too, but it was so much fun looking back now.

From the FAI Summer Camps to representing Republic of Ireland

“Going from playing on the streets in Wexford, to the FAI Summer Camps and then to playing for the Republic of Ireland was a dream come through.

I was 14 or 15 years-old when I first got the call up to the U-17s, so it was a surprise to me. Going through the U-17 and U-19 set up and then representing Ireland at senior level, scoring my first international goal is something I will forever be proud of.
My Nanny, my aunties and uncles on my Mom’s side, they’re all Irish, so it’s great to be able to represent them, but also to carry my Dad’s name on the back of my jersey is amazing. As was signing my first professional contract with Brighton and Hove Albion just over a year ago, it was a dream come true.

That’s something I dreamed about when I was younger. Boys will always tell you they want to play professional football, but it was a thing with girls when I was growing up because there wasn’t money in the game.

But now, to see so many Irish playing abroad, it’s fantastic to see.

FAI Summer Camps — Women’s International Friendly, Tallaght Stadium, Dublin 8/4/2021
Republic of Ireland WNT vs Denmark
Ireland’s Rianna Jarrett
Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Mental resilience and overcoming injury

“I tore my ACL three times and spent long periods on the side line. From around the age of 18 to 21 or 22, I probably spent most of my time there and it was very difficult watching my friends play.

I remember talking to my strength and conditioning coach Dan Horan, and he asked me what I wanted to get from this. I had a little breakdown at first and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to get back playing properly at all, that I just wanted to be able to go for a kick about with my brother and friends again.

But after a few weeks he asked me the question again and this time I said I wanted to get back playing competitively. After that I never missed a training session or a match, and once you start enjoying that again, being pushed on by your teammates, it got easier.

Standing here looking back on the injuries, they made me who I am. The advice I would give to any young boys or girls who are going through the same I did, is to listen to your coaches, work hard and don’t ley anyone tell you you can’t do something.

Being an Intersport Elverys ambassador

It’s absolutely brilliant for me to have an Irish brand like Intersport Elverys support me on my journey – they’re fantastic. They’ve been synonymous with Ireland for many years now, their brand is continuously growing and supporting athletes like me, so to be involved with them is something I am really appreciative of.”

Bookings for the 2021 programme will go live from June 3^rd. For more information and to be in with a chance to win a place on the INTERSPORT Elverys FAI Summer Soccer Schools, please visit www.summersoccerschools.ie and www.elverys.ie.

Your Essential Guide for Kids’ Summer Camps

Posted on May 25, 2021 at 1:55 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

Summer Camps are the absolute highlight of the season for parents and children, and that time of year is nearly upon us once again!

With so many options to choose from – FAI Summer Camps, GAA Camps, rugby camps, or whatever your child is into – finding the right camp that will help your child make new friends, enjoy new experiences and develop new skills, is easy.

So, while we’ll let you decide on what camp to send your kids to, we’ll do the hard work and help ensure they have everything they need to make their experience as fun and enjoyable as possible with our essential guide.

Sound good?

If you’re a parent new to summer camps, or a veteran, read on to make sure your kid is ready for what could be the best experience of their lives.

Summer Camps Backpack

Probably the most important item for your child’s summer camp week.

Why?

Well, it’s going to need to store all their essential items, which might include football boots, wet clothes, money, food and whatever else.

And don’t forget:

– kids get excited, so it will probably get its fair share of abuse. That means their current school bag might not fit the bill either!

So, consider these three key aspects:

Compartments: Multiple storage areas are the best. You want compartments big enough to fit clothes, shoes, a towel at the very least. Then smaller exterior pockets for essentials like money, hand sanitiser, sunscreen, tissues, mobile phone and charger.
Durability: a week at a summer camp will test even the toughest backpack, so one made of a sturdy fabric or nylon with tough zippers will make it through the week
Bottle holder: hydration is so important when kids are active in the sun all day, so you want to make their access to their water as easy as possible. An exterior bottle holder is a huge help

Waterproof jacket

We don’t need reminding that a standard day in Ireland can experience four seasons of weather in a matter of hours.

So, while the forecast might predict sunshine for the week, don’t forget that the weather experts can often be wrong and it’s super important to be prepared for a washout.

Fail to prepare and all that.

A light, durable and waterproof jacket is an essential piece of clothing for the backpack.

Change of clothes

Speaking of clothing…

Even with a jacket, there’s no guarantee your child will stay clean and dry – kids will be kids!

So don’t forget to pack an extra set of clothing, plenty of socks and underwear and a spare towel, so if things do get a bit messy, you will have no concerns.

Running shoes

Your child will be clocking up quite the mileage throughout the week, so a comfy pair of running shoes is a must.

The likes of Nike, ASICS, Skechers and adidas have a wide variety of running shoes and trainers that will be able to handle the thrills and spills of an Irish summer camp.

It’s always a good idea to back two pairs as well!

Backpack essentials

Don’t forget these items either – you’ll thank us later!

Sun protection: the Factor 50 and a pair of sunglasses will help for the endless hours your child will spend in direct sunlight
Insect repellent: the midges love summer time, so either wipes, spray or an insect repellent wristband will save your child of stress
Toiletries: a basic first-aid kit, hand sanitizers and mask, tissues and wet wipes may all come in useful
Water: at least two bottles, and freeze one the night before so it can melt throughout the day. And try and avoid surgery drinks
Lunch and snacks: if the camp doesn’t provide food, high energy, nutritious bites that your child enjoys will keep them fuelled.
A plastic bag: this is crucial to put wet clothes or dirty shoes into

And don’t forget to label all your kids’ items too with permanent marker!

Conclusion Summer Camps Fun

We really hope this guide to Irish summer camps will give your child the best experience they can have and make the experience more relaxing and enjoyable for you too.

If we’ve let anything out that you think should be included, let us know in the comments section, we’d love to hear from you.

Make sure to check out our website to shop all things kids and ensure your child has everything they need for camp

Retro GAA Jerseys: A look back in time

Posted on April 26, 2021 at 4:34 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

Nothing beats seeing some classic retro GAA jerseys to provoke those emotions deep inside of you of those great days that piece of cloth represents.

There’s no doubt about it, donning a classic GAA jersey from your county will make you stand out from the crowd, whether you’re in the Hogan Stand in Croke Park, MacHale Park, Páirc uí Chaoimh, Semple Stadium or Gaelic Park in New York City.

Unfortunately, getting your hands on vintage GAA jerseys was once as difficult as predicting the lotto numbers.

Until now.

So, to celebrate the release of the new Retro GAA Jerseys range at Intersport Elverys, we’re looking back on some of the most iconic moments of which each of the jerseys represent.

We’ll have memorable moments, and some not so memorable, from Mayo GAA, Dublin GAA, Galway GAA, Clare GAA, Tipperary GAA and Cork GAA.

Before you start, you also might enjoy our Top National League Moments Blog.

Sit back, relax and enjoy a trip down memory lane.

The Rebels ambush Mayo (1989 Mayo GAA Retro Jersey)

Cork 0-17 Mayo 1-11

The year 1989 signalled a first All-Ireland Final for Mayo GAA since the winning Sundays of 1950 and 1951.

A young John O’Mahoney was at the helm for the Green and Red and oversaw an unexpected victory over Tyrone in the All-Ireland semi-final.

A game made famous by that iconic photo of the great Willie Joe Padden, looking bloodied but unbowed with a bandage strapped around his head, when he produced one of his best ever displays.

Who can forget it?

Mayo were back in the showpiece event in the GAA calendar and every man, woman and child made the trip to the capital to see the likes of Liam McHale, TJ Kilgallon, WJ Padden, Jimmy Burke, Dermot Flanagan and Kevin McStay strut their stuff on the sacred Croke Park turf.

And when substitute Anthony Finnerty struck the net four minutes into the second half to put Mayo ahead for the first time in the game, the 65,000 people packed into Croke Park were rocking.

The Mayo faithful dared to dream.

When Finnerty lined up a kick for what looked a certain goal soon after, the writing looked on the wall.

However, Mayo dreams were short lived as the experienced Cork side, driven on by Larry Tompkins, Teddy McCarthy and Co, kicked their way to the Sam Maguire and Mayo were left pondering the ‘what ifs’.

It would be the start of a storied journey in Mayo GAA history.

Magical Mayo end Galway’s reign (1999 Mayo GAA Retro Jersey)

Mayo 1-14 Galway 1-10

AN incredible 31,000 plus supporters crammed into every nook and cranny of Tuam Stadium for this blockbuster showdown between the reigning All-Ireland champions, Galway, and their old-rivals Mayo in 1999.

They weren’t left disappointed either.

Well, that’s if you’re from Mayo, because on that rainy day in Tuam John Maughan’s side beat the reigning All-Ireland champions for the first time 32 years to write a memorable chapter in Mayo GAA history.

Galway boasted talented forwards like Padraig Joyce, Ja Fallon and Michael Donnellan, but they faltered badly against a spirited Mayo who would not be beaten.

Future Mayo manager James Horan produced a display for the ages and hit five huge points, Ciaran McDonald and Pat Fallon were sprung from the bench and changed the game, while David Nestor hit the deadly blow with a 28th minute goal.

This was Mayo versus Galway, and Connacht Championship football, at its very best.

The Rebels do the impossible (1990 Cork GAA Retro Jersey)

The year 1990 will go down in history as the greatest year ever in Cork GAA history after its footballers and hurlers won All-Ireland titles.

Despite being five points down to Galway at half time in the All-Ireland Hurling Final on September 3, the Rebels would rally in the second half, thanks in part to some inspiring half-time words by their hurling-mad coach, Fr Michael O’Brien.

Were they effective?

Well, led by the likes of John Fitzgibbon, Tony O’Sullivan, Tomás Mulcahy and Kevin Hennessy, Cork ran out 5-15 to 2-21 winners and put the county on a cusp of immortality.

Two weeks later it was the footballers turn, who themselves were looking to make it back-to-back Sam Maguires.

They couldn’t?

Despite being a man down after Colm O’Neill was sent off just before half time in the All-Ireland Football Final, Cork would go on to beat Meath by 0-11 to 0-9 in what was their third meeting in the final in four years.

Larry Tompkins would lift the Sam Maguire for the Páirc uí Chaoimh side that day, where Niall Cahalane would produce a marvellous man-marking role on Meath dangerman Colm O’Rourke.

Few can forget their drubbing of rivals Kerry in the Munster Final that year too.

The victory completed what most deemed ‘The Impossible’ – a county winning both football and hurling titles in the one year.

It is an achievement that is likely never to be repeated again.

Dublin and the 12 Apostles (1983 Dublin GAA Retro Jersey)

Dublin 1-10 Galway 1-8

Known as one of the worst, but one of the most remarkable All-Ireland Finals ever, where a 12-man Dublin defeated Galway in Croke Park.

It was the 21st All-Ireland title for Dublin GAA and probably one of their hardest earned. Especially considering they played with only 12 men against 14 and a gale-force wind in the second half.

That gave the team of heroes the apt name of Dublin’s Dirty Dozen.

With tensions running high in the first half, what unfolded on the pitch were dubbed as disgraceful scenes with the spectacle marred by off-the-ball incidents.

Kevin Heffernan’s Dubs led by 1-5 to 0-2 at half time, but faced the Tribesmen and the conditions at the turn of ends. However, they held strong against the onslaught.

Barney Rock was in inspired form that day and hit 1-6, Anton O’Toole lead the line, while Tommy Drumm would scoop the Player of the Year award.

While a litany of bans were handed down by the GAA afterwards too.

Galway’s Day of Deliverance (1980 Galway GAA Retro GAA Jersey)

Galway 2-15 Limerick 3-9

For more than half a century Galway sought the breakthrough in winning the Liam McCarty before it finally arrived on September 7, 1980.

Cyril Farrell’s men were gallant in victory and some inspiring goalkeeping by Michael Conneely, who seemed invincible on the day, gave the Tribespeople the day they yearned for for so long.

Before that, the Galway hurlers had lost nine All-Ireland Finals since 1923, with many suggesting a curse hung over them long before the Mayo footballers gained that unwanted-tagline.
Galway captain Joe Connolly gave a stirring speech on the Hogan Stand – ás Gaeilge – after producing a momentous performance. His brother, John, was equally as influential and Bernie Forde was another stand-out performer.

The West was well and truly awake.

A Year ‘Til Sunday (1998 Galway GAA Retro GAA Jersey)

Galway 1-14 Kildare 1-10

After years of near misses and a barren spell that stretched back to the days of the famous three in-a-row 32 years previous, the Tribesmen landed that elusive Sam Maguire against Mick O’Dwyer’s Lilywhites.

John O’Mahoney, in his first year in charge of Galway, wrote his name in the Galway GAA history books and was widely praised for the expansive style of football he had his team playing.

A team before their time.

That’s easier too, when you incorporate the standard of footballer O’Mahoney had at his disposal.

Can you remember them?

The Galway supporters lucky enough to make it into Croke Park that day will remember Padraig Joyce’s stunning second half solo goal, Ray Silke and Séan Óg de Paor’s leadership from the half back line, Kevin Walsh and Ja Fallon’s inspirational second half displays and a man of the match performance from Michael Donnellan.

The football faithful in Galway waited a long time for that day to come and, amazingly, the next arrived much sooner than expected.

English shines in Croker (1989 Tipperary GAA Retro GAA Jersey)

Tipperary 4-24 Antrim 3-9

One man stood out among many in Croke on All-Ireland Hurling Final day of 1989 and that is Nicky English.

The Tipperary hurler was simply unstoppable that day, hitting a record of 2-12 on his way to winning his first Celtic Cross and Tipperary’s first since 1971.

Remember their opponents?

Antrim, appearing in only their second All-Ireland Hurling Final in their history, were coming in on the back of one of the biggest shocks in championship history after defeating Offaly in the All-Ireland semi-final.

English reinforced his name as one of the all-time greats that day, while midfielder Declan Carr was also heroic in defeating a spirited Saffron side, who can feel unlucky to score 3-9 in an All-Ireland Final and still lose.

Tipp’ captain Bobby Ryan then gave a rousing and emotional speech, where he thanked the management of Michael ‘Babs’ Keating, Donie Nealon and Theo English.

The famine in Tipperary was over.

Clare lay the ghost at last (1995 Clare GAA Retro GAA Jersey)

Clare 1-13 Offaly 2-8

“There’s been a missing person in Clare for 81 long years. Well today that person has been found alive and well and that person’s name is Liam McCarthy.”

The words of Clare captain Anthony Daly after the Banner county defeated Offaly in the All-Ireland Hurling Final are as iconic as winning speeches in the GAA come.

That was a real silverware famine.

Under Ger Loughnane’s regime, the Clare hurlers brought a different edge to their game in 1995 and players like Davie Fitzgerald, Brian Lohan, Seanie McMahon and Co became household names.

They also recorded a famous Munster Final win that year, their first in 63 long years.

The Summer of 1995 will live long in the memories of Clare GAA people around the world and two years later the same crew returned to Croke Park and beat their neighbours, Tipperary.

Winning is a habit, they say.

Conclusion

Of course, we’re not forgetting about the great days of Donegal GAA, Kerry GAA, Kilkenny GAA and Limerick GAA too, because we’ve also got retro GAA jerseys ranges from their most memorable eras.

If you want to check them out, make sure you head over to Elverys.ie, where you can reminisce on the bygone days, or click on the following links…

We’d also love to hear your memories of all the retro GAA jerseys, so let us know in the comments below.

Intersport Elverys, the heart of GAA.

FootBalance Insoles: All You Need To Know

Posted on September 18, 2020 at 12:04 pm.

Written by Intersport Elverys

At Intersport Elverys, we’re delighted to offer FootBalance – a professional foot analysis and custom insoles service.

FootBalance empowers you to move, so you can spend more time doing what you love.

Find out what stores provide Football Insoles and Measuring HERE.

Find out all you need to know about FootBalance below.

FootBalance: The Analysis – Click HERE

FootBalance: The Insoles – Click HERE

FootBalance: The Research – Click HERE

FootBalance: Quickfit Insoles – Click HERE

FootBalance: 100% Custom – Click HERE

Conclusion

We’ve also other FootBalance blogs for you to check out.

FootBalance for Football

FootBalance for Running

FootBalance for Everyday

To take a look at what we have to offer, check out the Intersport Elverys website HERE.

Or, check out our video below for more information on how FootBalance works.

FootBalance – The Analysis

Posted on September 18, 2020 at 10:03 am.

Written by Intersport Elverys

Solving Real Issues

More than 75% of us live with a foot misalignment.

Our mission is to improve health and wellbeing through personalised foot products and services.

Free Foot Analysis

Our free foot analysis service is a fast, computer aided assessment that will result in you knowing everything you need to know about your unique feet.

During the analysis, Intersport Elverys’ expert staff will analyse your arches, check the position of your feet and ankles and the effects they have on your total body alignment.

As part of your personalised foot analysis you will receive a recommendation and fitting service that delivers an unrivalled experience and is supported by Intersport Elverys staff members expert advice & guidance.

Footbalance: The Analysis

Your feet are the foundation of your body differing from anyone else’s and often differing from your left foot to your right foot.

Any imbalance from your feet up through the body may result in pain, discomfort or loss in performance stemming from this common misalignment.

More than 75% of the population suffers from misalignment such as overpronation or excessive supination.

Our FootBalance 100% custom insoles support your feet properly in a neutral position aiding a balanced stance and correct total body alignment, addressing a wide range of extremely common issues caused by foot misalignment.

The effects of our FootBalance 100% Custom Insoles can be felt throughout the body improving performance in your sport, reducing the risk of injury through total body alignment or just offering extra support and cushioning working in the office or chasing the kids around the house.

So let’s talk about your feet!

When you next visit one our stores be sure to have your feet analysed. You will find you have one of three common foot types.

You could you have the most common foot type, overpronation. This is when your foot rolls excessively inward, distributing weight unevenly across the foot.

Supination, the least common of the three foot types. This foot type vastly reduces the body’s natural shock absorbing capability. Highlighted by an external rotation, pushing the body’s weight along the outside of the foot.

Neutral foot type is where your foot and ankle maintain a straight line. Weight is distributed evenly across the forefoot and down through the heel. This is the ideal foot type but if foot health is not maintained has the potential to collapse into overpronation.

The medial arch, which starts from the heel and continues to the ball of the foot, tells us a lot about the foot.

It functions to distribute body weight and impact and is the body’s natural stock absorber. Think of it like a spring, once you put your foot on the ground the medial arch compresses and springs your foot into your next step.

Similar to different foot types your arches are unique to you and differ from person to person, foot to foot. We break it down into three categories: low arch, normal arch and high arch.

NORMAL ARCH

When your arch is normal your body suspension works naturally absorbing the impact of every step you take.

LOW ARCH

Low medial arches can how ever lead to poor shock absorption as your suspension to the body comes ineffective, resulting to discomfort and stress injuries in your muscles and joints.

HIGH ARCH

People with high medial arch tend to have a rigid foot structure and there also suffer from poor shock absorption, resulting to discomfort and stress injuries in muscles and joints.

BENEFITS OF CUSTOM INSOLES

FootBalance Custom Insoles support your unique arches for better position, increasing shock absorption and improving even weight distribution and there fore help to prevent injuries.

The insoles are dynamic and flex with your feet, helping to keep your feet and arches active, healthy and toned. They can also help to prevent your arches from falling further.

Our expert staff will identify your foot and arch type in-store using our FootBalance analysis system while FootBalance Custom Insoles are individually moulded to your unique feet to support them in a neutral position aiding a balanced stance and correct posture.

Find out more about FootBalance at Intersport Elverys HERE.

How To Measure Football Gloves At Home | A Guide

Posted on April 21, 2020 at 9:44 am.

Written by Intersport Elverys

Having football gloves that fit is crucial. That’s why we’ve created this guide on how to measure football gloves at home.

For people playing Gaelic Football or as a goalkeeper in soccer, having gloves which fit correctly is super important when it comes to handling a ball.

So take a look below and get all the information you need before you head instore or online to buy some football gloves.

How To Measure Football Gloves At Home

Measure around (Option 1):

Wrap a fabric tape measure around the widest part of your hand. When measuring for glove size, you should always measure your dominant hand.

The measuring tape should wrap over the top of your hand and across the palm on the widest point, excluding your thumb. You should round up to the next highest inch, then add 1 full size.

This will get the size of your glove.

Measure lengthwise (Option 2):

Place the tape measure at the tip of your middle finger, then stretch the tape down to the base of your hand, hold it tight where your wrist begins.

Choose the larger number and round up (Adults):

For adults, you will add 1 inch pending your preference of fit.

You should have between half an inch and a quarter of an inch room at the top of the finger, to allow the seems to respond every time you catch the ball.

Here is an example: if the length of your hand measures 7.5 inches, you then round your size up to the next number (8) and add an additional one inch. Therefore, your size will be 9.

Choose the larger number and round up (Young Adults):

For young adults, you should have between half an inch and a quarter of an inch room at the top of the finger to allow the seems in the glove to respond every time you catch the ball.

If you measure a size 6, start your fitting with this size.

Conclusion

We hope this was helpful for you and you can now measure your gloves size at home. Check out the Intersport Elverys website to find our full range of football gloves HERE.