A WARNING that the existing model regarding the Association's duty to their youth is not working and is doomed to failure was made by Chairman, Diarmuid Devereux, at the annual Convention of Coiste na nÓg in the Ferrycarrig Hotel last week.

The St. Patrick's clubman warned delegates in an excellent address that the G.A.A. of the divided camps, cynical ego-building and selfpromotion is plainly evident to the modern young person.

'They see the same bad decisions being made, sometimes by the same people, on an annual basis since they were children. They are not fools and are voting with their feet,' he told Convention.

Devereux in a further warning asked: 'Can we not treat our youth and their families as customers as well as members? To young people, the G.A.A. is a sporting organisation pure and simple. Their involvement is something we have to win the hard way and to which we no longer have a right to win automatic allegiance..

'Those who cannot recognise this reality need to look at the problem through the eyes of the player or move on. There are many of us who believe that we can drive our teams in both codes to the top of the elite table, and while we can't guarantee today's 14-year-old that he will win medals as a Minor, we can definitely put him in the group of four to six teams from which winning is a real possibility.'

Devereux went on to say that while they cannot predict what the G.A.A. in Wexford will be like in another 125 years, they can map what it will be like in five or ten years as they are in a position to make the difference.

There is a palpable feeling of disappointment and general unhappiness within our organisation, and community, which is intensified by current life and economic problems. But the G.A.A. has always been a source of unity in such times and can be the same now.

'We are making progress which will continue into the year ahead and which will lift the spirits of members as the months roll on. There are other things we can do together to speed up our recovery, like supporting our county economy, supporting local charities, and above all, by recognising difficulties within our own parishes and reaching out like G.A.A. people have always done.

'We were approached recently by the parent of a player whose apprenticeship was cancelled suddenly three years into his training scheme; what a shock to place on young shoulders. This is probably similar to a number of other cases involving young players in the current crisis. We have been in touch with FÁS and they are willing to provide assistance and guidance to any young G.A.A. member in this position. I would ask that you pass on this information to all club members and let us know if we can help. The Airport need not be the only solution.'

The County Chairman told delegates it's time to put trust in their young players. 'I often look at our Wexford G.A.A. logo and take great satisfaction from its distinct symbolism which none of the other 31 counties can match. The picture shows a Wexford youth two centuries ago standing and looking an empire straight in the eye. The message we inherited over the subsequent centuries was that we were different and that the Wexford spirit set the model for others to follow.

'When you tell a stranger that you are from Wexford, it always gets a positive response relating to our beautiful landscape, our sporting achievements or in relation to the arts.

'Let's roll it forward to 2010 and imagine the same Wexford spirit in today's youth facing cycnism in the eye, or staring down substance or alcohol abuse. Imagine the effects of the same youth standing shoulder to shouler with the Garda Síochána in fighting crime and violence on our streets or supporting our local authorities in managing our environment or lending a willing hand to an elderly neighbour.

'Imagine the progress we could make if all our young players could share the Wexford spirit that we felt in the '60s, '70s, 1996 and 2008. Treating our young players with respect and dignity is the only antidote we have to many of our current problems. If we treat them fairly the rewards in the future could surpass even the glory days of old.

'Let 2010 be the test of that commitment,' Devereux added.

- BRENDAN FURLONG