Jimmy Geoghegan: We can all make hay if we cut sport administrators more slack

Some years ago I heard the story of a GAA administrator who was also a farmer in his spare time. He was a hard working GAA official. He loved the old Association, loved mixing with hurling and football folk at games, having the chat and the banter.

He was very committed to promoting the games and doing all he could for his club and county. He spent countless hours on GAA business, at club and Co Board levels. Summer, of course, was a busy time for him, both as a farmer and an administrator. It was time when there was a lot to be done around the farm and a load of games to attend. Meetings too.

One particular summer he had a field of hay ready to be taken up. Anybody who knows anything about farming will appreciate how important, sacroscant, it is for any farmer to ensure the hay is saved - at least that was the case back in the day before wrapped silage.

No doubt you've heard that old saying Tipperary hurling folk used to say when it came to summing up a perfect summer: "The hay saved and Cork bet."

Anyway this particular summer this administrator/farmer had his field of hay ready and he was about to go out and save it but there was a problem. There was some urgent issue that had to be attended to at Co Board level and his presence at the meeting that evening was required. He had a dilemma.

Should he ignore the meeting and save the hay or take the opposite route? He went for the latter approach. Overnight the sky darkened and the rain fell in Biblical proportions. The field of hay was lost.

The story illustrates the kind of sacrifices many administrators make in order to ensure sports organisations are run smoothly - yet they don't get much thanks for it. As any secretary of any club in, I would imagine, any sport will tell you there is a lot of work to be done, a lot of hours to put in.

There are people, administrators, in national organisations who get paid for their efforts, they're different. They, no doubt, put in huge efforts too but at least they are paid for it. What I'm referring to is the man or woman at grassroots level who gives his or her time voluntarily to help whatever organisation they are involved in - but are they appreciated enough for what they do?

During the pandemic it was brought home to us, as forcefully as a hurricane whipping in from the sea, how vital sport is to the nation's health. Not only physical health but mental too. The pandemic posed all sorts of problems for officials particularly in relation to fixtures, yet ways were found to deal with the stop, start nature of seasons. Cup and league competitions were completed.

Administrators should be appreciated more. It's easy to give out about what they do and what they don't do - but there is never a stampede to fill positions at club or county levels.

That point was highlighted once more towards the end of last year when the then General Secretary of the North East Football League, Gerry Gorman, announced that a number of the league's officials were standing down.

One of the reasons for that was, he added, because "self righteous" people were all too quick to criticise when they saw something they didn't like. Some of those criticisms could be vicious too, the brave keyboard warriors hiding behind a cloak of anonymity. Few people are more qualified to talk about all that than Gerry who has done so much to promote soccer in the north east encountering many challenges along the way.

In some European countries, I understand, sport administrators are given tax breaks.

Our friend who lost a field of hay because of his dedication to the GAA had nothing to compensate him for that loss except the feeling he was doing something for the old Association; an organisation he clearly loved deeply, if not always wisely.