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The Tralee International Children’s Games team with coaches, Mike Culloty (Chairman of Tralee ICG) and Charlie O’Sullivan, Kerry County Council. Photo by Gavin O’Connor
EIGHTEEN Kerry students are heading to Holland soon for the annual International Children’s Games in Alkmaar…and they’re bringing a crowd with them!
The athletes selected to represent Tralee at this year’s games, from June 24 to 29, gathered at the Ballygarry House Hotel on Thursday night for a photoshoot and to hear words of encouragement from Mayor of Tralee, Jim Finucane.
Tralee will be represented in soccer, judo and athletics and the athletes will have the support of over 50 travelling supporters, all family members in the main.
As always Tralee ICG are taking the maximum number permitted by the host city, which in the case of Alkmaar is 18 athletes per city/town. A total of 93 cities and towns from across the globe will be represented at the Games, with over 1,350 athletes competing in Swimming, Athletics, Soccer, Judo, Volleyball, Golf, Beach Volleyball, Gymnastics and Tennis.
The Tralee Judo team is comprised of Aaron O’Brien, Jack Hanrahan, Sean Murphy, TJ Palmer, Mairead Bennett and Cora Joy and have been training under the watchful eye of Coach Danny Roche for the past two months.
“Everyone is fired up and ready to go at this stage,” said Danny, “and we are all eagerly awaiting the opportunity to participate in International competition and pit ourselves against representatives from Hungary, Poland and other countries in our side of the draw. The players are well disciplined and well capable of causing an upset here and there”.
The Track and Field team consists of four female athletes, namely Orla O’Reilly (Tralee Harriers), Sophie Lynch (Listowel AC), Mary O’Connell (Riocht), and Clodagh O’Connor (Riocht).
All four have performed consistently in sprint and middle distance respectively for club and school and with Coach Mary O’Connor (Riocht) overseeing preparations for Alkmaar the girls are looking forward to the challenge.
“It will be a first international experience for the girls, which is both a challenge and a highly motivating factor for everyone” said Mary. “Hopefully they will perform to their own personal best s on the occasion of their own events and everyone will be satisfied with whatever outcome ensues thereafter”.
Tralee will be represented in soccer by Robert Osborne (Killarney Celtic), Kevin Williams (Tralee Dynamos), Sean Carmody (Park FC), Michael O’Gara (Park FC), Dillon Robinson (Tralee Dynamos), David O’Connor (Tralee Dynamos), Gearoid Fitzgerald (Park FC) and Michael Slattery, (Park FC).
David Magee was re-appointed coach after his work with the team in Australia last year, but regrettably suffered a broken bone in his leg just recently and has had to withdraw from the trip. Into the breach has stepped Padraig Mc Cannon of Park FC – better known perhaps as Poga – and he has been working with the team in conjunction with Pat Carmody and Paul Dolan for the past two weeks.
The International Children’s Games and Cultural Festival is operating on a city to city basis since 1968 and is currently the largest multi-sport youth event in the world annually-in effect a “mini-Olympics” for children. Countries such as the USA, Canada, Singapore, China, Russia, Australia, Kenya, Slovenia, Switzerland, and of course Tralee, Ireland will attend in Holland.
This is the 11th consecutive Games in which Tralee has been represented, with 250 plus athletes experiencing the thrill of the international occasion in their chosen sport disciplines.
Tralee ICG Secretary Mike Culloty expressed his appreciation to all who have, and continue to support the Games through the support of various fund raising activities organised through the athletes, parents and committee members.
“Holland promises much” he continued “and the fact that we will have over 50 supporters cheering us on will certainly help to bring out the very best from all players and enhance the overall experience of the Games for everyone. It should make for a great week and who knows maybe a medal or two”!
The Tralee delegation is completed by Paula Henry who will act as Head of Delegation in Alkmaar, having acted as Ladies Soccer Coach at the previous two Games in Windsor and Lake Macquarie.
The team and delegation fly out from Cork on Sunday June 21 and will spend two days in Alkmaar, during which they will spend a day touring North Holland and a day in Amsterdam, prior to their arrival at the Games Village in Alkmaar Noord on Wednesday, June 24th. They will return to Cork on Monday June 29th.
