There are 15 positions on a field and you’re playing hurling in every one of them.
For the majority of their sporting lives, hurlers have not been playing full sized games. They’ve been working on skills, touch, sharpness and different scenarios. They’ve been playing smaller-sided games and practicing drills that would’ve required them to dig out traits from different roles.
You’re not confined to a position forever just because an underage manager decided to play you there and you should really consider a move if you’re struggling.
Laois captain Ross King played the first four games of the season inside as usual until he eventually got fed up. His confidence was shattered and, as the leader of the team now, he felt like he wasn’t doing it well enough, leading. So he rang county manager Eamonn Kelly up to chat about a position change.
He hasn’t looked back.
“I was absolutely frustrated beyond words to be honest,” King told The GAA Hour in a brilliantly honest interview.
“I just asked would he consider playing me out the field a little bit because I wasn’t confident inside. I wasn’t influencing the game and if you’re a captain and a confidence player who’s down low in confidence, you’re not influencing the team.
“It’s going well at the moment, we’re scoring a bit and we’re winning games.”
Yeah, it’s going alright and, aye, they’re scoring a bit. Him and Paddy Purcell finished the Leinster championship preliminary clash against Meath with just the 3-17 between them. From midfield.
That’s decent enough.
“You can be frustrated in the inside but finally I got out and I’m flying around out there in the middle.”
King’s example is a lesson to everyone. He really is flying at the moment and they’re en route to the quarter-finals in fine fettle.
Galway legend Damien Hayes has been there, where Ross King is right now. He too was moved out the field at a stage in his county career and he knows the benefits it can reap.
“It’s all about the quality of ball that’s coming in,” Hayes said of playing in full forward. “Lads say that there’s no such thing as a bad ball coming in and I think that’s absolutely rubbish. Of course there’s such a thing as a bad ball.
“I’m 5’7, high ball coming in on top of ye is going to favour the defender.
“Ross has gone up to the manager and said ‘I’m sick of playing corner forward, I’m sick of waiting for the ball to come in.’ He’s probably putting in as much training and commitment as anyone, he’s asked can he get a new lease of life with a role out around the middle of the field and all of a sudden it’s a change.
“He’s getting onto ball, he’s flourishing. He has a massive amount of confidence, he’s a leader, he’s dictating games and he’s just enjoying it.
“You want to get your good players on the ball out around the middle of the field – lads who are able to strike good ball with vision and able to get on enough ball to influence the game. That’s what’s happening.
“He’s been so long in corner forward waiting for the ball to come in and now, all of a sudden, he’s in the thick of the action.”
Listen to the whole show below.
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