From a modest beginning in May, 2008, the Toronto Chieftains Gaelic Football Club, have gained impressive momentum in providing Gaelic football programs to youth in the Toronto area. They offer a varied, structured, and, well organized program for boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 14 years of age.
The Chieftain’s coaching staff have a wealth of GAA experience at various levels of Gaelic games, both in Canada and Ireland. They have a superb “coach-to-child” ratio, crucial in developing the skills of children. With such high calibre of coaches, it allows the Chieftains to provide the right platform for the children to thrive in learning the skills of Gaelic football.
Last year, the Chieftains boldly embarked on creating a better structured program encompassing both, skills development clinics and a competitive Community house league, which was met with impressive success. The reaction has been very positive with 75% of their players returning this year and more kids wanting to register each week as word of the house league spreads within the Toronto GAA and, the broader Irish communities.
With support from Croke Park, the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs – Global Games Development, Ireland GAA, Canadian GAA and Toronto GAA, the Chieftains are determined to grow the sport within the greater Toronto area. They are keen to attract new members and offer new immigrants from Ireland the opportunity to get their children into Gaelic games in their newly “adopted” cities within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
The Toronto Chieftains are confident they have the right plan to increase engagement in Gaelic games within the GTA. Today, their focus is on building a solid foundation where they can grow a youth development competitive house league, advance to include youth select teams for International competition and, evolve into U18 competition – for further information contact chieftains@live.ca. Get Gaelic, Play!
