Latest news with #U16s
Irish Examiner
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Kerry experience inspired Gavin Crowley's tech business venture
As he progressed through the underage levels with Kerry, Gavin Crowley would often wonder why some standout players from the younger grades were no longer involved. The Templenoe man joined Kerry's underage development squads at U14, and progressed all the way to senior level, starting the drawn 2019 All-Ireland final and replay, and being part of the Sam Maguire winning panel of 2022. 'They could be your friends as you're growing up, then you reach minor level and some of them aren't making it, or some of them are dropping out of football," says Crowley. "You think that this guy at minor level is definitely going to make it at senior but never did.' It wasn't until Crowley did a degree in Health and Leisure at MTU Kerry that he realised the promise those players had shown at a young age was ultimately their downfall. They were being pulled from all directions by too many teams. 'Maybe they got injured or got sick of playing because they were being overloaded - not just physically but mentally overloaded - and the enjoyment fell away,' he says. 'Maybe they lost interest because they were getting injured all the time. You probably have lads, 14-years-old, but they're playing with the U16s as well in every sport. They could have been playing on 10 different teams at a young age. 'You just wonder if those players were looked after better, would they have gone on and played at senior inter-county level? Possibly.' The experience inspired him to do a research masters in youth load monitoring, and last week launch YouMon, an app which he believes can help players better navigate the bumpy underage sport road. YouMon allows players, their parents and coaches to monitor workload, injuries and schedules. They can keep tabs on growth rates and maturation. It also provides a safe method of communication between players and coaches. 'The main thing I wanted to combat was players playing multiple sports but the coaches aren't talking to each other,' says Crowley. 'That's really the core of why I developed YouMon.' Since the launch, Crowley has been blown away by the traffic to their website, and the enquiries from those looking for demonstrations. The app had been 'three or four years' in development. He's now onto a different stage: Marketing. Getting customers and turning this into a profitable business is the next step. Two years spent working with Optimum Nutrition has given him some sales experience. Crowley works as a personal trainer at a gym in Kenmare. That takes up his mornings and evenings. In between, he works on YouMon. Being a parent to two children takes up everything else. 'Playing with Kerry, it does give you that sense of confidence to do things by yourself,' he says. 'If I hadn't played with Kerry, I don't know if I would have had the confidence to launch an app like this myself. If I hadn't played with Kerry, would I have had this idea? Probably not. 'A big thing for me was that I had highly experienced coaches. You have the likes of Jason McGahan and Fionn Fitzgerald who are experts in their fields. The fact I played with Kerry, had access to those coaches, it was a great help that I was able to bounce the ideas off them.' It's two years since Crowley retired from inter-county football. There was no statement. He slipped off quietly after the 2023 National League knowing nothing could top lifting Sam Maguire with his son the previous July. Jack O'Connor was 'very accommodating'. The manager understood the player's reasons. 'I retired from Kerry when I was 29,' says Crowley. 'That's probably young for most people but considering I started playing with Kerry at 14, it seems like a long time. Could I have gone on for longer? Possibly. 'I felt I wasn't able to give 100% to Kerry anymore. I had other commitments: a small child, a wife. You're thinking that you love Kerry so much that if I wasn't able to give 100%, you're better off giving someone who can their go at it. 'Looking back, if you're playing every day, you're starting every time, you are more likely to stick at it. If you're not playing as much as you want, you have to weigh up if it's worth it anymore. 'It's when you step away that you look back and think about the amount of commitment that's involved at that level, the amount of days and nights of effort those lads put in is crazy. You have huge respect for the lads that are in there now. If you're not able to give your all to it, you can get left behind fairly fast.' Crowley is now giving his all to ensure young players, like his friends in those development squads nearly two decades ago, don't get left behind. You can find out more at or by emailing gavin@
Evening Standard
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Evening Standard
Who is Freddy Bernal? Arsenal 'make move' for latest Chelsea academy star
He made his U18 debut in a 4-2 loss to Crystal Palace, stepping up from the U16s to join five other first-year Chelsea scholars in a rotated team, and had travelled with the squad occasionally as they lifted the Premier League South title last season. That team featured Josh Acheampong and Tyrique George, who are now first-team regulars under Enzo Maresca.
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Yahoo
Pictured: Boy, 15, who died after getting into difficulty in lake
A 15-year-old boy who died after getting into difficulty in a lake has been remembered as 'such a bright light'. Izaiah Smith was found dead in the water in Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham, south London, on Friday night. Police and paramedics were called to the scene just after 3pm that day and specialist diving teams, ambulance crews and firefighters assisted the search. A Met Police spokesman said: 'A boy was recovered from the lake at around 10.42pm on Friday April 4. 'He was taken to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead. 'His death is being treated as unexpected but not believed to be suspicious.' Izaiah's family are being supported, the spokesman added. His football club Seda Academy said he was 'such a bright light within our programme' in a tribute on social media. It said: 'It is with the heaviest of hearts that Seda Academy mourns the loss of our beloved U16s player, Izaiah Smith, who passed away on 04.04.2025. 'We are absolutely heartbroken by this news. Izaiah was such a bright light within our programme. 'Always present at training, he greeted everyone with the most adorable smile. 'His huge character and infectious energy will be deeply missed by us all. He was a truly respectful young man, always showing kindness and consideration to all the coaches and staff at Seda Academy. 'We all had so much time for Izaiah. He touched so many lives within our academy family. 'Our deepest condolences go out to his family and friends during this incredibly difficult time. 'We hope they are able to grieve in the way that brings them some comfort. 'The players and coaching staff at Seda Academy will forever cherish the memories we shared with Izaiah. We hope our dear Izaiah rests peacefully. 'You will always be in our hearts.' In a statement, Lewisham Council, which manages the Beckenham Place Park, said the park had re-opened on Saturday but the lake would remain closed with security in place until further notice. The council added: 'We are working closely with the police in order that their investigation establishes the full facts of what's happened.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How to keep children safe online as social media compared to 'cancer risk of smoking'
Britain's counterterrorism chief has compared the harm caused by social media to the "cancer" of smoking and has raised the idea of a potential ban on its use by children under 16. Giving evidence to The Times Crime and Justice Commission Matt Jukes said his team had discussed the issue with colleagues in Australia, which implemented world-first legislation last year, unveiling plans to ban social media use by U16s. Mr Jukes said the UK could not afford to delay taking serious action on the negative impacts of social media. "If I give you a parallel with the harm caused by smoking, by 1950, it was clear that smoking was causing lung cancer and killing people," he said. "But it took decades for governments to decide to regulate, not even the supply of tobacco more closely, but even just the advertising of tobacco to young people in places where young people could see it." Mr Jukes added the 'cancer' of dangerous online content 'which is driving violence is in our communities and in the lives of young people now'. The call for greater discussion around social media use in children comes after Meta's decision to drop its fact-checkers caused further anxiety for parents. In a series of changes, Mark Zuckerberg announced earlier this year that Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, will stop paying organisations to fact-check posts. Instead the social media giant will start to use a "community notes" system similar to that on Elon Musk-owned X (formerly Twitter). While not all social media posts were vetted previously, the move means it's more important than ever to take an active role in helping children navigate what they see online. A great first step parents can take is having regular, age-appropriate conversations with their children about their online lives. These conversations can be difficult, but the NSPCC has provided some tips. Stay calm, balanced and non-judgemental – "Don't tackle the conversation when you're feeling highly emotional," Rani Govender, regulatory policy manager at the NSPCC, advises. Talk to someone else about it. "Your child's school can be a great source of information, particularly the class teacher and the Designated Safeguarding Lead," Govender adds. Keep listening, try not to interrupt even if there is a period of silence. "They may be thinking how they word something," Govender says. Children often talk of being punished. "For example, if they open up to you and say that they have seen explicit content by accident, they are scared of their devices being removed from them," Govender explains. "This is seen as a punishment and consequence for something that was out of their control. This is a judgement call that needs to be carefully handled." Keeping an open dialogue about their online experiences is important. "Instead of just monitoring their activity, ask them what they're interested in or what's trending among their friends," suggests Dr Huriye Atilgan, neuroscientist and expert on internet safety. "This not only helps you stay informed but also makes it easier for them to approach you if something feels off." Building up trust between a parent and child is crucial to a safe online life. "Parents should show an interest in what their children does online and have open conversations about the potential risks online," Govender advises. "It is also important that the growing independence children have as they get older is respected." Talk about red flags like exaggerated headlines or sources that aren't familiar. "Using tools like Full-fact, Snopes or Google's Fact Check Explorer together can turn this into a learning moment rather than a lecture," advises Dr Atilgan. "If your child sees something questionable, encourage them to show you so you can figure it out together." Often online platforms will show us content based on what we like, but Govender suggests trying to encourage children to look at a range of different resources to learn and access new information. If your child sees something online that worries or upsets them encourage them to not re-share. Govender advises reminding them they can speak to you, another trusted adult, or a Childline Counsellor if they have questions about something they've seen. These allow you to block and filter upsetting or inappropriate content. "They work across your WiFi, phone network, individual apps and devices," advises Govender. "Ensure you have this conversation with your child so it's seen as a joint decision what controls are put in place, rather than a one-sided decision." Dr Atilgan describes the importance of helping children find a balance between online and offline activities. "Whether it's hobbies, sports, or simply spending time as a family, these moments reduce screen time and help kids stay grounded," she says. For further tips and advice, visit the NSPCC's Online Safety Hub. Parents can also visit the fake news, hoaxes and misinformation section of the website for further information and find information on how to set up parental controls. You can also access the TRUST toolkit, in partnership with Vodafone, which aims to keep children safe online by giving parents helpful advice when buying their child their first phone. Non-profit organisation Internet Matters has a wealth of resources and expert guidance to help parents navigate the ever-changing world of child internet safety. Childnet has a wide range of helpful information and guidance for parents on a range of key online safety topics. Read more about parenting and social media: 1 in 4 parents unaware if children are accessing anonymous chat rooms (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read) How to speak to girls about sexual assault, according to experts (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read) What to do if you think your child is being radicalised (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
