The Camanachd Association has had a good response to it's consultation on the new Youth Development Programme and associated Byelaws.
The Association took the opportunity to hear the views of clubs before implementation of a new structure.
It is hoped that most of the amendments will come into place for the 2009 youth season which starts in March.
The Association hopes that the main outcomes will be;
- Increased youth players at club level becoming members of the Camanachd Association
- Greater clarity over the wearing of helmets at U14 level
- Increased participation from clubs at youth level ensuring sustainable growth of clubs from Primary to Youth to Senior level.
- Appropriate levels of competition for clubs and youth players.
- A sustainable player competition pathway that can be enjoyed by players and clubs presently within the game.
- An attractive pathway of competitions that will attract new clubs/schools to participate in the sport of shinty.
The proposals included the wearing of helmets for all players eligible to play U14 shinty regardless of what competition they are playing in, the MacMaster Cup to become 2 sections divided up by the Camanachd Association Development staff with the winning team in each section competing in the National Final, changing the U17 London Shield to a National League which is not restricted by geographical boundaries, increasing flexibility to allow the transfer of players of clubs that cannot field youth sides, rolling substitutions for all youth competitions and adjusting pitch sizes to benefit play.
It is also proposed to alter the U14 age eligibility from the current U14 on the 1 July on the year prior to the competition to 1 January on the year of the competition.
The comments made by 16 different clubs have been collated and categorised and there was broad agreement on many of the proposals. Discussion will now take place as the Association move to finalise the plan.