ashbourneadvice

A few words of advice from someone who�s never won Ashbourne.
Enjoy Ashbourne!

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, to play in Ashbourne would be it.
The long-term benefits of Ashbourne have been undervalued by many people,
Whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own battered experience. I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your camogie skills.
Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your skills until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years, you�ll recall in a way you can�t grasp now, how fit you really were and how many lectures you really missed.
You were as good as you imagine.

Don�t worry about where the next gear is coming from.
Or worry, knowing that worrying is as effective as trying to work out how to trip the full-forward without gaining the notice of the referee.
The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that may cross your sporting mind like the colossal number if training sessions you�ve had in the last 5 months.

Mark one player, every year, that scares you.
Be careful when giving away frees.
Get as many for your own team as you can.
Pull.
Don�t waste your time on burpies.
Sometimes you�re behind; maybe you�re always behind.
The race is long, and in the end, it�s only to the showers.

Remember Ashbournes you have won. Forget the losses.
If you succeed in doing this, you�re one of the lucky ones.
Keep your old jerseys. Throw away your old socks.
Stretch.
Don�t feel guilty if you don�t know when you might retire from the sport.
The most interesting people don�t know at 22 when they will retire.
Some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still haven�t.

Eat plenty of pasta. Show respect to your trainers�. Even though you may not miss them when they�re gone.

Maybe you�ll win, maybe you won�t.
Maybe you�ll score, maybe you won�t.
Maybe you�ll enter retirement at 25, maybe you�ll still be togging out when you�re 50.
Whatever you do, your choices are not all your own.
Most of them are your managers.
Make the most of the Ashbourne weekend.
Enjoy it in every way you can. Don�t be apathetic about it or forget the real purpose of it. It may be the only time you�ll play with girls from other counties.

Play by the rules, it�s better to follow them.
Make good memories, as this chance may never come again.
Get to know other college players. You never know when you�ll have to mark hem in a club game. Be nice to your marksman. They�re your best link to a transfer and the best possibility of a free to win the game.

Understand that competitions come and go, but Ashbourne weekends are always remembered.
Work hard to bridge the gap between 1st years and 4th years.
The older you get, the harder it will be to train like when you were in college.
Be first to the ball, but never run over it.
Be ready to handpass, but do it before it�s too late.
Solo.
Accept certain inalienable truths.
Forwards will score. Trainers will give out.
And you too could be the winner.
And if you do you will fantasise that when you were in college, training was easy, no one could mark you, and no competition could compare to Ashbourne.

Respect referees.
Don�t mess too much with bandages or by the time you�re 25 you will look like a Mummy.
Don�t expect your opponent to give you the advantage.
Maybe you�ll have a huge sponsor. Maybe you�ll have the bare necessities.
Either way, appreciate the hard work put in by your college.

In the glory of your win, or the disappointment of your loss, take what�s important from the weekend�.
Memories of people that you met, laughs that you had, songs that ye sang, friends that you made, and the games that you played.

These days are some of the best, so trust me on Ashbourne.