The All Ireland Finals, The Gold Cup, The Heineken Cup, The All-Ireland Céilí Band Competition, The Set in Scór, The Premier Men and Senior Ladies in Basketball – these are some of the answers given to the question “What do you consider to be the ‘Blue Riband’ event in sport?”. All very true but ask the question “What is the most entertaining?” and to a person the answer will be U-8 football and Junior Boys and Girls games in the Blitz.
Second Class, the Magic Class. In September, two events vie for pride of place, their first Christmas Blitz and their First Holy Communion. A five-month time difference ensures that both are accorded their due reverence. Those with older siblings consider themselves experts and become trainers in situ. The long awaited letter is delivered bearing the news that Basketball Training for the Junior Girls will be on Tuesday Night and for the boys on Wednesday Night. From years of experience the teacher has learned that the best time to deliver the news is just before a ‘Sos’ or lunch time, thus ensuring that the discussion about picking a team, travel arrangements etc. will take place in the yard.
Christmas holidays and expectations are split between what Santa might bring and who they will meet and more importantly who they will beat in the Blitz.
St. Stephen’s morning and they are up before the crack of dawn. Sleepy parents try to coax them back to bed with the assurance that ‘No, the Community Centre will not float away into that great blue yonder if they are not there two hours before their first match’. A compromise is reached – Go back to bed and I will set the clock.
At last it is time for the game. They take to the court to the loud cheering of their proud parents, grandparents and various relatives who are already regretting having over indulged the previous day.
To borrow from another discipline “The throw in and the game is on “. They hit the ground running. From end to end of the court they chase every ball, they run with every ball and are not afraid to try and score. Every ball is competed for, every means is used to wrestle the ball from the opponent and every means is used to wrestle the ball from the opponent and every means is used not to surrender said ball. We all remember mighty tussles between little girls who were only knee high to a grasshopper where the referee had to prise the ball from their vice-like grasp. Even then it was only released with great reluctance when their feet were six inches off the ground.
As the decibels rise parents are thanking God that they decided to forego that extra tipple on Christmas Day.
Too soon it is all over. Unfortunately one team tastes defeat but be assured it is defeat on the scoreboard only. The team members can hold their heads high. They have worn the jersey with pride. They have done their best. They have provided entertainment and more importantly they have taken another step towards learning ‘team’, ‘us’, ‘we’ and ‘they’ rather than ‘me’, ‘me’, ‘me’.
Blitz Programme 2006