- Profiles
Ciara O'Brien
Womens Hockey International, Ciara OBrien who has more than 100 caps for Ireland outlines her development at Railway Union Hockey Club and the commitment required to be an international hockey player while studying and working. This is her story in her own words ….
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- Projects
Irish Amateur Rowing Union
The Irish Amateur Rowing Union are developing the Wet row programme for schools linking with existing clubs
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- Real Life Stories
Ruth Kilkenny
International Badminton Player, Ruth Kilkenny outlines her experiences since moving to Denmark to train full-time. Here is her story so far...
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Let's Go Now
You've heard many of the reasons girls should be active. We know that if a girl does not participate in sports by the age of 10, there is only a 10% likelihood she will be participating at age 25. (Bunker, 1988). Research suggests that physical activity is an effective tool for reducing the symptoms of stress and depression among girls. Sports help girls develop leadership and teamwork skills. Girls who participate in sports have higher self-esteem and pride in themselves.
Physical activity is anything that moves your body and gets your heart pumping. Working out on a regular basis (at least three days a week) will make you strong, increase energy and flexibility and turn you into a physically active person.
You don't have to run a marathon or swim the English Channel to be considered active. Whether you engage in light activity like throwing a Frisbee or more vigorous activity like running, you are still engaging your body in movement, and that's what matters.
It's important to also emphasise that being a physically active person means a lot more than the numbers on the scale. Here are some of the other benefits of being active:
Strength is good for all sports as well as life. Getting stronger means your muscles are more capable of kicking a soccer ball far, lifting and carrying more or jumping higher.
Stamina means more energy. You can keep going; you can run further, climb more stairs, keep working and playing longer—without feeling winded.
Flexibility feels more graceful. You feel more elastic, have more bounce in your walk and are able to touch your toes or reach a high shelf.
Improved self-esteem This is probably one of the most important benefits for girls. When girls work out, they start to appreciate and respect their bodies for the amazing movement it's capable of. This in turn will help them to have higher self-esteem than girls who aren't physically active.