Teenagers and young adults in both individual or team sports always had to deal with “not making it.” This could be not qualifying for a competition, not making the medals or not performing up to their best on the day. However, some teenagers and young adults have to deal with being cut or dropped from a panel.
This has been happening for years. However, it’s become more pronounced now. Years ago, you received your invite into inter-county teams via post and, if you didn’t make it, you might have been pulled aside after a training session and told. It would be days or weeks before those outside of a player’s close circle might know, giving them the chance to deal with the disappointment.
Now, because of increased mainstream and social media coverage, more people know more—and they know it quicker. They know who’s on the panel and who’s not soon after it’s announced.
A player dealing with being dropped may not have a lot of time to digest it before a torrent of calls and WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, phone messages.
What can they do to deal with the disappointment? And what can parents and friends of those who get cut do to help?
Sports Psychologist Aoife O’Callaghan spoke on Monday evenings Terrace Talk.
