Waterford Camogie manager Derek Lyons is happy to have a return date in sight which will allow him and his backroom team to kick start the 2021 campaign for the Deise.
Lyons was appointed in the new year having previously headed up the minor and under 21 hurling teams.
"It's fantastic news. I mean, much-awaited, not just from me as a manager, and the backroom team, but obviously, the players themselves, the girls are just mad to get out on the field as well, like, you know, as everybody is getting back in return to sport in general. Outdoor activities, I suppose have been acknowledged as one of those safer areas you know, so we were all waiting anxiously for the good news, and this is a good news story of the highest order from our perspective. So yeah, it'll be great to get out on the field again"
Spending his early tenure working with the group from a distance, the Dungarvan native will be more than ready to get his boots back on and ramp up training efforts for the coming months.
This week, the announcement from the government means that inter county training will be permitted to resume from April 19th.
"Yeah, look, I mean, it's really positive. We had actually had a zoom call last night with girls and so were really excited. It comes with a little bit of trepidation and fear, I suppose and anxiety and there's always that uncertainty. It is subject to everything remaining on the level that's acceptable for the government, and for an NPHET so like, while we have good news, we're still not out on the field, but we won't take anything for granted."
"We've seen enough over the last 12 months to see that virus moves with ease so look, but we're delighted with the dates and that the GAA have already committed to announcing a schedule of fixtures by the end of next week. That will really give a clearer picture as to what will open in terms of whether it's National League and whats beyond that. So I think that clarity is now the next piece of the jigsaw just to put people at mind in terms of club activities vs intercounty activities."
"But yeah, really, really thrilled and the lads I'm sure are tired of just training away on their own inside garages and bedrooms and kitchens and out in the back gardens and stuff and just want to get back together and meet up with each other and get back into that collective environment."
With "Zoom" becoming an overused work in every household this past 12 months, the backroom team had to get creative to build a team environment when nobody could meet in person. Part of the approach was to cater training programmes for all the players to be completed at home. Lyons is hoping the work that goes in behind the scenes will pay dividend once they get back to the pitch.
"I’ve no doubt that if the girls are doing the programme that's been laid out from at home, then we have no worries in that area. I mean, these girls are elite athletes, so they will be obviously looking to be in the best possible shape they can before they get back to training outdoors because it's a different environment. Like we’re conscious that training on your own, obviously is a lonely environment, for starters, and we've introduced a couple of zoom sessions where there's collective training in the social media context I suppose. We have girls working at home, but these days, they feel a shared part of a training session when it's done on zoom."
"Beyond that, I mean the whole transition from training at home doing s&c stuff and doing a bit of running maybe in your own locality. Then suddenly arriving on a pitch and doing typical training drills that you're associated with Camogie and hurling that's a different world of stuff. There’s a transition to happen there as well in terms of the movement from the outdoors on the roads running on road and dirt tracks into the field and doing all those exercises but yeah, look I've no doubt what we're seeing the girls themselves with the feedback coming back from the program."
"It's very positive and we’ll be very happy to pick up now when we get up on the field and then driving on from there."
Having started the job, and not being allowed to actually get his sleeved rolled up, Lyons is now on the final countdown until the real work can begin.
"For all of us, the management team the whole lot as a group it's a new start for us and I certainly feel like a child with a new toy - I'm just mad to get out there and get into the mix with the girls and start to learn a little bit more. I've come to know them very well already in space of the eight or nine weeks that we've been doing the zoom calls and keeping in contact with each other with the WhatsApp groups and stuff so I won't have the problem of starting to put a face to a name as I would have had from day one as was in the outdoor scene and now I've seen all the faces and I know the names and it will almost be like I've been with them before."
"Look it's really exciting times and I think we can hopefully bring a whole new atmosphere to the setup."
"I'm really excited about it and I know the girls are looking forward to it as well. So hopefully we can get back and hopefully we will have a productive season and it won't be interrupted with further departures because of covid."
