Their are many more then just three reasons to play hurling but we want to highlight some of our favorite for playing. So without further ado, here is the Chicago Micheal Cusacks top three reasons you should be playing hurling. 1) Hurling is one of the most competitive sports you will ever come across. I've personally played many sports in my life. Soccer, American football, Tennis, Golf, Gaelic Football but nothing has ever come close to the passion I feel every time I step on a hurling pitch. I'm a super competitive person and hurling has given me an outlet to use that competitive nature as an outlet. Hurling takes a lot of learned habits and skill, which at first can seem daunting but once acquired make the game that much more fun. I started playing when I was younger and still find it challenging today. I think that's also a huge part of why you should play hurling. Its a constant challenge every time you step foot onto the field, whether its learning to strike, hand-pass, or lift a ball off of the ground there is endless possibilities of things to learn and do. 2) Traveling for matches, tournaments and championships. If you thought that hurling is just some weird stick game with a small team in Chicago then you are VERY wrong. The hurling movement in the U.S.A. is growing as we speak with teams from all over this country and others competing yearly. This massive network has led to clubs like ours looking for games with other clubs and as a result of that tournaments have popped up all over the states. Traveling and playing in these one day weekend tournaments are some of the most fun experiences I've had in my life. What other club/recreational sport in America takes you to different parts of the country to play against other clubs? (The answer is none) Playing a few matches during the day then pints with the guys afterwards? It's a win for everyone involved. One of my favorite tournaments to play in is our own. We usually have 15-20 teams competing on a variety of levels and its always a good time for everyone involved. Another great tournament to take a look at is the Indianapolis GAA tournament, talk about a well run tournament. Always a blast they're great people and its a fun night out in Indy afterwards. Cant forget about the North American Finals those are always very exciting. Each year teams from across the country compete in a weekend tournament at a city decided by the North American GAA. Playing in smaller matches and tournaments is how we prepare for the championship. It's an absolute blast. Anyways, traveling with your club to play in these tournaments or even just matches is a blast and I highly encourage it. 3) The guys you play with and people you meet There's always those a handful of people you meet who name their hurls or wear kilts or shit like that. First off don't be that person, that isn't hurling. Anyways once you get past those guys hurling really has reached pretty much all walks of life. Last year at a tournament I got into it with a player from Denver on the field. We exchanged words and went our own ways but later that night I met him off the field at a bar and it turns out he was a doctor. What are the chances of that? It's amazing how many people you meet. Joining a team is also a great way to makes new friends and get to know someone. Many of the guys I play with are close friends now, even though I probably didn't know them or would have gotten along with them years ago. The relationships you make will last a lifetime. Alright well those are my three reasons why you should play hurling, if you aren't convinced by now watch this video on repeat of my favorite player JOE CANNING. It has nothing to do with any of the three reasons I just gave you but its someone to watch if you're interested in hurling. |
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