Start an active and healthy 2018 with a FREE public walk on the 13th January as part of Operation Transformation!

If you are looking for something to get you on the road to a healthy and active 2018, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown Sports Partnership has the perfect event for you. As part of our aim to encourage everyone in the County to get active, a FREE 4km public walk will be held on the 13th January in Cabinteely Park at 11am (registration from 10.30am).

This event is being held in conjunction with Sport Ireland and RTE’s Operation Transformation TV programme. On this day every County in Ireland will have a similar walking event to cater for all levels of fitness, but in particular those looking to start exercising again.

Read more: Operation Transformation Walk 2018

Dublin Primary Schools Mini-Basketball takes a novel approach to implementing a child appropriate approach to primary school sport.

35 Finals of the Dublin Primary Schools Mini-Basketball League are taking place in the National Basketball Arena finishing on Tuesday 28^th November.

70 school teams were clustered in groups of no more than five schools and played one another once.  They were then ranked 1, 2, 3 etc. in their cluster. The Dublin Primary Schools Mini-Basketball Board then paired 1s, 2s, 3s etc. for Finals in the National Basketball Arena.

So all participants play in the league and get a Final at their own level.

Each school team also brings two table officials and schools were sent a child-friendly scoresheet with guidelines in advance. 

In all over 800 children are playing and 70 children are officiating.

All children participate in two quarters with no child playing more than two quarters.  All children are awarded a League participation medal and the winning schools are presented with a trophy.

Over 1,500 supporters are enjoying the occasion – most visiting the Arena for the first time.

The Dublin Officials Association is providing referees, and Commissioners oversee the event each day.

This imaginative approach is in keeping with the ethos of the Primary Schools’ Mini-Basketball as outlined in the PSMNC brochure which can be downloaded from www.basketballireland.ie Primary Schools.

The ethos is defined in the PSMNC brochure as “enabling children to learn, play and enjoy basketball in a supportive environment”.  Furthermore the brochure goes on to emphasise the “importance of age appropriate fundamental movement and basketball skills development” while avoiding the “negative aspects of competition for children”.  Samples of negative aspects outlined in the PSMNC brochure include; playing the best players only, complex tactics, early elimination structures and trying to win matches at the expense of player development”.

Teaching videos, the Mini3on3 booklet, Rules, Scoresheet & Guidelines – can be all downloaded on www.basketballireland.ie

For further information on the League contact the Coordinator Catriona Casey on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Or the Chairman Noel Keating on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

UCD Sport in conjunction with Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Sports Partnership are hosting a FREE Seminar on Thursday November 23rd from 6.15pm in the Fitzgerald Debating Chamber in UCD Student Centre.

Every club does its best to keep its existing members and also attract new ones, but sometimes people just drop out or opt out. Peter Smyth, Director of Research in Sport Ireland, will give an overview of what the research is telling us as to why children and adults both start playing sport and also why they might drop out. Armed with this knowledge clubs can then put in place methods to try to maximise retention of their members.

For more information or to register your free place follow this link https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/membership-retention-seminar-tickets-39950418778