IT’S mad that the biggest news in GAA as the year kicks into gear isn’t about football at all – it’s that the AFL has swooped in and offered an opportunity of a professional contract to one of the jewels in Tyrone’s attacking crown, Cathal McShane. 

The AFL scouts must lick their lips looking at these ready-made pros, such is the quality at the top and the level of professionalism in which these guys approach the game.

I’ve talked about it in the past how the most successful players, the All-Ireland winners, the All-Stars, the stand out performers leave clues in how they train, how they eat and their lifestyle in general as to why they are getting the results they do – they’re as close to pros as the amateur game will see. 

I’m sure Cathal, and any of the other guys who have made the switch to the AFL, will note there is still a significant step up in what’s required to bring yourself up to even an acceptable professional level. However, given the mindset they’ve developed with how they go about getting the most from themselves in the amateur game it’s a challenge that’s undoubtedly relished.  

That’s one side of the coin. A more worrying trend is the other side, that the costs of a more and more ‘professional approach’ outweighs the value. Tyrone haven’t only lost one top attacking player in McShane.

Connor McAliskey stepped off the panel this year too and you’re seeing it around the country with several players, plenty of them big names within the game, saying that they feel like a year away from high stakes demands of intercounty football will serve them better than another year of the sacrifices it brings with it.

For anyone, from a man on the bench for his reserve team to the All-Star top scorer in the country it will always come down to one simple question, does the cost outweigh the value? If you feel like the work you’re putting it is worth it, then you keep at it. 

You keep pushing yourself to see how far you can go, how much you can improve and find out what it takes for you to be your very best. If you feel like it isn’t worth it.

If you’d be happier training a little less, having more time to yourself to spend with your friends and family, and not that you’d be in a better place if you put less pressure on yourself then maybe it’s time to hold the hands up and say I could do with taking a step back. 

Having a realistic goals, a clear plan in place to reach them and a good team around you that’ll help you get there will go a long way toward the value of your efforts dwarfing what it costs. If you are feeling a little overwhelmed at the start of the year think about getting more specific with what you want to achieve in 2020. Get a one-to-one with a coach and use their help to roadmap out what needs to happen to get there! 

For more training and nutritional advice you can catch me on Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook by simply searching PGthePT.

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