Words to live your life and playing your GAA by.
Ryan McHugh has his head firmly on his shoulders. Donegal may have lost a host of big stars but McHugh is the personification of the county’s next generation of stars more than ready to grasp the baton.
The Kilcar youngster’s head was not swayed by soccer trials with Reading during his teenage years. Club and inter-county football was his goal and he poured every waking hour into making his mark in the game.
In 2014, he claimed the Young Player of the Year award. He was only getting started.
By the end of 2017, the name Ryan McHugh will be on every lip all over the island, writes @ConanDoherty https://t.co/rDuhsJGkAx
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) December 31, 2016
Last week, McHugh spoke to The GAA Hour about seeking out Sigerson Cup glory with a University of Ulster side coached by his father, Martin. Finding a balance between GAA and his academic pursuits was tough, he admitted, but study simply had to come first.
McHugh took some time out from his hectic playing, training and studying schedule to drop along to Malin GAA’s Minor Board presentations on Sunday evening.
He showed up well in advance of the team and individual presentations and was more than happy to chat to the Gaelic hopefuls and stars of tomorrow. His speech to a captivated audience was pure class. McHugh said:
“A bit of advice I would give to every young kid – in football, hurling, ladies football or whatever it is – is to enjoy every single minute of it. If I was not enjoying it, I would not be standing here. I would not be playing for Donegal, Kilcar; I’d be sitting at home and watching TV or playing Playstation.”
The 22-year-old spoke about getting up at 8am, earlier that morning, to get ready for a game before driving up to the Malin clubhouse. There was no place he would rather be, he declared, and he certainly would not swap GAA for any other sport you could name.
McHugh’s most inspirational words centred around respect. He said:
“The one real piece of advice I would say is to have respect for everyone – no matter if it is your managers, your teammates, the opposition, referees, umpires, linesmen, parents, absolutely everyone.
“It’s the simple, wee things. I know when I go home at night, I leave my gear at the washing machine and when I come back it is washed. Simple things like that, that mammies and daddies do. My dad dropping me off at training and my own mother washing my gear.
“Always have respect. Say ‘thank you’. Simple things like that make you a better footballer.
“If you take anything away from me being up here tonight, it’s to always have respect and enjoy every single minute.”
He stayed for hours after his speech, posed for photos and even took on some of the young players in games of pool.
McHugh is back at it again this week and, no doubt, keeping to his word – the same words that will inspire the next generation of young GAA stars.
