Jason Foley reckons he wouldn’t be where he is today, as the Kerry full back, if it wasn’t for the things he learned at Lios Tuathail athletic club.
As a youngster, Foley was one of their finest young athletes.
He says himself that speed wasn’t his strong point at the very beginning, but it wasn’t long before he was wearing an Irish singlet.
Having contested various sprint and hurdles finals at provincial and national level, Foley was selected to represent his country for the first time in 2013, before donning the green vest again in 2014.
But that was also decision time.
2014 was Foley’s first year as a Kerry minor – it was the year they defeated Donegal in the All-Ireland final – but as much as he loved athletics, he says now that there was no decision to make.
“In a way, you’re sorry you couldn’t stick at it but in Kerry, when you get the call, there’s only one option to take,” he says at the launch of AIB’s sponsorship of the championship.
“And that’s to play with Kerry.”
That’s just how it is.
“I joined Listowel athletic club when I was younger. It was a big part of my life before I had to focus on football.
“I wouldn’t be where I am with Kerry now if it wasn’t for those couple of years that I was stuck in the athletics.”
“Your running mechanics is a very important thing these days and our coaches inside still emphasise that.
“Having those good habits from a young age was very important, you’re a bit ahead of your time then when you come into GAA settings. The speed and agility was a good basis for me.
“My mom was really into it,” he adds. “And she pushed me to keep up the athletics. She was a great support for me there.
“I had a grá for it, a grá for knowing that it was an individual sport and it was all on you. I wasn’t the fastest when I took it up first but it just shows that there can be improvements made with your speed as you go along.
“It’s great memories. I ran for Ireland twice and a great experience to have ran with some of those athletes who are still involved at a very high level.
“That’s great to see and even to say that you were part of an Irish team.”
Athletics is very different to GAA, and the Ballydonoghue defender says, in 2016, 2017, he was far too light for the standard at senior inter-county level.
“You’ve to focus on your upper body and getting physically stronger then when you’re playing GAA.
“Even when I look back to playing minor and under-21s with Kerry, I was skin and bone really,” he says.
That’s why, for his first few years on the panel, much of his focus was on gaining size.
“I had to really focus on putting on size, and that was tough for a few years, coming in with the senior team in ’16 or ’17.
“Those first couple of years – my sole focus was getting bigger, stronger, without losing the speed at the same time.
“That did take a few years. I played an odd League game in 2017 or ’18 but I was looking at the bigger picture, focusing on getting physically stronger, that I would eventually find my way in.”
Foley is now in the middle of it, and ahead of a Munster final this Sunday, he’s ready to rock and roll.
“I’m looking forward to getting up to Limerick and getting stuck in,” he says.
Whatever way it goes, the kids in school will have a smile for their teacher when he returns on Monday.
“There’s always huge excitement in the school, during the League and the championship.
“It’s nice to arrive into work of a Monday morning and even if you’ve lost the game, the kids still tell you that you played well!”
Kerry’s Jason Foley was speaking as AIB has announced a five-year extension to its sponsorships of the GAA All-Ireland Football Championship, the AIB GAA All-Ireland Club Championships and the AIB Camogie All-Ireland Club Championships. AIB is extremely proud to be extending their support of #TheToughest championships, as well as the players and communities involved in Gaelic Games nationwide.
