An Cosantóir

An Cosantóir Dec 2017 / Jan 2018 www.dfmagazine.ie 40 | By GNR PARAIC SullIVAN, PR BRANCh G rowing up in Ireland in the 1990s, sport had a huge part to play in my life; from athletics to basketball and from handball to Gaelic football, I tried every- thing. however, Gaelic football was the game that really gripped me. Back then it was just about the game and I remember coaches and family members telling me the most important thing was to "go out and enjoy it". Today, football is about your entire lifestyle. As a 32-year-old who has been immersed in the game at inter-county level for a decade and at club level for over 20 years, I have seen dramatic changes. The demands are higher, the responsibilities on the player are greater and the manner in which football affects each individual off the field is far more taxing. In 2005, I joined the Defence Forces and from day one I learned that maintaining a high level of fitness is paramount. We are required to pass annual fitness tests and need to be vigilant about our weight as well, as we are also subject to annual BMI testing. Success in any facet of life takes preparation, ambition, drive and patience. It is trial and error; a process in which you figure out things that work for you through making mistakes. Once you are willing, things will fall into place for you, as the information is readily available to anyone who wants it. It is then up to you to decipher what is for you and what isn't. On match day, you arrive at the field with your gear bag. Inside are the tools you require: football boots, gloves and gear. You also need a focused mind to carry out your job to the best of your ability. As the ball is thrown in and the game starts, it is all about the football. However, what leads up to it all is a whole other world. A few years ago, my team had a talk from a dietician about the importance of food in sport. Although a lot of the guys would have had a decent enough diet he was really emphasis- ing how important it is to eat properly to enhance your game. When he used an analogy about a car journey, things clicked with me. "Imagine trying to drive a car from Dublin to Galway on five Euros' worth of fuel," he said. "Impossible. The body is simply a machine. We can choose to ignore this fact or with proper research and practice we can utilise it to its maximum ability." His analogy is also relevant for members of the Defence Forces. There is such an array of different roles and job capacities, from carrying out section attacks in the Glen of Imaal, to daily physical training, and ev- erything in between. To be able to partake and succeed in such physically demand- ing activities it is vitally important you are fuelled appropriately. Soldiers can also be on a lengthy career course that has a high demand for physical exercise, so recovery is an absolute must, which also starts with food. Back to sport. In the modern game, the training workload is quite substantial. Most teams are doing three field sessions and a gym session every week, and a lot of players would do some additional exercise of their own also. This takes its

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