Derry forward explains life of isolating county players

By ronan scott

Derry player Benny Heron has painted a picture of what it is like for county footballers in the current coronavirus situation.

With all GAA action postponed, and a lockdown in place which has limited people’s movement, players are now forced to take care of their own training. According to Heron, there is plenty of motivation on players to work as hard as every while they are in lock down.

“I am pretty sure that the players in the top counties will still be working hard. When the action resumes they will be in tip-top shape.

Everybody is in the same boat, and will use this as an opportunity to work on the fitness or to work on the individual skills.”

Heron said that the contact among the Derry team has been limited. Players were told to look after their own fitness. They have been given a running programme to do, and weights to do, and they have to work on those while they are in isolation.

“The management have been in contact with individual players to see how they are doing, and players are keeping in touch but not as a whole group.”

“You definitely need to be self motivated. It’s hard to keep it going particularly when you don’t have a date set in your mind. Nobody knows when it is going to resume. You are sort of in limbo. You are just trying to keep yourself ticking over as best you can.”

It’s fine now for players. They were still training collectively a few weeks ago. But as the days and weeks pass, the harder it will become for players to motivate themselves. Heron accepts this.

“The longer it goes on you probably will lose motivation. It’s only been a week or two since boys have been left to their own devices. There is still that bit of drive to go out and do your sessions.

“Personally I do it at home to clear the head. When you are stuck in the house all day it can be quite frustrating. Getting that work out done is a release. I am sure a lot of the boys are the same.”

However, Heron pointed out that some players are at a disadvantage compared to others.

“Some boys will have more access to gym equipment than others. And then most clubs have closed their pitches. You are trying to get on as best you can, and work with what you can.”

Heron has got gym equipment that he will use at his parents house. It’s not as good as the set up at Owenbeg but it is enough to keep him in a shape that he is happy with.

The problem is that Heron’s parents are self isolating so he just calls up to there house and waves at them through the window before heading back home.

That’s one of the concerns for players, that puts football in perspective.

“I think that everyone is worried,” Heron said.

“My mum and dad would be categorised as high risk. My wife is pregnant, and is due in June. That is a major worry. What is it going to be like for hospitals in June time. I am trying to stay clear of people and my wife is the same. We are trying to make sure we don’t catch something.

“And then you are worried about pupils and other members of staff.

“I am glad to see the schools close. That was the right move.”

Heron is a teacher at St Colm’s in Draperstown. The school has closed in line with government advice.

Pupils have been sent home, and in terms of GAA, their seasons are pretty much over.

“The Gaelic Football competitions, bar year eight, is all over. The hurling competitions were to start. But we haven’t given them much to do because the lads are working away with their clubs. A lot of the players have been given skills work to do through their clubs. So we haven’t given them anything specific.”

His priority as a teacher has been setting up his pupils with the resources that they need for their studies.

“If this is something that is going to be in place long term then giving them things to do to work on their skills would be something that we would look at.”

Heron pointed out that his club, St Colm’s Ballinascreen have taken a safety first approach. They have closed the club grounds, and stopped all training. But they have given all players programmes to work on.

For some the question is, what will happen to the season when the ban on gathering is lifted.

Heron wasn’t sure how they were going to deal with that. He did say that the GAA has an important part to play in the aftermath.

“The GAA is vitally important. There is nothing to watch, nothing to talk about. It is such a focal point in so many people’s lives. When it does come back it will be important to help people’s mood, and getting people socialising together. It is vitally important that it gets back up and running as soon as it can be.”