Paris-bound Paralympian Kerrie on target with tips for Drumree youngsters
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Kerrie Leonard chats to kids at Drumree GAA club.Image 2 of 4
Paralympian Kerrie was presented with a Drumree sweatshirt.Image 3 of 4
Kerrie signing hurls for the young Drumree camogie stars.Image 4 of 4
Paralympian Kerrie Leonard will participate in the archery event. PHOTO: HARRY MURPHY/SPORTSFILE Harry Murphy / SPORTSFILEDrumree GAA under-nine and under-11 camogie teams had a visit from local Paralympian archer, Kerrie Leonard, at training last Thursday night. The girls and their coaches had the privilege of welcoming Kerrie to Drumree GAA to wish her all the best as she gets ready to compete at her second Paralympic games in Paris at the end of this month.
Kerrie is from Culmullen so the girls were delighted to have a local hero visit them and greatly appreciated Kerrie taking valuable time out of her busy schedule.
Kerrie begins the final days of preparation before she travels to Paris with Team Ireland, ahead of the opening ceremony on 28th August. Kerrie will compete in the archery competition which begins omn Thursday 29th August.
Sharing some top tips and sound advice, Kerrie encouraged the young girls to keep practising their skills and to show up at training consistently, and went onto urge them to try out new hobbies too. Kerrie explained to the girls that she competes with herself and always tries to improve on her own personal performance, she is not concentrating on her opponents but always on improving her own performance at each match. The girls asked so many brilliant questions, in the end, the coaches had to step in and cut off the questions before darkness fell! Kerrie spoke of her sporting career, her competition schedule and her achievements to date.
Ronan Walsh, coach with the under-nine team said “it was such an honour for us to have Kerrie visit the our training session tonight and to have a sporting hero in our community take time out and meet with the girls, is just brilliant.
“Kerrie is a fabulous role model for any young person and shared some wonderful advice for our young sports stars.” He went on to say: “We will all be glued to the archery competition at the end of the month and cheering on Kerrie”.
Drumree GAA coaching staff presented Kerrie with a Drumree GAA crested sweatshirt ahead of her competing at her second Paralympics. Everyone at Drumree is supporting Kerrie and who knows there may be another archer in the making amongst these young girls.
Training for under-nine and under-11 teams takes place each Thursday evening - contact Drumree GAA on social media for more information to go try out a training session.