Grouping by Ability in Youth Sport: Streaming in Gaelic Games

Following the introduction of formal competition structures, youth sport often features ability grouping, referred to as streaming, for training and competition. In Gaelic games, a set of participatory sports indigenous to Ireland, streaming is commonly used to organise players. Despite its prevalence, streaming in sport has been under-researched. This study explored the experiences and perceptions of players (n=42), parents (n=24) and coaches (n=19) across five Gaelic games clubs. Semi-structured interviews indicated that streaming was largely perceived as an adaptive feature, offering benefits related to teamship and appropriate challenge across ability levels. However, participants highlighted systemic difficulties such as resource allocation and a lack of flexibility. Additionally, while streaming generally supported players’ motivations, it was perceived to be less effective for female players in lower ability groups. We conclude with the suggestion that the implementation of streaming requires deliberate planning, flexibility and additional support for coaches aiming to navigate the complexity of athlete grouping.