EIGHTEEN coaches at a Northside football club are aiming to lose 200 pounds collectively during an eight-week programme to raise money for Diabetes Ireland.
The idea stemmed from a chat amongst managers at Balbriggan FC which found that as many as 90 per cent of the group were over 15 stone and they decided they were not happy about it.
One of the coach’s sons was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and with many having family histories of the disease, they decided to kill two birds with the one stone and fundraise for charity while also getting fitter and healthier.
Local trainer Dan Byrne is putting the coaches through their paces during the programme which initially set out to break 100 pounds collectively. However, after the coaches smashed that target weeks ago, their eyes are now set on 200lbs entering the last week.
Ray Kelly, a coach with the club’s Under 16A side, explained what the buzz has been like amongst the group who meet on Mondays between 8pm and 9pm.
“We’ve got the use of an all-weather pitch here in Balbriggan, and Dan Byrne sets out a very basic fitness programme,” said Mr Kelly.
“It could involve a jog around because we are so unfit and now, at this stage, we’re doing full, two or three laps around the full pitch. We’re trying to encourage healthier lifestyles because there’s a couple of lads there that need it. One fella was 22 stone. He’s terrified and wouldn’t go to the gym, but now he’s absolutely loving it and he’s two stone down now and he’s able to run with us.”
Diabetes Ireland gave each coach a sponsorship card to raise funds and an online page has been set up with the deadline set for Sunday, April 23 where the final weigh-in will take place and the cheque will be handed over at the club.
“As well as that, we will all try and run a mile together and two of the guys are organising a tattoo artist to come down on the 23rd (of April),” said Kelly,
“They are going to tattoo two of the guys with the Diabetes Ireland logo, along with their kids’ names and whatever else on them.”
However, don’t think for a single second that the coaches will be going back to their lazy ways after this weekend.
“We’re going to keep it going and one of the lads has suggested that we do the next one for the Irish Heart Foundation,” added Kelly.
REPORT: Brein McGinn