Tipperary and Ardfinnan player Samantha Lambert has been selected as a Mentor in this years Lidl's Schools Programme. 

Put on hold in the 2020-21 school year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the #SeriousSupport Schools Programme, supported by the Ladies Gaelic Football Association and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust charity, is back. The #SeriousSupport Schools Programme aims to reduce the drop-out rate in sport participation amongst girls in their junior cert cycle through workshops and training sessions led by current or former inter county players working as athlete mentors in secondary schools across the country. 

Research previously undertaken by Lidl into how sport participation impacts the lives of women both on and off the pitch, and the factors that influence dropout rates, showed that by age 13, 1 in 2 girls drop out of sport and that girls are 3 times more likely to give up sport than boys. Yet, it was discovered that girls who continue to play team sports are 4 times more likely to feel body confident, 80% are more likely to have positive mental wellbeing and 50% feel more supported when compared with their peers who do not play sport.

The Lidl #SeriousSupport Schools Programme will see each of the 26 secondary schools partner with one of Lidl’s athlete mentors who are all current or former inter county ladies Gaelic football players committed to using sport to transform the lives of young people. They will share inspiring stories of their journey through sport and how it has helped them become the people they are today. 

Each selected school will receive inspirational workshops and training sessions from their mentors and they will also undertake a Ladies Gaelic Football project of their own throughout the year, applying the concepts they’ve learned through the workshops. They will also receive a new set of Lidl sponsored team jerseys for the school.

Originally piloted in 7 schools before being rolled out fully across a further 26 schools in the 2019-20 school year, the Lidl #SeriousSupport Schools Programme has delivered proven results and provides schools with the opportunity to make a considerable impact amongst their female students. A survey of students after the initial 2019 programme found that 98% felt it improved their teamwork, 96% said it enhanced their aspirations and 92% increased their confidence as a result.