‘Always be prepared’ - Forde’s message to future stars
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The Westmeath under 14 hurlers at Friday’s gear presentation in TEG Cusack Park, with sponsor Mick Stones, MJS Building and Development, New York.Image 2 of 6
The under 14 football squad at Friday’s gear presentation in TEG Cusack Park, with sponsor Mick Stones, MJS Building and Development, New York.Image 3 of 6
Back row: Joe Fallon, Tommy Keena, Pat Dempsey, Darrach Fleming, Damien Cassidy, Kevin Reynolds, Ronan Farrell. Front row: John McDonnell, Barry Williams, Frank Mescall, Michael Stones of MJS Building and Development New York, sponsor, Paddy Wallace and Keith Quinn.Image 4 of 6
Martin Glynn, Tom Keane and Ronan Leavy at Friday evening’s presentation of gear.Image 5 of 6
Yvonne Craig and Niamh Muldoon from Clonkill were in attendace on Friday.Image 6 of 6
James, left, and Michael Stones, right, of MJS Building and Development New York, with Luke Loughlin, Lorcan Dolan and Kieran Martin.Westmeath senior footballer Robbie Forde delivered a powerful and personal message to the next generation of players at last Friday's development squad gear presentation in TEG Cusack Park. He urged them to embrace the sport, appreciate its challenges, and always be ready for their opportunity.
The Moate All Whites forward spoke candidly to the young players about the reality of inter-county football, describing it as a huge commitment but one that offers rich rewards to those who persevere. His message of resilience, humility, and the power of preparation struck a chord and sat well with the players of the future.
“I think there's no use in doing it if you don't enjoy it. It's nearly like a second job at times. But there are huge rewards for it. Myself and Luke (Loughlin) have seen that. We've got some big finals in Croke Park. It's a great day for Westmeath. So there are these rewards and all the work that's put in. But it can be tough and it can be draining,” he admitted.
Forde emphasised that personal motivation goes hand-in-hand with representing something greater than yourself. “And one of the main reasons that we do it is for our parents, for our friends, for our club. So that's one of the things that really does keep us going. But as Luke said, losing games in the league was very tough. And it was very hard to pick ourselves up off the ground. But we have a really good tight-knit group in there. We're all very friendly.”
Reflecting on their recent victory over London in the Tailteann Cup, Forde said the trip abroad helped players to bond.
“We had a trip to London last week. It was just a great experience to all go together. We're all different clubs. We'd be killing each other on the pitch in the club championship, but when it comes to Westmeath, we're all together. There's no egos. There's no nothing. We're all one thing. We want to try and get Westmeath back up to the top.”
With a clear eye on the future, he shared the squad’s current ambition.
“Hopefully this year our aim now is to try and win the Tailteann Cup, to gain our spot in the All-Ireland series again. But I think you have to be enjoying it,” said Forde, who works as a Games Promotions Officer (GPO) with Athlone GAA.
The Moate All Whites star said enjoyment is key. “If you're not enjoying it, you need to ask the question 'why am I doing this'. What's my purpose for playing for Westmeath? What's my purpose for playing football?”
He then recalled a standout moment from last year’s campaign, one that underlined the importance of attitude and readiness.
“Best one, I'd say it was last year when we played Down in the league here. I didn't start the game. I was kind of annoyed that I didn't start the game. It was being televised on TG4. I remember the lads were slagging me because I had been playing a few games and I didn't start. Then all of a sudden one of our players got injured after three minutes. I was thrown into the game; ended up scoring four points, and got man of the match on TG4. I was on TV and on the interviews; all the lads were in the club watching it, laughing and joking. I was celebrating. I had a great time.”
Forde’s honesty struck a chord as he reflected on how the day unfolded. “It was just like, I went out that morning and didn't think I was playing. I was told probably the day before I wasn't going to be playing. And I was sort of (thinking), ‘I just have to get on with it’. If I get my chance, which I thought might be in the second half, I come on and go do a job. Three minutes in, someone gets a bad injury in their ankle. All of a sudden I'm into the game, and then, at the end of the game, I'm awarded with man of the match.”
His takeaway was clear and valuable for every young footballer in the room.
“I think always (be ready); that's a lesson for myself. Always be prepared. You just don't know what's going to happen in the game. You can't just sort of let emotions get stuck to you and be annoyed that the managers are not selecting you. We've all been there. We might not have been picked. We might be giving out, which is 100%; you want to play. That's a good sign. But you have to sort of push that to the side and be ready for the job at hand.”