Gaelic Football is an Irish sport that has been played for hundreds of years, and now you can try it by joining the Indianapolis Gaelic Athletic Association (Indy GAA). You don’t have to be Irish to join, you just have to like to have fun. Trying a new sport adds a new challenge that you might not have enjoyed for a long time, and Gaelic Football is easy to pick up and provides the intense workout you’ve been searching for.

If you’re looking for a recreational sports league in Indianapolis that provides team comradery, physical strength, and community, then come check out the Indy GAA. We’ll explain what Gaelic Football is, how to play, and how to join our club.

What is Gaelic Football?

Gaelic Football is like soccer if you could use your hands. You move the ball down the field by kicking it, punting it, hand-passing to another player, or bouncing the ball on the ground like dribbling. Now dribbling might sound like basketball, and that’s a fair comparison because the game moves very fast, like a basketball game, except it’s played on a large grass field and not a wooden court. Players can carry the ball for up to four steps before bouncing it again.

A Gaelic football is a round leather ball, similar to a volleyball. The object of Gaelic football is to move the ball down the field to the goal. The goal is like a soccer goal with a field goal over it. Players must shoot the ball into the goal, which is protected by a goalie, to score 3 points, or over the crossbar for 1 point.

Players can tackle opponents to dispossess them of the ball. However, they must use a shoulder-to-shoulder tackle; no deliberate physical contact above the shoulder or below the knees is allowed.

Is Gaelic Football like Rugby?

Many confuse Gaelic football and rugby, because of the physical elements, the movement of the ball with both hands and feet, and the uprights for scoring. Gaelic football is a lot less physical than rugby, which makes it a great sport for former rugby players to try. If you’ve had a few too many rugby injuries, but are still looking for a similar sport, Gaelic football is a great sport to transition to.

A lot of the Gaelic footballers in the Indy GAA were former soccer players. They grew up playing soccer, or maybe still play rec league soccer, but are looking for something new. Soccer players enjoy Gaelic Football so much because it’s very easy to learn.

How Can I Play Gaelic Football in Indianapolis?

The Indy GAA is always accepting new members who are interested in playing Gaelic Football. We have many different opportunities for people to participate throughout the year.

Practice

As a club, we have practice on Wednesday evenings in Broad Ripple Park. Check out our events calendar and then come check out practice to see what Gaelic football is all about. Practices alternate between hurling and Gaelic Football, so if you’re only interested in playing one sport, make sure to check out our events calendar or our Facebook page to see which sport we’re practicing that day.

Hurling is the other sport that we play in our club. Members often play both sports, but there is no pressure to do so. If you want to only play Gaelic football, you can. Just bring cleats and a mouthguard to practice.

Pub League

Once you’ve gotten the idea of Gaelic Football, you’ll want to start playing right away. That’s where our pub league comes in. Pub league is when we have co-ed teams play against each other on Sunday mornings from April – August. It’s a great way to not only learn the sport better but to get to know other club members as well.

Ladies Gaelic Football

While our pub league is co-ed, the Indy GAA also has a dedicated Ladies Gaelic football team that plays in tournaments and at nationals in August. As the summer continues, the ladies Gaelic football team will have their own practices to prepare for the games ahead.

Premiere Nights

If you want to see Gaelic football in action but are not sure you want to try your hand at it yet, join us at Kuntz Stadium in Indianapolis for Premiere Nights. These are usually one Friday a month in the summer. Spectators can sit in the bleachers and enjoy the games while drinking beer from a local area brewery that proudly sponsors our club.

Tournaments

Once you start playing Gaelic Football, you won’t be able to get enough of it. If you want to go beyond pub league, we send teams to tournaments all around the country to play Gaelic football. Participating in tournaments is optional, but those who go enjoy a weekend of competition, comradery, and athleticism.

Come To Play Gaelic Football – Stay For The Free Beer

Our pub league teams are sponsored by local breweries like Bier Brewery, Upland, and Centerpoint. We show our appreciation by buying their beer and having it available for players after pub league on Sundays, or at other events. We also try to have club events at their breweries. The Indy GAA works with the Indianapolis community in many ways, and we are always looking for members who are interested in a club that wants to be a part of the collective we’ve worked hard to achieve and maintain.

If you’re interested in being a part of the Indy GAA or would like to learn more, visit our events page to see what we’ve got going on, or contact registration@indygaa.com to join.