Tag: tournaments

So what is this Indy Invitational thing anyway?

We are now less than two weeks away from the 2022 Indy Invitational, and as we get closer to that date I thought this was a great opportunity to share a little bit more about what the Invitational is for folks who may not be familiar.

A Quick History Lesson

The Indy Invitational is an annual tournament that the Indy GAA has held for over 15 years now, typically on the second weekend of June. For the last 10 years we’ve held the event at World Sports Park, a purpose-built facility for Gaelic sports as well as cricket, rugby, Aussie rules football, and lacrosse.

Fun fact, in 2014, our first year at the park, then-mayor Greg Ballard attended the event and officially declared it “Indianapolis GAA Day”.

The event also started as a hurling only competition but has grown with the club to now offer competitions in Camogie, both Ladies and Gentlemen’s Gaelic football, and even youth matches, making it one of the largest USGAA competitions outside of Nationals.

Over the years the event has become a favorite among clubs in the midwest, and has also attracted competition from Denver, Washington DC, Atlanta, Greenville, Nashville, and even Canada!

How You Can Participate/Help

We need you, YES YOU, to help make the 2022 event a success, and there are three main ways you can do this – COMPETE, VOLUNTEER, or SPECTATE!

How can I Compete?

A tournament is nothing without competitors, so we welcome ALL of our members, of all abilities and experience levels to come and play. Whether that’s with an Indy GAA team, or as a fill-in player for any travel teams who may be short a player or two — If you show up, you will be on a team! A list of teams and brackets will be posted soon so you can get a taste of the competition. Fill out this form to let us know you’ll be there.

Volunteers Needed!

This event would not be possible without the time and effort of VOLUNTEERS. Numerous members as well as their family members and friends have stepped up over the years to make this event happen, and this year is no different. We need folks willing to act as task runners, keep score, judge lines and goals, run registration and information tables, and even just greet people and welcome them to our city. If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering please fill out this form.

Come and Watch

What’s the best way to ensure the success and growth of this tournament and the great Gaelic games? Introducing them to new people! I encourage you to share details about the event with your friends and family, and have them come out and watch. We will have beer provided by our tournament sponsor Bier Brewery, as well as food trucks. There will also be viewing tents to help keep spectators cool and shaded. Admission is free!

If you have any questions leading up to the event please let us know, and we look forward to seeing you on the pitch on June 18th!