Tipperary students are on the ball when it comes to developing new PE game

A Tipperary school has again taken one of the top awards at PExpo ’23 held in DCU, Dublin.

Joe Howard, Paudie Bourke, Tomás O’Shea and Cillian Barlow from the Abbey School in Tipperary Town brought their new invention - a game called Garuso - to PExpo’ and came away with the top prize in the Games Development category.

The aptly-named Garuso ball combines elements of GAA, rugby and soccer using an oval Aussie rules football. The format is seven-a-side on a 40 x 30m pitch, with a shorter playing time for games.

“It allows people from different sporting backgrounds to play together.

“For instance a rugby tackle is permitted, but if the ball hits the grounds, soccer rules take over. The use of an oval ball makes a difference and improves handling skills,” said the group, who enjoy playing the game together and hope to get other schools interested.

Students from the Abbey school took the overall senior award at PExpo in 2021.

PExpo, developed in association with the Physical Education Association of Ireland, was first held in 2015 and is now in its ninth year. Its aim is to promote a better understanding of PE, sport, fitness and health among second level school students.

For the exhibition, based loosely on the Young Scientists format, students are invited to submit projects under one of nine headings, including the power of sport, technology in sport, well-being, components of fitness, nutrition, games development, psychology, and two categories linked to the physical education curriculum for the Leaving Certificate.

Prizes are divided into two age groups - junior for up to third year and senior for fourth year and higher.