The overcast skies and drizzling rains, redolent of Ireland’s wet climate, seemed appropriate as Stanford’s unofficial hurling team took to the Oval last Saturday.

The team’s latest training session was the fourth led by Paul Bayley and Eamonn Gormley of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). Over the past few months, the pair has organized scrimmages, led drills and taught this novice group of Stanford hurlers the rules of the ancient Irish game.

Hurling is a field sport played with a wooden stick called a hurley and small leather ball called a sliothar. The object is to score points by getting the sliothar into the net or between the goal posts of the opposing team. Players can use either their hands or hurleys, which have large, flat ends that allow players to balance the sliothar on their sticks or hit the ball out of the air. Hurlers can also catch the ball, but they can walk only three steps while holding it. They also cannot pick the ball up off of the ground; instead, they must scoop it up with the hurley and catch it.

Hurling practice started fall quarter, when Gormley, a member of the North American Board of the GAA, was contacted by Sam Svoboda ‘11, a contributing writer for The Daily, who was looking for some outside support to start a team at Stanford. In addition to training, the GAA has provided the team with 10 new and five used hurleys and several sliothars to use during their weekly practice.

Gormley said he was eager to support a hurling team at Stanford because generating interest in the sport on college campuses is a great way to spread “real Irish culture,” which is too often negatively associated with drinking.

“Our sports are a more positive representation of our culture,” he said.

He added that the fast pace of hurling would appeal to college students because it makes the sport such an exciting game to play and watch.

“It’s one of the fastest-moving games,” he said. “For that reason it is much better than soccer or American football.”

It was not the first time Gormley had been contacted by a Stanford student about starting a hurling team. Two years ago, John Mulrow ‘08 enlisted his help to organize a team. According to Gormley, quite a number of players came out for the team, but interest died when Mulrow left campus to spend a year abroad in Zambia.

After hearing about Mulrow’s efforts, Svoboda decided to resurrect Stanford’s hurling team this year.

Svoboda’s interest in the sport had been stimulated during a trip to Ireland in which he saw the national championship of hurling on television.

“It was a really intense, exciting match,” he recalled.

His first opportunity to try the game out for himself was at an Irish fair in Minnesota. He enjoyed the game so much, he asked for a hurley for Christmas.

But besides playing with his brother in his yard, Svoboda had never had the chance to participate in a real game of hurling.

“I tried to get in touch with some of the teams in my hometown of Chicago, but I got no response,” he said.

Organizing a hurling team at Stanford seemed like the perfect opportunity to be able to play the sport with other people.

“It was also nice because I knew everyone would be a beginner. We would all be on the same level,” Svoboda said.

Although creating a team on a campus with few experienced hurlers might have its advantages, it can also be quite frustrating at times. While there are 15 people on a hurling team, Stanford’s team has only six dedicated members, according to Svoboda. Mulrow, who has returned to the Farm, recently joined.

In addition, Svoboda is struggling to attain club status for the hurling team so that they can receive funding from the ASSU. Although he filed the paperwork to become an official organization months ago, he has yet to hear from them about the status of his application.

Nevertheless, Stanford’s hurling team has come a long way.

“Although the team has not been playing for very long, they are already mastering the basic skills,” said Gormley.

“It’s a very easy game to pick up,” said Svoboda.

Gormley and Svoboda said they hope Stanford’s team will soon be able to compete against other colleges in the area.

When asked aboAut his long-term goals for the team, Svoboda said he is just hoping for enough members to sustain long-term stability.

“Maybe then we can start thinking about an NCAA championship for hurling,” he added.