Milwaukee Hurling Club Emphasizes Sociability

By Rebecca Russell 

Nearly everyone who has read a Harry Potter thriller has paused to wonder what life would be like if they had a magic wand. What they don’t realize is that magic wands aren’t made of phoenix feathers or dragon heartstring; they’re made of ash. They’re not short and round. They’re about three feet long and flattened at the end. They can’t be purchased in Diagon Alley, but they can be found right here in Milwaukee. Every Sunday at Brown Deer Park, hundreds of members of the Milwaukee Hurling Club pick up their hurleys, and the magic begins.

No other word more accurately describes the energy that emanates from the members and the spell that seems to fall over the crowd. Early in the day, players and families arrive with tents, coolers, grills and blankets. This is clearly not your average sporting event. "Social event" is a much more accurate description. Players arrive long before their own games start and stay to cheer on their friends. It’s an amazing thing to witness a day of hurling, even more amazing when you consider there was a time when the club could barely field two teams, and no one thought they would ever succeed.

The fun began in 1996 at a Milwaukee bar called the Black Shamrock. A group of friends who shared a love of Irish culture and tradition got together one night and watched a hurling video. It looked like fun to them, it was something new and different so they decided they wanted to try the sport. With the financial support of the bar owner and a group of about 30 people, the Milwaukee Hurling Club was born.

No one thought the sport, which dates back to pre-Christian times in Ireland, could possibly catch on in the United States. "When the club was just an idea," said Administrative Coordinator Karen Fink, "people told them that there was no way they could bring hurling to Milwaukee. Not only did we do it, but we are, I think, the second largest hurling organization in the world, and the largest in North America."

The club has had to overcome huge obstacles to get to this point. In the beginning, even getting equipment was a daunting task. "The club had to find hurley makers in Ireland willing to do business with a small American hurling club that was still trying to get off the ground," Fink explained. "Members would actually schedule vacations to Ireland to bring back hurleys." 

Now the club has established relationships with the equipment makers and the Gaelic Athletic Association. The GAA itself is amazed at how the Milwaukee club has grown and thrived. "We’re looked at as a treasure," said Operations Coordinator Dave Olson. "They just can’t understand how we’ve done it."

The secret is now out. Milwaukee created a training program that emphasizes skills and safety, they’ve adapted the rules to allow for co-ed teams and to make it easier on the officials, and they’ve established a draft system that equalizes the teams at the beginning of each season. "All the teams are balanced," Olson explained, "and that has a huge impact. Everybody is on a good team, and everybody has hope." 

More important than winning, though, is the fact that this allows everyone to play with everyone else. "Your teammate one year is your opponent the next," Olson stated. "The result is we all cheer for everyone." Founding member Kim Koch added, "We all want to see everyone thrive."

Perhaps the feeling is best summed up by camogie captain Jessica Huver. "From the moment I joined, I felt like I had been adopted by a very large, wonderfully eclectic family. Each new season, more and more people join the family. It is awesome, the amount of support given by my teammates and the unconditional friendships that form." 

"The people make it special," said Koch. "Anyone who picks up a stick, we are automatically connected." And that is truly magical.
 

The teams and their sponsors:

HURLING:

County Clare Cats
1230 N. Astor St.
272-5273 

McBob's Pub Gael Winds
4919 W. North Ave. 
871-5050 

The Harp Titans
113 E. Juneau Ave. 
289-0700 

Milwaukee Ale House Marauders
233 North Water St.
226-BEER 

The Shamrock Club Griffins
2133 W. Wisconsin Ave. 
345-8800 

Derry Hegarty's Warriors
5328 W. Bluemound Rd. 
453-6088 

The Tracks
1020 E. Locust Ave. 
414-562-2020 

Packy's Pub
4068 S Howell Ave 
414-483-4546 

CAMOGIE:

The Gig
1132 E. Wright Street 
562-0219

Club Garibaldi
2501 South Superior Street 
483-6335 

YOUTH TEAMS:

County Clare
1230 N. Astor Street 
272-5273 

Jimbo's Pizza
5950 North 76th Street 
462-2400 
 

Schedule and Contact Information:

All matches take place at Brown Deer Park on Sundays. Youth games begin at 9:45. Hurling matches are at 11:00, 12:30, 2:00 and 3:30. 

For more information, call the Hurler’s Hotline, 414-297-9490, e-mail info@hurling.net, or visit their website at www.hurling.net.