Hurling wants players

Kristopher Wells formed the idea five years ago.

• Photos

Jackie Ricciardi/Staff

Caleb Willing takes control of the sliotar (ball) as Kristopher Wells defends in a recent match at Patriots Park. Willing and Wells, members of the Augusta Hurling Club, are trying to create local interest in the 3,000-year-old Gaelic sport. Players use hurleys (wooden sticks) in a sport that combines elements of other popular common sports.

On a trip to Ireland, Wells attended a hurling match featuring the best team in a county and a mighty underdog. In extra time, the underdog scored a goal to win by two points.

"It was probably one of the most exciting sports moments I've ever seen," he said.

Inspired by the match, he bought a hurley and brought it back to Dearing, Ga. He soon bought more hurleys (long wooden sticks with wide heads) and a dozen sliotars (balls that are smaller and softer than baseballs). The only problem? No one wanted to give hurling a try.

He finally persuaded some of his friends to give the 3,000-year-old Gaelic sport a chance. Then, some of those friends attracted some of their friends. Eventually, it led to the formation of the Augusta Hurling Club in June.

A group of about 16 meet at 2 p.m. every Saturday at Patriots Park for pick-up games, which feature two halfs that are each about 25 minutes long. Wells said "the big boys play 35-minute halfs."

Games have been played with as few as four people, but Wells said he'd eventually like to develop a local league with a minimum of two teams playing at least 7-on-7 matches.

Hurling, not to be confused with the Winter Olympic sport curling (which is like shuffleboard on ice), is a hodgepodge of familiar sports, Wells said. It is like baseball (players swing the hurley like a bat), basketball (if you carry the ball in your hand more than four steps it's a turnover; you can carry the ball on your hurley as much as you want), hockey (game begins with a face off) and soccer (the ball can be kicked; players score goals).

"It's a combination of every sport you've ever played," he said.

Caleb Willing has played a variety of sports throughout his life. The first time he played hurling, the 23-year-old enjoyed the experience.

"It ended up being a lot of fun," he said. "Plus it was great exercise, a lot of running."

Like many sports, there is some violence. In a recent match, Willing got his feet tangled up with a fellow competitor. Fighting for the ball, Willing took a shot to the right eye and still has a black mark. The injury, though, hasn't stopped him from playing.

"Everybody out there has really enjoyed it," Willing said. "It's something a lot of people can play from a lot of different age groups.

"I think it has a future in Augusta."

Wells is trying to get the sport off the ground. It is fairly inexpensive; interested players need just to show up one Saturday. Wells owns 16 hurleys, enough for a game of 8-on-8. A hurling game typically features 15 players per side, but the Augusta Hurling Club can go with fewer players because it plays on a much smaller field -- the club plays on a soccer field at Patriots Park.

Wells also would like to bring aboard some Irish natives to help show the club what they're doing right and wrong.

He added his club needs some coaching; Wells said clubs in Atlanta are littered with Irish players.

Wells said he'd like his club to eventually play other clubs throughout the Southeast. But first he has to grow the sport described as the "oldest and fastest field sport in the world" in the Augusta area.

"The sport is interesting and fun to play," Wells said. "We just have to get peoples' eyes on it first. It will attract them."

Reach Chris Gay at (706) 823-3645 or chris.gay@augustachronicle.com.