Kerry Legend Colm Cooper delivers Financial and Football Lessons to St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook
AIB’s Youth Ambassador, Colm ‘Gooch’ Cooper recently visited St Paul’s High School, Bessbrook, who entered this year’s First Trust Bank School Bank Challenge – one of the largest schools competitions in the country.
This programme links directly to the Business Studies curriculum and is designed to develop key business and entrepreneurial skills in a fun and interactive way.
Through the competition, students from St Paul’s High School, will set up and manage their own school bank and compete against other schools in a final for a top prize of £1000.
Himself a banker with AIB, Colm is uniquely placed to advise on both bank and ball handling skills. While at St Paul’s High School he not only offered the school Bank teams some words of wisdom about their business plans, but also took the opportunity to deliver a football masterclass to some of the school’s budding football stars.
Stephen Comer, Senior Manager, First Trust Bank Newry said, “We are delighted for St Paul’s to be involved in First Trust Banks School Bank Challenge this year and that Colm Cooper was able to join us to share some of his wisdom, both on and off the field of play.
“The competition is designed to promote financial and business skills in a fun, open and collaborative way and gives the students an important insight into running a business. It has been exciting to see the innovative ideas the students have come up with to promote their Bank and how they have used different technologies to make it a success.”
Throughout the year Colm will be supporting the Schools Bank Challenge through various school visits to share hints and tips with students participating in the competition. Some schools will also benefit from his footballing prowess during the visit.
Speaking about his involvement Colm said, “I think it is important that young people develop financial and business skills and gain an insight into how to run a business. These skills will stand them in good stead as they become older and enter into the world of work.
“Over the year I am looking forward to meeting many of the students who will get involved in this year’s competition and wish them every success in the competition,” he added.
The visit took place ahead of his club’s participation in the AIB GAA Football All Ireland Senior Club Championship semi final against Castlebar Mitchels on Saturday 15th February.
As the face of the latest TV advertising campaign for the All-Ireland club competition he has argued that this competition is the toughest of them all and hopes this will be the year that he wins the one elusive medal from his collection.
With four All-Ireland championship and four National league medals, seven Munster medals, and now eight All Stars you would think this would be enough to satisfy most, but not ‘The Gooch.
He is a player who has come so near and yet so far with his club and many believe the stars may be finally aligning for Dr Crokes and Cooper this year.
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