Ned Power’s contribution to Waterford GAA over the course of his life was mostly at grass roots level rather than at the inter-county level.

It’s fair to say that he was more of a revolutionary working from within rather than anyone who would toe the line, so to speak.  He had his own views on how things should be and he was steadfast on these.  There was a way of taking free, for example.  There was a technique to it that had to be followed, involving the correct stance, position and approach, which included rolling, not scooping, the ball.  You can be successful 99% of the time if you scoop it, but you could be successful 100% of the time if you roll it.

Roll it... Don't scoop it up like a shovel!

There was an ad for a certain Dublin-brewed stout on the telly a few years ago where a player is lining up to take a free.  The thought of being given a pint of stout keeps him going mentally as he prepares to take the free.  But when he lifts to take the shot, what does he do?  That’s right – he scoops instead of rolling.  Sure enough, if you look carefully at the frame where the hurley connects with the ball, you’ll see that it’s the upper part of the stick that hits the ball.  Why?  Because the guy didn’t roll the bloody ball, so in this case his scooping resulted in the ball not being exactly where he wanted it to be; where it should connect with the bas.  In reality, therefore, although the tone of the ad would lead you to believe that drinking porter is important to your fitness and that this particular alcoholic free-taker actually scored, his shot was almost certainly weak and off-target.

Waterford to win the All-Ireland in 2010.

“My Father: A Hurling Revolutionary, the life and times of Ned Power” is out on paperback at the end of November 2009.  Click here for further information, pre-order and excerpt.