We hosted our school science Fair last October - Aoife and Leah impressed visiting judges with their innovative and socially impactful project, A Level Playing Field.
The girls and their project went on to represent TNS at the grand final on the 13th Feb in TUD Blanchardstown.
Inspired by their passion for sport and fairness, the girls set out to tackle a common but often overlooked issue in youth and amateur competitions — the fielding of ineligible players. Level Playing Field is an app designed to make it impossible for teams to play athletes who are over age, out of grade, or unregistered. By digitising and verifying player eligibility, the app promotes integrity and transparency across all levels of sport.
But Aoife and Leah didn’t stop there. Recognising the growing importance of player welfare, they also incorporated a concussion-tracking feature. This element of the app flags reported head injuries and helps ensure that players do not return to play before it is medically safe to do so — prioritising health alongside fairness.
To inform their design, the girls conducted extensive research, surveying almost 80 coaches as well as a number of referees to better understand the real challenges faced on the ground. They also sought expert advice and guidance from major sporting organisations including the Gaelic Athletic Association, Ladies Gaelic Football Association, Football Association of Ireland and the Irish Rugby Football Union. Each organisation responded with words of encouragement — and the Football Association of Ireland even offered the girls tickets to an upcoming women’s international soccer match in recognition of their initiative!
This year’s Mini Scientist competition saw an incredible 7,000 entrants nationwide, with only 80 students progressing to the Grand Final in Dublin. At the Grand Final, held in Technological University Dublin Blanchardstown, Aoife and Leah not only impressed the judges with their professionalism, research and presentation skills, but were also inspired by the exceptional standard of projects on display from schools across the country.
They were particularly fascinated by innovative investigations into water filtration systems, creative experiments on growing plants without soil, and of course, several impressive projects exploring the science behind hurling. The experience provided them with new ideas, fresh perspectives and even greater motivation to continue exploring how science can solve real-world problems.
Following a full day of judging, Aoife and Leah received outstanding feedback. Judges commended them for their determination to make the sporting world fairer and praised their strong focus on improving player welfare.
Reaching the Grand Final is a massive achievement for Aoife, Leah and their families. Their dedication, research and innovation truly showcase the bright future ahead.
We can’t wait to see what’s next for these inspiring young change markers! 🌟
