LA Cougars have been participating in US GAA competitions during the past decade.
To listen to the interview click here.
By Cian O’Connell
Ten years ago, LA Cougars was founded. It has been an eventful and rewarding decade for everyone involved.
In recent weeks, though, with LA dealing with wildfires, the importance of the small, but passionate GAA community has been underlined.
Curtis Petraglia is chairperson of the club and explains how people have been ready, willing, and able to assist in any way. “I think that is something that has always attracted me to the GAA community,” Petraglia says.
“We've never had an instance like what we're having in LA, but we've maybe had when somebody gets injured, or somebody needs help. The GAA community here has always pulled together and worked together to create a solution.
“Whether it is raising money, hospital visits, taking care of someone, there is no end to that desire to help which is awesome.
“It is quite touching to see, having been a part of starting this club to be able to see it grow, to see the community grow. People just want to help others; it is quite nice.”
Petraglia acknowledges that this is a particularly testing time. “For the city of LA, it's probably the toughest time with wildfires that we've ever had, it's one of the biggest disasters that the country has ever had,” he responds.
“It is absolute devastation with more than 13,000 homes lost. Some of the neighbourhoods here, they're just in complete shambles. That is very unfortunate, but it also has been amazing to see people just raising their hands to help in all capacities.”
Club members have tried to assist those in need. “That is something our guys have done a great job in,” he adds. “It was instantaneous, we had a group chat going, how do we help? There is a hurling player here in LA, who lost his home and business, and it was instant, how do we help Andrew?
“What we decided to do was to create awareness around these different stories where people in our community lost homes or businesses. We've aggregated those on our website, and we've done a few interviews like this, really pushing that link out.
“We've had close to 2,000 people visiting that page, reading all about the stories from community members.
“Donation buttons and ways to help are there, it is nice to see where your money goes if you're going to donate because there are lots of places where you can give money to help right now. It is nice to know your dollar or euro goes to this family in need, you know their story, which is quite nice.”
The uncertainty, though, is extremely tough to deal with. “So, the fires, they've made a lot of progress on those,” Petraglia says. “The lasting effect is going to be years, it is going to take a long time to be able to rebuild in parts of the city that have burned down.
The LA Cougars team following a win over Seán Treacys in 2023.
“There is a lasting effect to the community helping, you see that, not just with us, but all over the city.
“People want to help, they want to contribute, to be part of the conversation about how we look forward, and how we help these people, who have lost their homes and property.”
Sticking together and being there to provide an outlet is important in the coming weeks and months according to Petraglia. “One thing is probably welcome distractions,” he says.
“We hope to be back training in March. We hope to be able to offer that up to anyone in our community, who may not have been a player before, but wants to be involved, just to have an outlet and continue to have some social events.
“We will put things on from the club to make sure there is welcome distractions. I think, just a broader conversation around LA, how to move forward, rebuilding and supporting these people. If you lost your home, you're not sure where you're going to stay at the moment.
“You might be in an Airbnb, but that is going to run out at some point. So, we've also had a lot of guys, who raised their hands, opened their homes to other families, supporting them that way too. Some short-term, some long-term levels.”
Being caring and compassionate matters. “Kindness is a great word for it and it is kindness without hesitation,” he replies. “There hasn't been anyone who has been on the fence about it. We've had people raise their hands to instantly help in various ways.
“We've guys volunteering at different shelters, bringing food, water, and other supplies. We've guys helping clean up around sites that are open to be able to do that now. Unrestricted kindness is a good way to say it.”
LA Cougars have an open-door policy and Petraglia has thoroughly enjoyed being a central part of the club. “We've got a good mix here, I'd say it is 60-40 with 60 being from the Irish community, who're familiar with the sport and GAA culture,” he says. “Then, you've a lot of people like me, who either got tricked into it or fell in love with it.
“So, it's a good balance of people, who are very familiar with it and people who're learning what the game is. Most of those in the 40 per cent are a bit obsessed with it because the GAA is such an amazing community.
“It has been very good to me, as a sport there isn't really anything else like it.”
The planning continues, on and off the field. "We're partnering with O'Neill's, we created an exclusive Cougars jersey that reads LA Go Bragh," he says.
"The proceeds from that will go to the LA Fire Department Foundation which is another way we can help, by helping firefighters get resources. We're going to launch that as soon as the jerseys are printed, we will be pushing that out there."
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