'It was very tough, very stressful' - TJ Reid counting the cost of Covid-19

Kilkenny star attacker left counting the cost of Covid-19 on his fitness business

Cat and dog: Kilkenny’s TJ Reid at home on the family farm with Casper – away from the grind of daily life. Photo: Sportsfile

Donnchadh Boyle Twitter Email

July 22 2020 02:30 AM

Away from the limelight, where TJ Reid the hurler was busy gathering medals and putting in the kind of performances that have pushed him ever higher up the list of Kilkenny hurling greats, TJ Reid the business man was busy building something else.

Reid had been a sales representative for an animal feed company for six years but packed that in in 2017 to start TJ Reid Health and Fitness.

The move paid off and with his 10,000 square foot facility on the Dublin road in Kilkenny city thriving, he opened a Galway branch in 2019.

Driving a successful business and planning his wedding for the end of this year - as well as winning back-to-back All-Ireland club titles with Ballyhale Shamrocks - everything was running smoothly for Reid on both sides of the white line.

Then, like everyone else, Covid-19 turned things on its head. Gyms were among the first places to be closed and while they have reopened, it looks like they will be among the last to recover.

"Yeah, it was very tough, very stressful," Reid reflects at the launch of AIB's 'The Toughest Summer', which will tell the story of Summer 2020 and Gaelic games' unprecedented halt.

"We closed the doors in Kilkenny and in Galway, it was the unknown. It took me three years to build what I have and then to see it just go in a heartbeat was tough, and to close the doors on all the members was tough.

"And it was the unknown - will it be two weeks or three weeks or four weeks - and unfortunately it went to three months and we're gearing back up.

"We're after having a big loss since we have reopened. We're building back again, we've lost members through Covid, obviously, and that's financial losses as well."

It's too early to say exactly what the gyms will lose in terms of membership, but Reid believes a substantial number of customers won't return.

"We won't know until the end of the month what causalities we have. But you're talking a loss of earnings straight away, at the moment you are talking 20/30 per cent of your members gone. In a gym business you are going to have fall-offs and new joiners coming in.

"But if you don't have new joiners unfortunately you are going to be under pressure. Covid has affected people's confidence of going back to the gym and that's just the environment we're in."

With a blitz of club action at both county and club level coming up, attention has turned to action on the pitch.

Kilkenny have had a handful of Zoom calls since lockdown began but he's seen club-mate Adrian Mullen work his way back from a serious knee injury. Whether he can make it back this year is touch and go. "Adrian is doing very well. No set-backs at all. He's training away in the gym. That's all he can do. He hasn't gone back running yet or jumping yet - he's only doing his prehab work in the gym. It's unfortunate the way it happened him.

"He got the operation in March so he should be looking at October-November if things go according to plan and no setbacks and the knee is in a good place.

"The next six weeks is crucial to see where he is. He's meant to be going back running in the next two or three weeks - after that who knows. The All-Ireland series is November and December, so it's 50-50 whether he'll make November or December."

Kilkenny get their club action underway early next month before counties officially start on September 14.

Brian Cody's men won't play championship until October 31/November 1, giving them ample time to prepare for a competition that will last a maximum of four games should the Cats progress to an All-Ireland final on December 13, which falls a week before his wedding.

And even if the thoughts of a December final doesn't fit with the traditional image of an All-Ireland decider, Reid insists that it will hold the same appeal for whoever gets that far.

"It doesn't matter what stage of the (year) it is on. if it's on in May, October, November, the same principles apply - you want to win the All-Ireland and that's just the fact of it.

"People involved in hurling and football, if the All-Ireland final is in December, every manager, every person involved in the team will be looking to win that All-Ireland in December and very much looking forward to it because as I said, the whole six months has been gone so I think the community, the players, the counties, they'll be all very much excited by it.

"Wouldn't it be great going into December, Christmas time, leading up to an All-Ireland final… walking around town and you see the excitement in people's eyes. I think it's just a matter of fact of getting back to a normal life."

TJ Reid on . . .

Ballyhale missing out on chance to go for All-Ireland club hat-trick

“Unfortunately, it is a big loss to the hurling and football of Ireland because most clubs around the country would give their left arm to be in a club All-Ireland. It is unfortunate but we’re looking at different circumstances.”

A return to management for Henry Shefflin

“I’m sure he has things in his head about where he wants to go. But, being honest, I think he just wanted to take a year out, recharge the batteries, spend some time at home, then take on a different opportunity be it Kilkenny or Waterford or Tipperary. I know Henry, for a fact, that he doesn’t like staying idle. He’s very much on the go. Very driven. Has targets, has goals to hit. I’m sure, in the next year or two, you probably will see Henry manage or be involved in some team.”

On club versus county debate

“I agree that if you are training with your clubs you are training with your clubs. For player welfare and for performance you can’t train both. But I would have a debate. I don’t see the reason why we can’t get together for a group session for video analysis or even a gym session together.