Ulster GAA Coaching
Conference
“Structures and Systems for
Hurling Development”
Young/Youth/ Adult
Ulster GAA Coaching
Conference
Kilkenny GAA Games Manager
Coaching Full Time since 1993 in
Kilkenny
: supporting volunteer’s involved
with 6 to 18 year olds
Ulster GAA Coaching
Conference
Best game in the world …………………
Most skills ………………………..
Ulster GAA Coaching
Conference
Know the Skills …..
Coach the Skills …….
Reasons for success??
Reasons for success????
Reasons for success ???
What is Success :
“Accomplish an aim”
“Favourable outcome of an attempt “
Define Your Aim – Achievable goal
Reasons for success ???
 Tradition - helps creates an
identity
 Leadership – On and off the field
 Number one Sport
 Local Role Models – Past and
Present Players in the community
 Players held in high esteem –
Reasons for Success
 Feel Good factor Chance of
success can be high..
 Administrators – Working
together
 Coaches - Everybody feels
they are doing their bit…..
Reasons for Success
 Co-Ordinated efforts
 Good Communication lines
amongst stakeholders – One
Fixture!!!!!!
 PEOPLE Volunteering at so
many levels
Reasons for “Success”……
 Learning and Willingness to Learn from
previous players/ Coaches Managers
•Eg Coaching the way we were coached
It’s a way of life……
However if one area is weak the chain
breaksdown
•Tier Two at Minor Level (Dub and Wex)
Ulster GAA Coaching
Conference
“For each County Team
success there are 36 club
teams……….”
Club and County
Club and County
The Fenians GAA Club
Last Senior win in 1977
Still going ,competing .
Why?
Dream lives on …..and
It’s a way of life…..
Club and County
Dream lives on …..and
It’s a way of life…..
Success means different things to us all
….Vital we acknowledge the good work
Acknowledge the good work
• “Focus on the journey , not the
destination. Joy is found , not in
finishing an activity, but in
doing it”…..
Where do County Board come
in?
•
•
•
•
Provide Leadership and Advice
Acknowledge the club’s/school’s work
-Meals, Match tickets, Equipment grants
They also have a strong working
knowledge of what’s happening at every
level ..
• Funding for Blitzes , Leagues etc
Structures in Kilkenny
Primary Schools (4-13 yrs)
Post Primary Schools ( 12-18 yrs)
Third Level (18- ??? Yrs)
Clubs Bord na Nóg (13 to 18 yrs)
Clubs Adult (18 to ???)
Development Squads (14 yrs to 18 yrs)
 Development Camps (U-14)
Cúl Camps (6 to 12 yrs)
Primary Schools (4-13 yrs)
76 Primary Schools
Strong Cumann na mbunscoileanna Committee
56 “working” teachers with a GAA ethos
Backed up by School/Club Linked Coaches
2 full time staff
Go Games Schedule
Primary Schools Coaching sessions
Number of games
Go Games
Aims :
To increase the level of participation &
number of games played in the “Go Games”
environment
To modify the rules of the “Go Games”
specific to Kilkenny & to maintain the ethos of
enjoyment.
To ensure all children receive PLAYING
TIME not SIDELINE TIME……
Kilkenny Primary Schools
“Go Games”
Hurling/Camogie
3rd and 4th Class “Buddy Blitzes”
Format : Each primary school invited to a
central venue on a designated date, with every
third and fourth class child fully togged out and
each player playing in three full “Go Games”.
Children Participating : 2,123
Post Primary Schools (12-18 yrs)
12 Post Primary Schools with a
strong GAA Ethos
Competing at “A” Level in College
Hurling (Leinster)
“B” Leagues organised by Kilkenny
GAA
50 Volunteer Teachers
Super Touch Blitzes
Third Level
Strong Links forged with IT Carlow
GAA Course
-10 weeks Work Placements x 5 students
-Primary School Coaching Programme
-Club Coach Mentoring
-Development Camps
-Coaching Workshops
-First year Coaching
-Fitness Testing Second Level Schools
-Club Cill Chainnigh Award
Clubs Bord na Nóg (4 to 18 yrs)
36 Clubs
4 Divisions – A, B, C, D
2 Regions – North and South
U-8, U-10 , U-12 - Go Games
U-14, U-16 and Minor – League and
Championships
(With the result most clubs have achieved
some form of success …..)
Go Games Blitzes
Format U-8 U-10 – 4 teams , 2 pitches ,
Each player plays 3 games.
Format U-12 – 8 Teams , 2 Groups of 4,
Each teams Plays each other once. Festivals for
all Top V Top , 2nd v 2nd
3rd V3rd , 4th Vs 4th.
For clubs with Larger numbers - Mix
abilities –Learning from their peers is an
optimum way of “Learning”
“Club Cill Chainnigh” Award
Promoting Best Practice for our Juvenile Players
15 Criteria as laid down by our own Coaching and
Games Committee
Three Star Awards / Two Star Awards
Clubs Adult (18 to ???)
Junior B
Junior A
Junior
Intermediate
Senior
Total Number of GAA Games in
Kilkenny
• = 1,788
Games *
• * Figure excludes a comprehensive Secondary
Schools Games Programme, Go Games (Circa
400), Club organised Blitzes, all Inter-county
Activity, Club Challenge games, and all Training
sessions taking place in the county during the year.
The figures below represents the number of games provided
at each grade in hurling in Kilkenny in 2012
Grade
Senior
Intermediate
Junior
Junior A
Junior B
U21
Minor
U16
U14
Schools
.
Games
77
77
171
84
145
45
161
154
184
179
Total Scheduled Hurling Games = 1,277 Games
The figures below represents the number of games provided at each grade
in Gaelic Football in Kilkenny in 2012.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
• Totals for each grade in 2012
Grade
Games
Senior
43
Intermediate
21
Junior
15
U21
9
Minor
85
U16
86
U14
139
Schools
113
Total 511 Gaelic Football Games
Development Squads
(14 yrs to 18 yrs)
U-14
U-15
U-16
U-17
3 Regional Squads
2 Regional Squads
2 Regional Squads
(Minor “B” Squad)
Kilkenny GAA
Development Squads
“Building a Career
Pathway for our
Underage/Juvenile to
Senior Players”
Kilkenny GAA
Development Squads
What our players can achieve
through participation?
 Improvement with their hurling/football
development
 Awareness of physical abilities
 Build personal friendships for life
 Learn Strengths/Weaknesses to improve their
game
Kilkenny GAA
Development Squads
What we need from clubs to assist
us with smooth implementation?
 Select and appoint a member who can best deal
with Underage players and Dev. Squad Coaches
 Complete “Application Forms”, including Health
Screening on time
 Select appropriate players for the Squads
 Have players prepared for all sessions including
transport
 Ensure club activities do not conflict with squads
sessions
Kilkenny GAA
Development Squad Structure
County Board Executive
Development Squad Committee
Primary School Fixtures
Bord na Nog Fixtures
Fixtures & Results
Records / Administration and
Coaching Advice Services
Coaches in The North
Coaches in The South
U-14 U-15 U-16
U-14 U-15 U-16
(6 Coaches per Squad)
(6 Coaches per Squad)
Annual Kilkenny GAA Development
Squad Report
Each year the coaches from each area and each age group will prepare a report.
The latest date for submission of the “Report” is the 31st. October .
Circulation of the “Report” will be copied to the Executive Committee members:
 Key headings recommended:
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
Computer listing of all application forms submitted by each club.
Attendance record of each session including matches( Software
programme available)
Summary of attendance : List of Clubs and the number of players per club.
Summary of non -attendance : List of Clubs and the number of players per
club. (Highlight the reasons given for non – attendance)
 Observations :
What enthusiasm came from Clubs, Parents, Players ?
What progress or improvement happened for the player’s?
Did structures of support we have in place work or not ?
 Recommendation from the coaches:
What can we do better next year and how should it be set up.
Executive Committee will review the reports. Their comments will be
presented at a special meeting in November each year.
Kilkenny GAA
Development Squads
Objectives
 Put in to place a Planned approach to Long Term Player
development
 Appoint the appropriate Coaching personnel and provide them
with future training methods
 To produce better CLUB hurlers
 Provide proper modern equipment for squad training sessions in
line with InterInter-county standard
 Our County Board will promote and assist with achieving the aims
of our Development Squads Programme
 Emphasis on Competing rather than
winning
Biggest Changes
•
•
•
•
Organsied Underage Go Games U-6’s..
Coaching Education
Organised Academies
Organised Camps
Biggest Challenges
Emigration (Particularly at Club
Level)
Committement – Lifestyle Choices
Education is key here
Ongoing work , year in year out
Biggest Challenges
Junior Club Players making County
Minor Teams
Will they be blended in with current
Structures or will they be lost to the
Intercounty game
Underage :
Players comfortable doing a job
….Marking space
Club Spread of Titles won since
1980
Senior
Intermediate
Junior
U-21
Minor
U-16
U14
Teams to be competitive Winning
Why are people attracted to our
games?
To play the game
To be competitive
To beat your man to every ball
Or is it to Do Drills ???????
Coaching Sessions…
Games Based Approach
• Do we analysis the games ?
• Do we tailor our sessions from the
“usual” ?
• Do we target players performance ?
• Do our sessions include “Match day
situations”?
• Do we take for granted all players
abilities/lack of ability ?
• Do we have variety in our sessions ?
Drills V’s Games Based
o Drills promote acceleration – Games
promote acceleration and deceleration
o Drills promote standing starts – Games
promote standing and moving starts
o Drills promote good ball- Games promote
good and bad ball
Drills V’s Games Based
o Drills are in Straight lines – Games are
multidirectional including chaotic speed
oDrills promote understanding of the skill –
Games Promote understanding, awareness
and decision making
oDrills promote awareness of Straightline
space- Games promote peripheral vision
Drills v’s Games Based
oDrills control – Game encourage flair
oDrills promote standing and waiting – Games
promote match running and movement
oDrills promote on the ball – Games promote
both on and off the ball
Drills v’s Games based
oHowever you must get the correct balance for
your team …..
oDrills have a place (For Technical
development) but Balance vital……
Take Home Messages
Work Together
Strive to be the best you can be
Enjoy the journey
Align structures to suit your present situation
Every day we have a kid out hurling is a
“success”
Be open minded
Encourage Practice Practice Practice
Questions and Answers?
You ask and I will try to
answer……
Go raibh mile mhaith agaibh