Coaching conference has become integral part of the modern game

THE DAYS when an intercounty manager would coach, train and mentor the team, and his two selectors would simply help him pick it, are now truly a thing of the past. Instead, these are the days where managers delegate responsibilities and work within a highly specialised structure – which is where this weekend’s GAA Coaching Conference comes in.

Now in its seventh year, the coaching conference has not only become an important feature on the GAA calendar, but actually impacts on how Gaelic games are played, and indeed developed.

The two-day event, which takes place in Croke Park tomorrow and Saturday, features a range of speakers including managers, physical trainers and psychologists, but their message is similar; without the right coaching culture, no team can expect to be successful.

This year’s theme is “Optimising Playing Performance; nurturing a culture of skill and will” – and according to Peter Horgan of the GAA’s Coach Education, who runs the conference, it’s really all about providing a framework for coaches and managers to work in.

“The theme is optimising playing performance,” he says, “so we’re looking at the various things that go into that, from a coaching, management, and player point of view. So you’re talking about the technical part of the game, or the skill, and also the will, which is the motivational and psychological part of the game. It’s really about nurturing the right culture within the coaching set-up.

“But if you look back on the last few years, it’s really been the same theme running through the different themes. Basically, what we’re getting at with all the different speakers is that training must be very much related to the game. If it’s not, you have to question what you’re doing, and why you’re doing it. Especially as we’re dealing with amateur players, where the time you have with them will always be limited.

“Also, in many ways the idea of a manager and two selectors is now gone. It’s a case of the selectors being coaches as well, and bringing their own thing to it, not just picking a team. Everyone on the sideline has a huge role.

“Just look at Kilkenny, with Martin Fogarty, Michael Dempsey and Noel Richardson, and the way they work with Brian Cody. Tipperary have gone the same way. The good managers surround themselves with good people, create a very good structure to move things on, and are able to delegate the different responsibilities. Like, Mickey Harte doesn’t expect to do everything himself. The manager is still the man in charge, but has a lot of lieutenants, doing a lot of the work.”

Horgan has assembled an all-star cast, reflected by the range and seriousness of their topics. Among them is Tipperary hurling manager Liam Sheedy, who along with his one his backroom team members Caroline Currid, will discuss how communication impacts on playing performance.

Among the many other speakers are DJ Carey, Enda McNulty, and John Considine – and also Cian O’Neill, physical trainer with the Tipperary hurlers, and Aidan O’Connell, physical trainer with the Cork footballers.

“It’s no surprise the counties that are successful at the moment, when you see the quality of people they have with them,” adds Horgan.

“We also have quite a number of senior county managers attending, but also minor and under-21 managers, and club managers. The speakers we have are all extremely experienced, the likes of John Considine. He’s a lecturer in economics at UCC, and brings hugely professional skills to Gaelic Games.

“We also have Gary Keegan of the Irish Institute of Sport, who presents the importance of having the right structure around you, and a clear vision of what you want to do. We’re also finding more people coming form abroad to attend, and not just GAA people.

“The English Rugby League are sending over some of their people, to see where we’re at, because rugby league is still a relatively small sport, and they think they can maybe learn something from us.”

Horgan points out that the conference is encompassing of all Gaelic games, including handball, camogie, women’s football, and rounders.

A limited number of places are still available by emailing gamesdevelopment@gaa.ie, but many of the presentations are also being streamed live on Saturday through the RTA website on www.rte.ie/gaa, and will later be available through the GAA website.