Ulster GAA Coaching Conference “Structures and Systems for Hurling Development” Young/Youth/ Adult

Ulster GAA Coaching Conference

“Structures and Systems for Hurling Development”

Young/Youth/ Adult


Kilkenny GAA Games Manager

Coaching Full Time since 1993 in Kilkenny

: supporting volunteer’s involved with 6 to 18 year olds


Best game in the world …………………

Most skills ………………………..


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)


“For each County Team success there are 36 club

teams……….”

Club and County

Club and CountyThe Fenians GAA ClubLast Senior win in 1977Still 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 GamesAims :

- 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 Games Grade Games Senior 77Intermediate 77Junior 171Junior A 84Junior B 145U21 45Minor 161U16 154U14 184

Schools 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 GamesGrade 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 3 Regional Squads



U-17 (Minor “B” Squad)

Kilkenny GAADevelopment Squads

““Building a Career Building a Career Pathway for ourPathway for our

Underage/Juvenile to Underage/Juvenile to Senior PlayersSenior Players””


What our players can achieve What our players can achieve through participation?through participation?

Improvement with their hurling/football Improvement with their hurling/football developmentdevelopment

Awareness of physical abilitiesAwareness of physical abilities

Build personal friendships for lifeBuild personal friendships for life

Learn Strengths/Weaknesses to improve their Learn Strengths/Weaknesses to improve their gamegame


What we need from clubs to assist What we need from clubs to assist us with smooth implementation?us with smooth implementation?

Select and appoint a member who can best deal Select and appoint a member who can best deal with Underage players and Dev. Squad Coacheswith Underage players and Dev. Squad Coaches

Complete Complete ““Application FormsApplication Forms””, including Health , including Health Screening on timeScreening on time

Select appropriate players for the SquadsSelect appropriate players for the Squads

Have players prepared for all sessions including Have players prepared for all sessions including transport transport

Ensure club activities Ensure club activities do notdo not conflict with squads conflict with squads sessionssessions

Kilkenny GAA Development Squad Structure

County Board Executive

Fixtures & Results

Coaches in The NorthU-14 U-15 U-16

(6 Coaches per Squad)

Records / Administration andCoaching Advice Services

Development Squad Committee

Coaches in The SouthU-14 U-15 U-16

(6 Coaches per Squad)

Primary School Fixtures Bord na Nog Fixtures

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) Computer listing of all application forms submitted by each club.(2) Attendance record of each session including matches( Software

programme available)(3) Summary of attendance : List of Clubs and the number of players per club. (4) 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.


ObjectivesObjectives Put in to place a Planned approach to Long Term Player Put in to place a Planned approach to Long Term Player

developmentdevelopment Appoint the appropriate Coaching personnel and provide them Appoint the appropriate Coaching personnel and provide them

with future training methodswith future training methods

To produce better CLUB hurlersTo produce better CLUB hurlers Provide proper modern equipment for squad training sessions in Provide proper modern equipment for squad training sessions in

line with Interline with Inter--county standardcounty standard Our County Board will promote and assist with achieving the aimsOur County Board will promote and assist with achieving the aims

of our Development Squads Programme of our Development Squads Programme

Emphasis on Competing rather than Emphasis on Competing rather than winningwinning

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 ChallengesJunior 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 takes care of itself

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 playersall players

abilities/lack of ability ?• Do we have variety in our sessions ?

Drills V’s Games Basedo 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 journeyAlign structures to suit your present situation

Every day we have a kid out hurling is a “success”

Be open mindedEncourage Practice Practice Practice

Questions and Answers?

You ask and I will try to answer……

Go raibh mile mhaith agaibh

Documents

Ulster GAA Coaching Conference “Structures and Systems for Hurling Development” Young/Youth/ Adult