Top managers soon to need coaching qualifications

Inter-county managers will be forced to hold GAA approved coaching qualifications by 2018. The policy, approved by Central Council last June on the back of a recommendation from the FRC, will prevent an inter-county manager from patrolling the sideline if they have not acquired the requisite expertise.

The GAA also announced all inter-county management teams must contain an Award 2 coach by 2016. Mandatory coaching standards were also introduced at club level with management teams expected to hold an Award 1 coach, while all club managers must be qualified to Award 1 level by 2018.

“The introduction of mandatory coaching standards is highlighting the importance of our coach education programme,” said Chairman of the GAA Coaching and Development Committee Micheál Martin.

“It is endorsing the quality of the programme and the evolution of the programme. There is a thirst and desire for knowledge among Gaelic Games coaches. With regard to the implementation mechanisms, there is the traditional model of face-to-face courses that many people would have taken.

“There is a strong appetite then for online learning through learning.gaa.ie. That is the home of all of our online resources. It was launched in the middle of this year and there are already 5,000 registered users.

“From a coaching perspective it was one of our landmark achievements of 2013. As well as online learning, there will be communities of practice; mentoring, specific workshops and all them will be accredited.”

An assimilation programme will be introduced for experienced coaches, not qualified to the required level, but who possess the requisite skills from their field of work.

“This is for example people who have been within the education sector such as John Allen, who have huge educational qualifications and experience. People of that calibre, if they are not currently on the coaching framework, can be accredited through the system. It is the recognition of competency.”

In a bid to prevent the growing number of ACL injuries at club and inter-county level, the Gaelic 15- Injury Prevention Programme was also unveiled at the weekend. A series of coaching videos featuring Kerry selector and trainer Cian O’Neill are now available on the GAA’s website, demonstrating the correct warm-up drills players are advised to follow to decrease injury occurrence.

“When we get to the level of preventing injuries we are getting to the core of what our association is about in terms of maximising the chances of all those who play our games, be they the ordinary club player or an inter-county player, that they have the chance to play as many games as possible for as long as possible,” said Chairman of the GAA Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee, Ger Ryan.