Dr Ed Coughlan: Hurling maxes out the skill factor

To claim to be the most skilful sport in the world is the boldest of bold statements. With so many contenders across so many domains with an incalculable number of contributing variables, is it possible to crown any sport with such a title? Of course it is, writes Dr Ed Coughlan.

There are three basic levels to defining a skill. The first and most critical of them all is the skill of movement. The complexity of movement cannot be overstated. The ability to stop, start, turn, land and take-off are the fundamentals of movement skill.

The skill of movement underpins the likelihood of success in all sport. Unfortunately, too many coaches and athletes take these skills for granted and ignore the fact that they need close attention and huge amounts of practice to be able to execute all possible movements effectively and efficiently off both sides.