The coach education evolution – ‘I don’t see the need to do fancy things’

What does a GBA session look like? Take something as simple as a warm-up. Luke Barrett will break the squad into two teams in a circle, doing various skills at high intensity.

COACHING EVOLUTION: What does a GBA session look like? Take something as simple as a warm-up. Luke Barrett will break the squad into two teams in a circle, doing various skills at high intensity. Picture: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

The comfort of tradition makes it easy to fall back on what we’ve always done. In the world of GAA coaching, there was a gradual progression, but one canary in the coalmine advocated for a complete rethink. For many, it started with Paul Kinnerk.

The former Limerick football and six-time All-Ireland winning-coach evaluated the entire framework of the practice in his doctoral thesis, 'Coaching Pedagogy in Intercounty Gaelic Football.'