Leading sports psychologist to head up sports institute

ONE of Ireland’s foremost sports physiologists Dr Liam Hennessy is to head up a new state-of-the-art institute aimed at improving Irish sports performances.

The Institute of Strength, Skill and Conditioning, the first of its kind in Europe, will teach cutting-edge techniques and develop Irish coaches.

Dr Hennessy revealed: “One of the things we have been doing wrong is pigeon holing.

“You are good in the gym, so train our guys up in the gym, you are good on the pitch, so do the work on the pitch.

“There must be a transfer and there must be an integration. We must have an understanding of how skill is developed.

The Director of Programmes with Setanta College was speaking at the Horse and Jockey in Tipperary yesterday where over 50 coaches from nine sports graduated from the college with HETAC awards in Physical Fitness and Conditioning for Sport and Resistance Training and Weight Training for Sport.

The graduates were conferred by Joe Cox, Programme Validation Manager of the Higher Education and Training Awards Council.

Apart from his day job with the IRFU as Fitness Director, Dr Hennessy has been working with Pádraig Harrington for the past 11 years and described their relationship as a great adventure. Both Harrington and Irish rugby has enjoyed success in the recent past and Hennessy predicts it will not end there.

“When you do something like that you want to do it all over again,” he said.

“If you speak to any of the lads in Munster or Leinster rugby — fitness coaches, coaches or players — they will tell you they want to do it again. There is the constant desire to go forward and do better.”