Course Outline

Aimed at: Coaches of Youth & Adult Teams (U13 and over)

Entry Requirements: Foundation Level / Foundation Award Course. Course Candidates will be 18 years or over. Candidates will be asked to abide by the GAA Code of Best Practice in Youth Sport

Duration: 19 Hours (16 Hours -Youth Only/Adult Only)

Resources: Overheads/ PowerPoint Presentation

Philosophy

The Award 1 Coach Education course is the second award on the coaching pathway of Gaelic games. The course is aimed at coaches that have progressed through the Foundation Award and have experience as a Coach.  It has been reformatted to take account of the different playing capacities that exist between Children (up to 12 years), Youths (age 13 – 18) and Adults (age 19+) and the competencies that a coach is required to display when working with each of the playing populations. Therefore coaches can specialise in coaching the particular players that they are involved in.

The course aims to provide Coaches with the Information and with the Comprehension and Application abilities to know HOW to develop players’ capacities.  It is 16 Hours in duration and covers a number of key modules, as well as Introductory and Conclusion modules. These modules are:

• Role of the Coach
• Technical Proficiency
• Tactical Prowess
• Team Play
• Physical Fitness
• Playing Facts
• Psychological Focus
• Communication
• Lifestyle
• Rules

The focus of the course is the further development of the ‘How to Coach’ skills by placing the participant in situations that they will face as coaches -the organisation of games activities, activities to develop skill and activities to develop the various movement skills.

Outcomes

By the end of this Course participants will be able to:

• Identify the role of the Youth players coach
• Organise a programme of Games and Skill Development activities appropriate to each players needs and abilities
• Organise progressive activities (drills and games) to develop 5 key skills
• Organise progressive activities to develop decision making (Tactical Prowess) in Youth players
• Organise game activities to develop Team Play in Youth players
• Organise progressive activities to develop physical fitness appropriate to Gaelic games
• Organise and manage Players for an effective practice session
• Identify the reasons why Youth players participate in Gaelic games
• Identify the key roles, skills and qualities of a coach
• Outline the structure of a typical coaching session
• Describe methods of communication with Youth players
• Provide feedback that is accurate, relevant and positive