Armagh Club football & hurling

[pintsofguinness]

Lads i'm not trying to be funny or sarcastic but i often have to laugh at things like this because like most other sports in the GAA we see players having great playing careers and then being put up as the next best manager. Now i believe that people who were decent players don't always make good manager. I think there is a whole new set of criteria required to be a coach/manager.

Another thing that really get on my tits is people who know absolutely fook all about Gaelic and they are coming out with all these coaching badges and trying to teach kids how to play the game when they have never kicked a ball themselves. I thinks some sort of happy medium has to be found. Are these coaching courses neccessary ? do we need to be spending money on trying to ensure people that really haven't a clue can obtain levels of coaching? Surely this money could be channelled into a centre of excellence that could exist on a regional basis where all  have access and the proper coaches are in place.

What's your opinions on this lads?

We should never complain about people getting involved in the gaa when they weren't previously and if they're willing to go on courses fair play.  They should be welcomed. 

[ogshead]

Lads i'm not trying to be funny or sarcastic but i often have to laugh at things like this because like most other sports in the GAA we see players having great playing careers and then being put up as the next best manager. Now i believe that people who were decent players don't always make good manager. I think there is a whole new set of criteria required to be a coach/manager.

Another thing that really get on my tits is people who know absolutely fook all about Gaelic and they are coming out with all these coaching badges and trying to teach kids how to play the game when they have never kicked a ball themselves. I thinks some sort of happy medium has to be found. Are these coaching courses neccessary ? do we need to be spending money on trying to ensure people that really haven't a clue can obtain levels of coaching? Surely this money could be channelled into a centre of excellence that could exist on a regional basis where all  have access and the proper coaches are in place.

What's your opinions on this lads?

We should never complain about people getting involved in the gaa when they weren't previously and if they're willing to go on courses fair play.  They should be welcomed.

I agree pints. Totally shocked by the above statement. I have always wanted to be involved in the GAA but was never a great player. Coaching was my other option and it was great to remain involved that way. Just because I was not a great footballer/hurler doesn't mean that I should walk away

[illdecide]

Ogshead thats fair enough and as i stated you would prop fall in the 10% grade that could go on and make a coach, as you stated you were always interested in GAA but never a good player that makes a qer difference from the guy who has never played GAA and has not watched a match in 15 years and then his son shows an interest and he decides he wants to coach and follow his cub thru the grades yet the guy wouldn't know if the ball was blew up or stuffed.

The stats don't lie and 90% of all managers out there are ex players that played at a high level that doesn't mean that you wont make it as a coach it just means it will be more difficult for you. The experience you gain from being in the changing rooms on big match days and watching how all the different individuals react to it and being out on the pitch during a game when it's in the melting pot is experience that you can't be coached but have to experience it to know what its like.

If your lucky enough to get coaching and are part of a team involved in championship matches and crucial league matches then you will gain experience from that but the problem is majority of teams will appoint a guy who has experience from playing

[brokencrossbar1]

Ogshead thats fair enough and as i stated you would prop fall in the 10% grade that could go on and make a coach, as you stated you were always interested in GAA but never a good player that makes a qer difference from the guy who has never played GAA and has not watched a match in 15 years and then his son shows an interest and he decides he wants to coach and follow his cub thru the grades yet the guy wouldn't know if the ball was blew up or stuffed.

The stats don't lie and 90% of all managers out there are ex players that played at a high level that doesn't mean that you wont make it as a coach it just means it will be more difficult for you. The experience you gain from being in the changing rooms on big match days and watching how all the different individuals react to it and being out on the pitch during a game when it's in the melting pot is experience that you can't be coached but have to experience it to know what its like.

If your lucky enough to get coaching and are part of a team involved in championship matches and crucial league matches then you will gain experience from that but the problem is majority of teams will appoint a guy who has experience from playing

The thing is though that the lads who are coaching young lads because their son is involved are not generally the main men involved and if they are that is the clubs fault for allowing that to happen.  I agree that is is easier to understand the ups and downs of a game/team if you have played it but it is also important to encourage others to build up the knowledge. 

The main problem I have with "parents" getting involved is when some lad land in to help coaching and spend the majority of their time with their own kid and trying to live their failed careeres through him/her.  I coach 10-12 year olds at the minute and their have been one or two occassions where this has happened.  It is hard not to tell them to fcuk off so I try to keep them occupied by getting them to set out the drills, fill the water bottles, kick the balls back from behind the goals etc.  The can do this and shout encouragement till their hearts content.

[IVEDECIDED]

Win coaching courses are absolutely essential in every sport. Merely having knowledge and experience from playing a sport is not enough to be able to coach successfully. There is more to coaching than knowledge of the technical skills involved (although this is extremely important especially at young ages) The problem here is not in investing time and money in courses and opening them up to all sorts - the prolem is in the quality of the courses and their objectives. Ive completed my level one in the GAA and the course is very deficient in a lot of areas that are important. In comparison to other sports especially rugby the coach development within the GAA is very very poor and needs to be addressed.

I would advise prospective coaches to search further afield for coach education and development programmes. There are a number of high quality ones around that are not sport specific for example there is one being run by Jordanstown March, April and May which leads to a recognized coaching diploma. This course is very comprehensive and covers all the areas relevant to effective coaching of athletes and teams.

[brokencrossbar1]

Win coaching courses are absolutely essential in every sport. Merely having knowledge and experience from playing a sport is not enough to be able to coach successfully. There is more to coaching than knowledge of the technical skills involved (although this is extremely important especially at young ages) The problem here is not in investing time and money in courses and opening them up to all sorts - the prolem is in the quality of the courses and their objectives. Ive completed my level one in the GAA and the course is very deficient in a lot of areas that are important. In comparison to other sports especially rugby the coach development within the GAA is very very poor and needs to be addressed.

I would advise prospective coaches to search further afield for coach education and development programmes. There are a number of high quality ones around that are not sport specific for example there is one being run by Jordanstown March, April and May which leads to a recognized coaching diploma. This course is very comprehensive and covers all the areas relevant to effective coaching of athletes and teams.

I agree level 1 is basic, but it is supposed to be to facilitate the "newbie" coaches who won't go beyond coaching their own kids teams.  Once you move up to the next levels they are more comprehensive and better structured with more "real" coaches on board.  There is a major market for this I believe and if the 2 Governments got their fingers out and worked witha few Universities to create Sports Centres of Excellence they could help towards a very helathy and profitable future.

[IVEDECIDED]

There are plans for this BC1 and to be fair there are very good facilities around eg J-Town and cookstown. There are also plans for feeder centres to be established - essentially muitisport centres of excellence that will feed the very best athletes into SINI. This is great and essential for elite sport development but what about athletes who arent elite?? or better still who arent at the minute but with the right investment could be?? I would be an advocate of casting the net wider especially at underage level as athletes develop at different rates. To that end grassroots coaching in any sport is absoultely essential, my point however is that in our own sport this is of little quality at the minute in general. (Obviously there are some clubs/counties that are way ahead of the norm)It needs to be developed and it needs to start considering other vital components of successful/effective coaching other than the ability to coach technical and basic skills. (Remember im not saying this isnt essential im just saying theres a lot more to it)

[brokencrossbar1]

I agree with you totally and if the GAA have any vision about how they want to develop they will take a strong armed approach to develop the youth structures.  It is though inherent on the clubs as well to take their own initiative and appoint committee members who are "training/development directors" - who either have a sub committee or panel of coaches who regularly meet to assess how their training is developing.  This may seem like over kill but it happens in soccer clubs.

[IVEDECIDED]

Its the first thing I would suggest, my own club has a fulltime paid development officer so hopefully in tiem we will see the benefits of this structure. These people have to be properly trained however whcih reinforces my initial point - we need to sort out our own coach development however I would also suggest attending multidisiplinary courses etc as some of the methods, skills, techniques and philosophies that can be learned from other sports could be very useful in our own.

[thewanderer]

Why do think the gaa is well ahead of most sports. It comes down to proper structures including coaching courses for all levels and a requirement for all new coaches to complete a basic foundation course and in particular child protection at the start. In relation to the course being run this week by the ulster council and carried out by tony scullion let me assure you that he is without doubt one of the best coaches and indeed gaa men in ireland. Maybe if some senior current managers/coaches attended they would see why they cant take their teams to the next level. It is interesting to note that most of recent successful club managers donal murtagh in particular are regularily seen at these coaching courses. (the man who knows it all is a liar, so get to your coaching courses.)

[orange2009]

Why do think the gaa is well ahead of most sports. It comes down to proper structures including coaching courses for all levels and a requirement for all new coaches to complete a basic foundation course and in particular child protection at the start. In relation to the course being run this week by the ulster council and carried out by tony scullion let me assure you that he is without doubt one of the best coaches and indeed gaa men in ireland. Maybe if some senior current managers/coaches attended they would see why they cant take their teams to the next level. It is interesting to note that most of recent successful club managers donal murtagh in particular are regularily seen at these coaching courses. (the man who knows it all is a liar, so get to your coaching courses.)

Just to correct you, this course is run and funded by Armagh County Board for all coaches in Armagh

[orange2009]

Tonight's workshop with Tony Scullion has been cancelled due to adverse weather conditions.  Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

[winsamsoon]

Lads i'm not trying to be funny or sarcastic but i often have to laugh at things like this because like most other sports in the GAA we see players having great playing careers and then being put up as the next best manager. Now i believe that people who were decent players don't always make good manager. I think there is a whole new set of criteria required to be a coach/manager.

Another thing that really get on my tits is people who know absolutely fook all about Gaelic and they are coming out with all these coaching badges and trying to teach kids how to play the game when they have never kicked a ball themselves. I thinks some sort of happy medium has to be found. Are these coaching courses neccessary ? do we need to be spending money on trying to ensure people that really haven't a clue can obtain levels of coaching? Surely this money could be channelled into a centre of excellence that could exist on a regional basis where all  have access and the proper coaches are in place.

What's your opinions on this lads?


I fail to see where i have said in this post that newcomers to the Gaa are unwelcome? I also fail to see where i have said that unless you have played you cannot coach. Infact Ogs head you are arguing the same point as me (I am saying that because you have played football all your life it doesn't make you a good coach) You for some reason are thinking that i am saying if you haven't played football then you can't coach. Don't know where you have got this out of my post.


I am all for new people coming into the GAA but FFS lads it has to be run right. Someone that has no experience at all shouldn't be allowed to come straight in and become a coach. IMO there should eb a set of criteria set aside for you to become a coach, the major one being some form of experience around football or playing football. As I'lldecide says we have people looking to take teams because they have a son or a daughter playing and thus they are going to be there anyway so they may aswell help. This is fine let the help with the setting up of drills or the filling of water bottles and all the other thankful task (that are also crucial and never get the respect they warrant) But they shouldn't be allowed straight into coaching the children. At a youg age is where the kids learn good and bad habits so it is crucial the best people are in place at these early levels. I think the university route is the way to go in some sort of informal set up.

[hound of ulster]

Lads what are we talking about here, , senior or underage, if its senior then i agree that someone with no experience would struggle if they hadnt played, But if your talking about underage, then your being very harsh on these peolple , granted ive came across a few head the balls, but there is many of them ex players as not, in fact maybe more, these guys think that they know all the answers. we should welcome all newcomers, and the courses certainly give them the basics and r better than nothing.  up to u12 its go games  and there would be no need to have been in pressure games . so lighten up .

[mhacadoir]

any idea when the Armagh - Mayo hurling game is refixed for?

Saturday 6 March
Allianz NHL Division 3A
Armagh v Mayo, Crossmaglen, 2.30pm

that is going to be a tight trip for people looking to go to both!