Moggan and Winkelman keynote speakers at this weekend’s O’Neill’s Ulster GAA Coaching & Games Development Conference  

The 19th annual O’Neill’s Ulster GAA Coaching & Games Development Conference takes place this Saturday, 13th January at the Glenavon House Hotel in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone.

The theme of this year’s conference will focus on ‘Effective Coaching Practice’, and will feature a host of practical workshops delivered by coaches from across the family of Gaelic Games, with plenty of interesting takeaways for all involved.

The event is bookended by keynote addresses from Dr Liam Moggan, who will explore flexible systems to allow coaches to practice and learn in their own time, and Dr Nick Winkelman, whose presentation is entitled ‘The Language of Coaching’.

Dr. Moggan has been involved in coaching and coach development for the past 40 years and has often been referred to as ‘The Coaches Coach’.

The Galway native joined the National Coaching & Training Centre (later to be known as Coaching Ireland and Sport Ireland Coaching) on a full-time basis in 1998 and remained there until his retirement 19 years later.

He went on to undertake the role of Chair of the Coach Development Advisory Committee at Croke Park, where he’s become heavily involved in the establishment of the Gaelic Games Coach Pathway, launched in December 2023.

The new Gaelic Games Coach Pathway mirrors the Gaelic Games Player Pathway, and aims to provide coaches with the knowledge, skill and capacities to develop players across all phases of that player pathway.

Dr Winkelman is Head of Athletic Performance and Science for the Irish Rugby Football Union, where his primary role is to oversee the delivery and development of strength and conditioning and sports science across all national and provincial teams.

Previously, he was the director of education and training systems for EXOS (formerly Athletes’ Performance), located in Phoenix, Arizona, where he oversaw the speed and assessment component of the EXOS NFL Combine Development Program and supported many athletes across the NFL, MLB, NBA and other national sports organisations.

Winkelman’s presentation, ‘The Language of Coaching’, focuses on the impact that communication has on an individual’s ability to learn and perform a movement.

It examines how instruction, feedback, and cueing can significantly affect training outcomes, and is grounded in motor learning and the science of attentional focus that aims to help coaches adapt their language to the learning needs of athletes.

Saturday’s O’Neill’s Ulster GAA Coaching and Games Development Conference also features a series of workshops delivered by top coaches.

• Tools to Increase the Effectiveness of your Coaching Practice
• Shaping the Environment to Transition Players
• Coach the Player: Less is more – Get to know players – Know your craft – Values-based coaching – Environment
• Coaching and the Challenges of Working with Parents/Players – CAP Model

Book your place at http://tinyurl.com/45x7wjdn

The cost of £30 per delegate includes attendance at the conference, an O’Neill’s quarter half zip and a two course lunch.

For further information email jimmy.darragh.ulster@gaa.ie.