Official Website of Ulster GAA

Ulster GAA Academy Programmes

Ulster Player Academies

All Ulster Counties deliver a series of Academy Squad programmes at U.14, U.15, U.16 & U.17 levels in Hurling and Gaelic Football. These programmes identify the best young players at each age group and provide a higher level of coaching and education programmes to those delivered at club level. The County Academy Squads play in a series of one day blitz competitions to give the players competitive challenges throughout the playing season. These competitive opportunities culminate in the National Blitzes at the end of August each year.

The Ulster Provincial Academy programme aims to develop Ulster’s most talented U.16 footballers and hurlers to expose them to the rigors of training and development similar to that faced by our senior inter-county teams. Each County supplies their five most talented players and two coaches to the squad. The Academy programmes are outlined below.

Ulster GAA Development Squads Website

Ulster GAA have set up a dedicated Development Squads website, which features practical advice, presentations, session planners and drills for working with Development Squads players.

Under 16 Provincial Football & Hurling Academy Programme

• March/April Selection and training of academy squad coaches
• June – Selection of Provincial Academy Squad
• July
• Residential Camp in University of Ulster at Jordanstown
• Inter Provincial game against Leinster opposition
• Hurling – Inter Provincial games against Galway and Connacht

Ulster GAA Coach Academy

Academy Aims

To complement the coaching qualification pathway, the Ulster GAA Coach Academy, will provide a number of short workshops/courses to further develop coaching expertise over a period of 12months.

The key aim is to support and develop coaches’ knowledge and application of technical, tactical, physiological and psychological/lifestyle factors that affect a player’s and ultimately a team’s performance.

The Academy is for Gaelic Football, Hurling and ladies Gaelic Football coaches.

Who is it for?

• Coaches committed to working at performance level, i.e. county academy squad, minor, U21 or senior level.
• Coaches who have Completed a Level 1 (Gaelic, Hurling, Ladies Gaelic, Camogie) Coaching Qualification.

Academy Duration

• Coaches will have to attend 4 weekends over the year involving a Friday evening and Saturday
• Attendance at all dates is compulsory, as is the requirement to complete all tasks set

Academy Content

Workshops to include: Performance analysis; Coaching session preparation; Coaching attacking play; Coaching defensive play; Winning the changing room; and much more.

Ulster Referees Academy

The Provincial Referees Academy is a two year programme aimed at referees under 32 years of age who have aspirations to officiate at the highest levels of the game.

Referees, who must score highly in a rules test and also pass the fitness test, will attend workshops on a quarterly basis and will have the opportunity to shadow a referee during a National League or Championship game.

While not a fast track to Provincial or National panels the academy will provide the referee with the necessary tools to progress in their refereeing career.

Download:
– Referees Academy Programme Content