The GAA Games Development Conference 2018 is being developed in partnership with Sky Sports and will take place on Friday and Saturday, January 12th and 13th 2018 in Croke Park.
Run as a partnership between all of the Gaelic Games Associations, the Conference will offer the 750 delegates attending an opportunity to access talks relating to key coaching issues in Hurling/Camogie, Gaelic football/Ladies Gaelic football, Handball and Rounders which are related to players across the entire player development pathway.
Friday, January 12th will feature a Youth Development forum that will investigate many of the issues related to ensuring that player are provided with an adequate programme of games, appropriate to their needs and abilities. Speakers will present on a number of initiatives that have been developed to complement the formal games programme. Speakers include Martin Fogarty (GAA Hurling Development Manager), Shane O'Sullivan (Ballygunner and Waterford Hurler), Micheál Quirke (former Kerry Senior Footballer) and Philip Kerr (Derry). There will also be a session led by Eoghan Hanley, a teacher at Gort Community School and the national Future Leaders programme coordinator. Former Cork Senior Football manager, Brian Cuthbert will present some of the findings of his PhD research into the GAA Talent Academy system.
Doors open at 6.30pm on Friday night, with the first session throwing in at 7.30pm, concluding at 9.30pm.
Saturday, January 13th provides an opportunity for delegates to attend sessions from speakers of national and international renown covering topics relevant to the player, the coach, the game and the environment.
The day will be divided between Key Note and Parallel workshop sessions. Key note addresses will be delivered by Stuart Lancaster (Senior Coach, Leinster Rugby), John McGrath (Coach to South Africa's Luvo Manyonga, Olympic Silver Medallist and World Champion Long Jumper) and the 2014 Captain of the Europe Ryder Cup team, Paul McGinley. Parallel sessions will include:
- Brendan Cummins (former Tipperary Senior Hurler) and Martin Fogarty (National Hurling Development Manager)
- Diarmuid Lyng, former Wexford Senior Hurler
- Tony Óg Regan, Galway Minor Hurling team, All Ireland Champions 2017
- Ashley Jones, Strength and Conditioning coach, formerly coach to the New Zealand All Blacks
- John Murphy, Coaching Officer at St Mullins GAA Club, Carlow
- Anthony McDonnell, professor of Management at the Cork University Business School (UCC)
- John Tuohy (Manager, Limerick Senior Camogie Team) and Rebecca Delee (Limerick Senior Camogie Player)
- Noelle Healy (Dublin Senior Footballer, 2017 LGFA Players Player of the Year)
- Cliodhna O'Connor (Former Dublin Senior Footballer and LGFA Coach Developer)
In addition, there will be a discussion forum led by MC Damien Lawlor involving former Tyrone Senior captain and U21 football coach, Peter Canavan, former Armagh Senior Footballer Steven McDonnell and Kerry Minor Football Manager, Peter Keane.
Tickets for the conference are priced at €60 and include dinner on Saturday, refreshments on both Friday and Saturday and the conference delegate pack. Tickets are available to purchase from the dedicated ticket website: https://eventgen.ie/gaa-games-development-conference-20178
