Connacht Branch Hosts Fitness Workshop
The Connacht Rugby Domestic Game Department co-ordinated a fitness workshop at the Sportsground in Galway last month. The workshop was presented by Des Ryan, the IRFU’s fitness education manager, and over 70 coaches working with young children in their respective schools and clubs attended this very beneficial event.
Part of Des Ryan’s role is to manage the fitness education programme for IRFU fitness coaches and also manage the fitness structures for rugby players from Mini rugby to 19 years.
The workshop focused on assessing and developing fundamental movement skills in young children at stage 1 and 2 of the LTPD – Long Term Player Development Pathway.
It was based on the newly updated fitness and conditioning content in the Mini and Foundation coaching courses. The workshops focused on Physical Activity and Movement Skill development in children aged from birth to 14 years and investigated their physical activity levels, windows of opportunity, PHV and Fundamental Movement Skills.
The workshop was both practical and theory based. Antoine Mobian (Academy fitness coach), Niall O’Toole (Under-18 fitness coach), Michael Horan (Under-17 fitness coach), Jamie Stephens (Under-16 fitness coach), Paul Ginty (Under-15 fitness coach) and Johnny O’Connor (Connacht and Ireland flanker) demonstrated the practical element in Galway.
Thank you to all that attended. Special thanks to Eamonn Molloy and Jimmy Duffy for co-coordinating and providing the facilities.
The topics that were covered are as follows:
Topic 1 – Physical activity levels and guidelines for children in the four provinces
Topic 2 – Assessment and development of movement skills in children
IRFU fitness education manager Des Ryan said: “I think you will agree that the above information is beneficial on a coaching level and a personal level for anyone with a young family.
“The workshop had theory and practical content and I feel the evening will be of great use to coaches who would like to know what is the most appropriate and practical method to develop young players at stage 1 and stage 2 and how to get that message across.
“I would like to thank Eamonn, Jimmy and all the Connacht Domestic Game Staff for organising the event in such a top quality venue and for successfully getting the information out to the schools and clubs which resulted in the huge numbers attending.”