During the 2021-22 academic year Student Sport Ireland with the support of Sport Ireland, 25 Higher Education Campuses and 10 National Governing Bodies across the country, have been running a Women’s Student Coaching Academy, where female students in 3rd level study are offered supports to get involved in coaching during their studies.

On April 20th, a huge number of the students involved were brought together at the GAA National Games Development Centre, on the Sport Ireland Campus for a coaching workshop day.

The students were in the expertise of Liam Moggan for the morning section of the workshop as he shared some tips and advice for the students for coaching regardless of whether coaching with a team or an individual athlete. Liam emphasized that you are always coaching one individual and spoke of learning to engage with people is one of the crucial components of being a good coach.

Following lunch everyone was delighted to be involved in a very good panel discussion and questions and answers session. On the panel for the discussion was Jessie Barr (Former Olympian and Sports Psychologist in the Sport Ireland Institute), Niamh Briggs (Former Ireland and Munster Rugby International, and now assistant coach with the Irish Women’s Rugby team), Liam Moggan (Former PE Teacher, Multi-sport coach and former coaching co-ordinator with Coaching Ireland, and Niall Williams (Coaching Officer with the Camogie Association). The panellists spoke of the backgrounds in sport and the journey from playing sport to working and coaching in sport. A key message from the four panelists was for the students in the academy to say “Yes” to all opportunities to coach with a club or a team and to always be ready to learn and sign up to courses such as the Women’s Student Coaching Academy to hear other people’s experiences and thoughts.

Student Sport Ireland are delighted to be in the process of opening the registration for year two of the Women’s Student Coaching Academy and thank the staff in Higher Education Institutes around the island and also thank our partnering National Governing Bodies (Athletics Ireland, Badminton Ireland, Basketball Ireland, Camogie Association, Football Association of Ireland, Hockey Ireland, Irish Rugby Football Union, Ladies Gaelic Football Association, Rowing Ireland, Volleyball Ireland).