FOR our GAA athletes during the pre-season phase, the focus lies on developing robust athletes who can withstand the rigours of back-to-back matches and the continuous demands of a competitive season. This involves exposing athletes to chronic load in terms of both volume and high-speed running. Additionally, agility and contact training play crucial roles in creating […]
By Patrick Morrison ALL goalkeepers want to improve. It doesn’t matter what age, level or reason for playing as a goalkeeper, we all want to feel as if we are becoming better ‘keepers week on week. That said, it is important to realise that the amount you improve, and the rate of improvement are vastly […]
FUELLING your body properly is just as important as your training when it comes to Gaelic football. The right nutrition can help you perform at your best, recover faster, and avoid injury. But not every day requires the same amount of food and fuel. That’s where the Traffic Light System comes in. A simple way […]
WHENEVER I am coaching, one of the most common questions I am asked is ‘what is the most important aspect of being a goalkeeper?’ My answer is always the same. There is no one aspect that is more significant than any other as mastery of the position needs a competent level of ability in all goalkeeping […]
By Patrick Morrison THUS far the new 40-metre kick-out rule has sent teams back to the drawing board to rethink their restart strategies. Most teams have settled upon popping the ball to the corner-backs or pumping it long for the midfield battle. Indeed, every week of the league rounds we are regularly seeing teams smashing […]
By Patrick Morrison “ANOTHER week. Another rule!!” This was a text message I received from a goalkeeper I coached several years ago when they heard of the introduction of the new 20-second kick-out clock to Gaelic football, the rationale for its introduction being that goalkeepers are taking far too long to take their kick-outs. Like […]
IN Gaelic football, running is at the heart of the game, but that doesn’t mean all conditioning has to be done on the pitch. Off-feet conditioning, also known as cross-training, is an effective way to build fitness without adding unnecessary running load. When used correctly, it can help players improve endurance, maintain fitness during injury, […]
OVER the past 20 years, we have really seen the evolution of the goalkeeping position in Gaelic football. So much so that we have seen possibly the greatest ever in Stephen Cluxton to the newest modern phenomenon of ‘keepers joining the fray. Over the past 20 years, and even before then, we have seen a […]
By Patrick Morrison CHILDREN are curious and insightful individuals who explore and learn through the process of trial and error just as nature intended. Their world is loaded with all kinds of imaginary games and toys. All a child wants to do is explore their world through the medium of play. And what child has not […]
PLANNING is key to success – but how do you know how to plan effectively for your GAA teams? The high / low system Popularized by sprint coach Charlie Francis, the terms “high” and “low” refer to the intensity of demand on the nervous system from the training done. The high/low model is a way to […]
