Ladies Gaelic Football

Coach Education is a key strategic target for the LGFA and it is essential for the future development of the game. We are delighted to announce that the LGFA, in collaboration with Limerick Sports Partnership, have secured funding as part of the Sport Ireland Sports Inclusion Fund to plan, design, implement and evaluate a Coaches Community of Practice. This pilot project is predominately a coach education initiative. The concept is to create and nurture an environment which will allow coaches deepen their knowledge and expertise by interacting with each other on an ongoing basis. This project will be aimed at coaches involved with juvenile ladies football club teams in Limerick, namely Oola, St. Patricks and Fr. Casey's in Abbeyfeale. Coaching Communities of Practice (CCoP) are defined as 'when coaches sustain mutual engagement in their enterprise long enough to share significant learning, a CCoP is the result. (Culver and Trudel 2006,). The aim of utilising CCoP's is to create and develop coaches who adopt a player-centered style of coaching. This is essential for recruitment and retention of players. There has been high drop-out rates in girls aged 11-17 years and one of the reasons for this has been a lack of understanding and knowledge from coaches. Addressing this problem will create sustainable clubs with educated coaches who will prioritise the needs of the age group they are coaching. How the CCoP will run. The coaches from the clubs involved will form a group which will focus on: • collaborative planning • reflection • the role of critical friendship • collaborative coaching Over the 10-month period, the LGFA and Limerick LSP will provide a suite of educational workshops but most critically will provide an environment where coaches will meet monthly in the CCoP to place greater emphasis on experiential learning. The CCoP will allow coaches to share common problems and concerns and use the knowledge of the wider group to identify solutions. The project is currently in its preparatory phase and is set to begin formally during the 2021 playing season. LGFA Commence Innovative 'Coaching Community of Practice' (CCoP) Project 'When coaches sustain mutual engagement in their enterprise long enough to share significant learning, a CCoP is the result.'

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