Issue link: http://digitaleditions.uberflip.com/i/1302727
56 | AUTUMN 2020 | www.ladiesgaelic.ie E arlier in the year, the Gaelic Games family conducted a coach education survey which drew more than 11,500 responses, to make it one of the most far-reaching trawls of grassroots coaching opinions ever conducted on this scale – in Irish sport and beyond. The full report is expected by the end of the year but the initial examination of data has produced some notable headlines and a detailed picture of the role and function of coaches across the full Gaelic games family emerging. As coaches, respondents have coached Gaelic football (63%), Hurling (38%), LGFA (27%), Camogie (23%), Handball (2%), or Rounders (1%). Interestingly, almost 40% LGFA Participate in Biggest Gaelic Games Coach Education Study of respondents coach more than one code. From a coach education perspective, over 91% of respondents have gained a coaching qualification from the GAA, LGFA, or Camogie Associations, with over 60% having taken a coach education qualification in the last 3 years. Coaching courses and workshops have been very popular learning opportunities for coaches in 2019/2020, while the results have indicated the impact of COVID-19 on coach development, with over 52% of respondents indicating that they have attended a Coaching webinar organised by one of the Gaelic games associations in the last 12 months. Working with and observing other coaches has also been a very valuable learning opportunity for coaches. Encouragingly from a coach development perspective, almost 95% of respondents consider their future learning either 'somewhat important' or 'extremely important', with 71% of respondents 'quite likely' or 'extremely likely' to undertake some form of coach education in the next 12 months. The work of the Gaelic Games Coach study advisory group continues, with further analysis of the data to be completed over the coming weeks. In addition, over 6,000 coaches have agreed to take part in focus groups to explore their coaching and coach development further. It is intended to have the complete report of the Gaelic Games Coach study available towards the end of 2020.