Sprint relay workshop delivered in excellent Claremorris facility

Sprint Relay Workshop – Claremorris

20 enthusiastic coaches from the west and beyond travelled to Claremorris AC in Co. Mayo on Saturday January 9th for a two hour Sprint Relay Workshop. Originally planned for December 5th , this workshop was postponed due to the effects of Storm Desmond.

Organised by Paul McNamara, RDO for the region and delivered by National Junior Men’s Relay Coach and RDO Daniel Kilgallon, This workshop looked closely at the basics of coaching sprint relays. In the first hour of the workshop the fundamentals of sprint relay were examined and presented under the following headings:

•    Why Coach Relays
•    Building a National Relay Culture
•    Building a Club Relay Culture
•    Selecting the Team
•    Running Positions
•    The Zones
•    Baton Exchange Technique
•    Check Marks & Starting Position
•    Promoting Relays

Following the presentation the theory was then put into practice in the indoor training centre where coaches were offered ideas on warm up routines and drills for relay squads. This was followed by practical demonstrations on the state of the art outdoor track by National Junior 4x100 squad members Conor Duggan, Craughwell AC and Joseph Ojewumi ,Tallaght AC who determined checkmarks, lane positioning and showcased correct baton exchange technique in each of the zones. 

This is the second in a series of workshops that kicked off in Tallaght in November, aiming to promote relays to clubs and further educate coaches on the basics of sprint relays. Plans are currently been made to bring this workshop to other regions over the coming months.