The Athletics Ireland Development Officers have a wide brief covering coach education, club support and development as well as participation. The events of the last year have proved challenging for clubs as normal activities and events have been curtailed and sometimes cancelled altogether. The RDO team has adapted to this situation and attempted to provide support for clubs, officials, coaches, and athletes. This has necessitated exploring options that had not previously been utilised. The broad range of social media and on-line options that has emerged has proved both effective and popular.
The series of webinars, coaching challenges and material, information events, coaching courses, etc., has ensured a regular flow of resources to the members. The constantly evolving situation regarding restrictions required constant advice and clarifications to clubs as they attempted to keep active while adhering to the guidelines.
In recent times the imminent deadline for the Sports Capital Funding programme has been prioritised. The interest from clubs has been unprecedented with the workshops heavily subscribed and queries dealt with subsequently.
If you are looking for further support on any of these areas, your local RDO will be able to offer assistance and advice.
To highlight some of the activities our team have been busy with recently we have highlighted key work here with links:
Clubs
- New Club Applications - Step by step guide to groups wishing to form a new Club.
- Regular contact with clubs; emails and contact, including updates: training, COVID-19, etc.
- Funding Applications, including Sports Capital Funding
- Offering and developing competition opportunities, e.g. MortonLive
- Club Planning and development
Online Coaching Courses (links describe the content)
- Organising event specific webinars – sprints, throws, jumps, endurance, etc.
- Athlete interviews (Thomas Barr, Brian Fay, Hannah England, etc.)
- Coach & Athlete Interviews/reflections
- Topic Webinars – Nutrition, Club development, coaching insights 14+ listed here
- Women in Sport Resources – (Participation, Leadership, Coaching, etc.)
- Instagram Athlete Takeovers
- Online session ideas – home circuits, Short med ball (1’), core workouts, Sprints
- I am a Runner campaign - Online presence, with a newsletter.
- Linking Run Jump Throw (RJT) footage (Check with club secretaries as well over 30 resources have been sent)
Virtual Challenges
- 4 Week Athletics Challenge
- Virtual Cross-Country Challenge
- Home Challenge Series
Other Coaching Material
- Regular updates with key coaching resources
- Female Health Support
- Fit4Life coaching support
- Shot Put (SP), Javelin (JT), Steeplechase , 400m including many Run Jump and Throw resources
- Officials’ resources
- 6 weeks Video-Little Athletics Programme (which was used on RTE E -Learn Platform)
- Support Coach Network – panel of experts to support your club
Coming soon. Other initiatives are being devised including:
- National Champion Challenge
- Valentine 5k club challenge
- Design a club warm up
- Youth Athlete Diary
- Try Track and Field - Athletic roadshow
