Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge Coaching Corner - Damian Curley

Q. How come Galway underage hurling is and has always been so strong - you have three teams again this year in the Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge?

**A. **Galway Coaching and Games have put in place a very good structure over the last number of years to help underage hurling get to where it is at the moment. The Development Squad system (much maligned in some counties, but a success under Damien Coleman in Galway) has been a huge boost, with many former players finding their way into the structure and putting huge work in from Under 14 to Minor.

This, allied with continued good work and cooperation from the clubs and schools has lifted the standard hugely.  In fairness, we have had a policy of keeping the base as wide as possible for as long as possible – and certainly the Bank of Ireland Celtic Challenge has been a huge help here – we continue with 3 squads (outside of our top 24 minors) who are guaranteed a proper games programme. 

I think we all recognise now that the balance between games and training needs to level out in all areas – for too long it has been dozens of training sessions for 1 or 2 games, this is slowly beginning to change, thanks to competitions like the Celtic Challenge where a 1:1 ratio is being promoted.

Q. Is there a real sense of building on the success that the seniors had last year?

A. We felt in Galway that we were starved of success at senior level, with such a long gap back to 1988, despite having a plethora of minor and U.21 wins in the intervening time – so yes, it was a huge boost to finally reach the pinnacle again.  The fact that the minors achieved the ultimate prize on the same day was also a huge moment, and the enthusiasm and interest generated amongst the hurling fraternity was great to see.  There is a real sense that we are finally ready to compete regularly and at the “business end” at all levels.  An All-Ireland win does huge good for the confidence of a county!!

Q. You've been involved in hurling and coaching all of your life - how have the young players changed over the past 10 years or so?

A. I think the big change I’ve seen is the education of players – 10-15 years ago guys just came in to a set up and survived on their hurling instincts – now guys are up to speed on the latest S&C techniques, what their nutrition should consist of, what edge can sports psychology bring to their game, what video analysis can bring, etc. 

A certain amount of that was always there, but it wasn’t as pronounced, and certainly wasn’t something you spent a lot of time at.  The skills of the game are still the same, the fitness levels have become more position specific, but players are always looking for that extra bit to give them an edge.

Q. You work at GMIT - is it important for coaches to be aware of the pressures that players face off the field - exams, peer pressure, etc?

A. Yes, I think that more than ever we have to be cognisant of what’s going on in players lives outside of sport.  When you take into account the heavy sport schedule of most of our students, you also have to factor in their study schedule, work schedule and home life also.  Very often, we as coaches can have a little bit of tunnel vision and expect them to commit to our session and forget about everything else – this simply isn’t possible anymore. 

We have to find ways to accommodate players rather than the other way around – we need to open channels of communication between the various stakeholders with the player at the centre.  Having said all that, I am a big fan of the 3rd Level competitions – they still (and should continue to) hold a big place in the GAA calendar and in the Player Pathway – I’ve always contended that if a potential county senior can hold his own in the tough conditions usually encountered in Fitzgibbon hurling, it’s a pretty good indicator of how he will play in senior championship.

Q. What are the core characteristics of a young Galway hurler? What will these lads need to build on if they are to make it as good club players or even make the county panel one day?

**A. **Again, as part of the development process we have made efforts to promote a Culture and Values system within our Academies – from a hurling point of view this relates to being able to operate as part of a team.  Much of our coaching is now geared towards a “games based approach” and getting players to be much more attuned to dealing with situations as they arise on the field, rather than having them to rely on the “sideline” for instruction. 

Also, with the focus on the team we try to really promote the positives of playing with Galway, whether it be at the top level or the next levels – we would hope that anybody who gets a taste of it brings the ethos back to their clubs and try to up the levels there – not in a silly way but in a way that is productive for everyone. I feel that if the environment is inclusive and encouraging, we have a far better chance of keeping players involved and I suppose the ultimate compliment to the system would be that guys felt that they enjoyed the experience and learned something from it.