GAA Foundation Course

The GAA Foundation Course is the first step in coaching at any age level. Foundation Courses are open to all Clubs, Schools, Individuals & Sporting organisations. With legislation now in place its advisable that all adult mentors and coaches of teams must have a minimum of Foundation Course completed before they can become a coach.

This also applies to Cul Camps, Easter Camps & Halloween Camps etc. (this does not apply to younger club members helping out at these camps) . There must be a certified Coach in charge at all times for any club activity involving games, training or camp activities.

The Foundation Course is also the first step in progressing to Award 1 and Award 2. Going forward clubs will have to have coaches qualified at Award 1 or Award 2 involved in their adult teams to comply with legislation. As a “Foundation Coach” you must be either coaching/assisting or actively involved with an underage team & you must attend a minimum of 2 workshops provided by Cork Coaching & Games throughout the year.

The Foundation Award course is aimed at beginner coaches and will enable participants to assist a coach in the organisation of activities to develop Hurling or Gaelic football. The course is 7 ½ hours in duration (or 9 hours for dual hurling and football course) and covers 4 key modules, as well as Introductory and Conclusion modules.

These 4 modules are:

• Introduction to Games

• Skill Development

• Movement Skills

• Coaching Children, Youths and Adults

The focus of the course is the development of the ‘How to Coach’ skills by placing the participant in situations that they will face as coaches – the organisation of games activities, activities to develop skill and activities to develop the various movement skills.

By the end of this course participants will be able to:

• Assist a coach in organising a programme of Games and Skill Development activities appropriate to each participants needs and abilities

• Identify the Skills of Hurling and Gaelic Football

• Assist a coach in organising progressive activities (drills and fun games) to develop 5 key skills

• Assist a coach in organising progressive activities to develop movement skills appropriate to Gaelic games

• Assist a coach in organising and managing players for an effective practice session

• Demonstrate the How to Coach Skills – Build Rapport, Observe, Analyse, Explain, Provide Demonstration and Provide Positive Feedback to Players

Clubs/Schools/Groups

If your club wishes to run a Foundation Coaching Course in the 7 month period between October and April contact your club secretary first. Your club secretary will have to contact Coach Education Officer Shane Supple to check availability and book your course at shane.supple.gda.cork@gaa.ie.

A course can only be booked by the club secretary through Shane Supple. The course fees are €250 per course, payable before the course starts. If a school wishes to run a Foundation course pleases contact Shane Supple Coach Education Officer Shane Supple at shane.supple.gda.cork@gaa.ie

Guideline & Requirements for Foundation Course Certification

• Any person wishing to receive a Foundation Certificate must provide proof from the club Coaching Officer that they have assisted in a minimum of 8 coaching/training sessions with their club. (A letter on headed paper signed by the Coaching Officer stating the location, dates and times these sessions took place will be required) This does not stop anyone from doing the course, this is to receive your Certificate afterwards
Download form here Foundation Course Coaching Officer verification form 2017

• Any Person wishing to receive a Foundation Certificate must attend at least 2 workshops run by Cork Coaching & Games during the year. Registration at Workshop on the night will suffice

• Any Person wishing to receive a Foundation Certificate must provide proof from the club Coaching Officer that they have completed the “Child Protection Awareness Workshop”.(A letter on headed paper signed by the Coaching Officer stating the location, date and time this workshop took place will be required) This does not stop anyone from doing the course, this is to receive your Certificate afterwards. Download form here Foundation Course Child Protection Awarness Workshop verification form 2017

• Any Person wishing to receive a Foundation Certificate must provide proof of Garda Vetting. Notification from club secretary or Coaching Officers stating you have done Garda Vetting will suffice.This does not stop anyone from doing the course, this is to receive your Certificate afterwards

• Any Person wishing to receive a Foundation Certificate must complete all modules of the course.

• Any Person wishing to receive a Foundation Certificate must be over 18 years of age.

• Any Person wishing to receive a Foundation Certificate must supply to the course tutor the following information. Name, Address, DOB, Gender, Phone, Club, Email. (without this information your Cert cannot be processed)

• Complete payment for the course by the individual or club.

*It is up to the participant to complete and provide all of the above before you will receive your Foundation Certificate.

**If you are not a member of a club ie: teacher or person in 3rd level education you can still attend a course but please contact Shane Supple regarding your circumstances.

Foundation Courses for Clubs

Courses are run for 7 months of the year so if your club wishes to complete a Foundation Coaching Course during any the following months October, November, December, January, February, March & April the club secretary will have to book your course with Coach Education Officer Shane Supple at shane.supple.gda.cork@gaa.ie at least 4 weeks in advance of your course.

• Your club has to have a minimum of 12 participants to run a course

• Participants must be Over 18 years of age to complete a GAA run Foundation Course. Students can take part in courses run in Schools for TY.

• Participants who do not complete the full course will not receive certification

• The cost of a Foundation Course for a club is €250 for up to 20 participants.

• A Deposit & Administration Fee of €25 must be paid online before any course will be registered and tutors assigned.

• If your club will have more than 20 participants the cost will be €450 as two tutors are required

• All payments for courses are to be paid in advance of course beginning

• Please let Shane Supple know the number of participants you believe you club will have for your course when you are booking

• Bookings are to be made by email through your club secretary only.

• The Foundation Coaching Course is 9 hours for a Dual Course and 7.5 hours for a single code

• The course can be done in the following formats: 3 hrs on a Friday night and 6 hrs on the Saturday OR over 2 weeknights either in the same week or spread out over 2 or 3 weeks

• When you are booking please give details of which format you would like and what date you would like

• Dates will be allocated on a first come first served basis, so we cannot guarantee the date you are looking for

Please refer to Guideline & Requirements for Foundation Course Cerification which applies to anyone wishing to take a course

Facilities for a GAA Foundation Course

To run a GAA Foundation Course in your club you will need the following facilities

• Clubs need a hall minimum 2 badminton courts in size (preferably bigger)

• Clubs need a meeting room capable of holding the number of people who will be doing the course

• Access to a Pitch or Astro Turf area or Training pitch will be needed.

Individual Bookings

If your club does not have 12 participants to run your own course or you are not a member of your local GAA Club we can still accommodate you

• Individuals can email Coach Education Officer Shane Supple at shane.supple.gda.cork@gaa.ie with their names and include the following details – Name, Club, Mobile Number and Email Address and the course they wish to attend.

• Club secretaries can also email Coach Education Officer Shane Supple at shane.supple.gda.cork@gaa.ie with the Names, Club, Mobile Numbers and Email Addresses of members of their club who wish to do a Foundation Course

• The cost for an individual is €20

• Payment by individuals is to be made at the course they attend or they can pay online here before hand

• If payment is not secured participants cannot complete the course and will not receive certification

• Participants must be over 18 years of age to complete a GAA run Foundation Course. Students can take part in courses run in Schools for TY.

• Participants who do not complete the course will not receive certification

• After individuals names are submitted they will be contacted as to what club course they can attend

• We will endeavor to place individuals on club courses convenient to them

If there are no club courses suitable and if numbers suffice a course will be organised for these individuals at a convenient location. Please refer to Guideline & Requirements for Foundation Course Cerification which applies to anyone wishing to take a course