A Coach is a person who assists and challenges players to achieve their full potential.

The coach plays a central role in the development of the GAA player. The challenge for the coach is to create the right conditions for learning to happen and to empower the player to develop him/herself to reach their potential.

Quality Coaching – as part of an overall Games Development Plan – promotes fair play, builds social cohesion, self-esteem, and enhances health and well-being as well as supporting social and economic objectives. Coaches should be committed to creating fun, safe playing environments for all of our players, regardless of age or ability level. To safeguard our players, coaches abide by the GAA Code of Conduct, have completed the GAA/ISC Child Protection in Sport Awareness Workshop and are vetted by An Garda Síochána/Access NI.

The best way to become a Coach is to join our GAA Coach Education Programme (CEP). The GAA CEP is aligned to the Coaching Development Plan for Ireland and has been designed to develop Coaches of Gaelic games. See below to find out more.

The GAA has developed a framework for effective coaching called the Coach 10/MVA Model. The model looks at the different factors that help create the formula for coaching success.