Almost 800 delegates attended the annual Games Development Conference, which took place on Friday 6th and Saturday 7th January 2017. The theme of the 2017 Conference was “It’s all in the GAME”, serving to re-iterate the fundamental importance of adopting and practicing a Games-Based approach to Training & Development.

On the Friday night attendees had the opportunity to listen to Nicholas Walsh, Paul Kinnerk, Martin Fogarty and Mick Bohan as they shared their views on what a gamesbased approach means to them as coaches. Each speaker delivered a very engaging presentation on their interpretation of a games-based approach and how it had impacted them as coaches – ‘if it does not challenge you then it does not change you’ (Mick Bohan). Afterwards Damian Lawlor facilitated a thoroughly enjoyable and insightful Q&A discussion with the panel.

Aogán Ó Fearghail, Uachtarán CLG, welcomed delegates on the Saturday morning. Throughout the day delegates had the opportunity to listen to and engage with a number of keynote sessions delivered by world-class coaching practitioners such as Professor Wade Gilbert, Professor Niall Moyna, Nicholas Walsh and Paudie Butler. In addition to the keynote speeches a number of highly regarded speakers delivered a range of workshops including:

• Improving Decision Making: Empowering Players (Briege Corkery & Ryan McMenamin)

• From Where I was to Where I am: Development Coaching Expertise (Jamie Wall)

• Being a Coach: Developing Coach Behaviour (Professor Chris Cushion)

• Engaging the Playing Rules: The Mark (Patrick Doherty & Maurice Deegan)

• Implementing a Games-Based Approach within your Coaching (Paul Kinnerk)

• Leadership and the GAA Club (Noel Connors & Ray Griffin)

• Catering for players of mixed ability through a Games-Based approach to Training & Development (David Herity)

• The Soul of Sport (Dr. Colm O’Connor)

Apart from the keynote speeches and the workshops, the Conference also consisted of an Exhibition Zone where exhibitors and academics from a range of Third Level Institutes were able to present their innovative ideas and research into Games Development related matters e.g.
• Play Us - A new Mobile App developed as a pilot with the National Games Development Department to allow 

Coaches to make contact with other Coaches to organise challenge matches.
• Tactic - An online video based communication application that allows Coaches and Players to communicate on interesting aspects of games and coaching. The key feature is a built in editing function that allows both
coaches and players to quickly edit video clips to  add comments or pose or answer questions about aspects of play. Developed in association with the Games Development Department to work in a Gaelic games context

GAA TY Future Leaders - Launch of a new Transition Year programme covering a range of subjects through the
medium of Gaelic games that is focussed on empowering students to be drivers of physical activity and wellbeing within their own schools and communities