1. A Player Centred Approach to Welfare
My background
Employed by Ulster GAA since March 2007
My Current role;
Player Welfare
A Player Centred Approach to Welfare
Ryan Mellon – Ulster GAA

2. Ladies Gaelic Football
Our Games
GAA
Gaelic Football
Hurling
Ladies Gaelic Football
Camogie
Rounders
Handball
There are a range of games in the Gaelic Games family.

3. Performance Pathway County u21 Academy
Provincial
National
County
Brock
Rannafast Forrester
U17 School Academy
U16 School Academy
U15 School Academy
U14 School Academy
FE Academy
HE Academy
U15 Club
U14 Club
U16 Club
U18 Club
U21 Club
Senior Club
Technical
Education
Club
System Support: Fitness Testing Protocols, Skills Test Protocols, Player self assessment, Coach Assessment, Service Support
Sigerson Fitzgibbon
Markey Ward
MacRory Mageean
County u21 Academy
County Senior
County Minor Provincial / County
County U17
McGuigan Cup
County U16
Buncrana Cup
County U15
Provincial / National Blitz
The GAA Performance Pathway has 3 strands; Club, County & Education
At the core of the pathway we have our County and Provincial Structures at each age group.
Supporting and supplying talent to these County Academies we have our clubs (February to October).
On the other side we have our competitions in schools, FE and HE (October to March).
This works extremely well with clubs and county working in the spring and summer and the schools and colleges working over the Autumn and winter periods with the performance athlete.

4. Club Elite Players County School
A small percentage of elite players will be selected to play for all 3 of the above.
Players are very loyal to their club, school and county. They desire to play for all 3 teams in the same season.
At times, conflict may arise between Club, School and Club Coaches.
The player at times may be subjected to overuse and potentially be at risk of developing injuries or burnout.
Club
County

5. Recent Interventions
Also mention the minor review group.

6. Gaelic Groin

7. Support Network for the Player
Parents
Coaches
Schools
County Squads
County Committee
Welfare Officer
Elite players may a times have extremely busy schedules.
We are currently working with stakeholders to protect the players as much as possible. The approach is player centred.

8. Player Role Talk to Parents Plan Season Communicate with managers
Manage Lifestyle and make choices
Monitor and record commitments
Work with County Player Welfare Manager
Role of Player
ROLE OF PLAYERS
Discuss challenges and issues with parents and coaches
Plan the season to include commitments outside GAA
Communicate commitments to managers /coaches
Make hard choices
Manage lifestyle to maximize performance
Monitor and record training commitments
Liaise with the County Player Welfare Mentor

9. Support and Ask Questions
Parent Role
Challenge Coaches
Support and Ask Questions
Take an Interest
Parent Role
Take and Interest: Be aware of your child’s overall commitments in sport, education, work and social life
Challenge Coaches: Monitor and challenge training programmes with the coaches concerned
Support and Ask Questions: Continue to support by asking questions and taking an interest in your child.
Step In: Step in and take the decision out of their hands.
Step in if required

10. Role of the Parents Dad, What do you know about Football?
Nothing, but I know a lot about parenting
Dad, What do you know about Football?

11. Explain to Others Respect the Player Implement Activate
Role of the Coach
Explain to Others
Manage
Take Overview
Allow focus on next event
Avoid conflicting training
Recognise current training
Rest Players
Respect
the Player
ROLE OF COACH
Nurture and manage the talented players
Take an overview of their total commitments
Allow them to focus on their next competition
Avoid unnecessary and conflicting training regimes
Recognize current training designed to help peak for imminent competition(s)
Rest players from your training when your competition is not imminent
Communicate resting players to other teammates
Take decision making out of the players hands and work with parents
Implement Activate Warm up.
Monitor and make contributions to the players training diary
Respect the player as a person and individual
Implement Activate

12. Role of Fixture Makers Make decisions on full information
Avoid fixture clashes where possible
Schools, Colleges & County fixture makers committee
Legislation to control the length of time for preparation of teams pre competition
Role of CCC
Make decisions around fixtures based on full information
Avoid fixture clashes where possible
Schools, Colleges and County fixture makers communicate
Legislation to control the length of time for preparation of teams pre competition.

13. Role of Player Welfare Mentor
Be Available
Mentor
Build Relationships
Mediate
Monitor Activity
Player Welfare Mentor
Be available as a source of support and mentoring to young players on county Squads
Monitor training and playing regimes
Be accessible by telephone to players
Build a relationship with key stakeholders
Mediate as required

14. Questions