Coach's Lab with John Murphy

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Lavin’s Game Sense Coaching resources: https://www.gamesensecoaching.com/

What is Game Sense — and how do coaches actually develop it?
In this episode, I’m joined by the Lavin brothers, creators of the Game Sense Coaching framework, to break down how games-based coaching improves decision-making, skill execution, and understanding in Gaelic Games.

We discuss:

• What Game Sense really means beyond the buzzword

• Why skills must be learned in game-like contexts

• Using Whole–Part–Whole through games, not drills

• How to design better games using space, numbers and rules

• Common mistakes in games-based coaching

• The coach behaviours that matter most: observation, questioning and restraint

A practical, coach-friendly conversation for anyone working in GAA, schools or youth sport who wants to design better sessions and develop smarter players.

Free Youth Athletic Development Programme + 5-Day Email Course: https://fhs-performance.kit.com/a441db6d48
Weekly Coaching Email List: https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773

How do we combine strength, speed, skill, and decision-making in a way that actually transfers to the game? In this episode, I chat with Stephen Casey, an S&C coach and skill acquisition practitioner working across GAA and rugby, to explore the messy reality of performance.

We discuss:
• Why siloed training often fails to improve match performance
• Agility as a decision-making challenge, not a cone drill
• When strength work improves kicking… and when it won’t
• Using constraints to improve skill, agility & game understanding
• Why racing & chasing develops speed better than most drills
• KPIs (MAS, CMJ, 0–10m, GPS) — useful or misleading?
• How to design games that develop physical, technical & tactical qualities
• The importance of individualising training instead of chasing generic numbers

A brilliant episode for any coach trying to blend S&C, skill acquisition and game-based coaching into one coherent model.

👉 Free Youth Athletic Development Programme + 5-Day Email Course: https://fhs-performance.kit.com/a441db6d48
👉 Paul Kilgannon’s 2026 Carver Coaching Community Programme: https://carvercoachingframework.com/product/2026-carver-coaching-community-programme/?mc_cid=5c49bc1cb6&mc_eid=24d11d3dc9

What separates good coaches from truly great ones?
In this episode, I’m joined by Paul Kilgannon, Coach Developer and Performance Consultant, to explore the building blocks of coaching craft: your philosophy, your skills, your tools, and how you influence the people around you.

We discuss:

• Why simplicity is a superpower in coaching

• Coaching skills vs coaching tools — and how to use each properly

• How to shape your coaching philosophy (“This Is Me”)

• Designing purposeful sessions, questions, games & conversations

• Backroom teams: roles, relationships and psychological safety

• Reflective practice — how to genuinely improve as a coach

• What’s undervalued and overrated in modern coaching

If you coach in GAA or any sport, this episode will help you rethink how you plan, communicate, and build the environments where athletes learn and perform.

👉 Free Youth Athletic Development Programme + 5-Day Email Course: https://fhs-performance.kit.com/a441db6d48

What can GAA coaches learn from professional soccer? In this episode, I’m joined by Shane Keegan — UEFA Pro Licence coach, former League of Ireland manager, and Games Manager with Laois GAA.

We dig into how coaching principles transfer across sports, and why the best coaches focus on clarity, communication, and designing sessions with purpose.

What we cover:

• The biggest lessons GAA can take from soccer

• How to design sessions around clear objectives

• Whole–Part–Whole: when and how to use it

• Player communication and simple, effective feedback

• “Repetition without repetition” for real skill development

• Using analysis and data to shape a game model

• Leadership, relationships, and managing players

A brilliant conversation for any coach interested in improving how they plan, communicate, and create meaningful training environments.

Free Youth Athletic Development Programme + 5-Day Email Course: https://fhs-performance.kit.com/a441db6d48

How fit should underage GAA players be — and what does the data actually say?
I’m joined by Lorcan Daly (TUS) to unpack 10+ years of county development-squad testing: what was measured, why it matters, and how coaches should interpret results for real player development (not box-ticking).

What we cover:

• Testing vs monitoring: using numbers to guide, not judge

• Key measures: sprint speed, jumps, Yo-Yo, body composition

• Growth & maturation: why “normal” progress isn’t linear

• Positional notes: why GKs and midfielders often look different

• Speed–momentum explained (speed × mass) and why it’s useful

• Practical takeaways for coaches & parents

If you coach youth Hurling or Gaelic Football, this episode gives you clear, level-headed guidance on what to track and how to use it to support long-term development. Subscribe for weekly GAA coaching, S&C, and skill development episodes.

Sign up for my free weekly GAA coaching insights here:👉 https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773

📹 Related video: How to Blend Games with Runs in GAA Conditioning👉 https://youtu.be/ku7lN2W5T8k?si=fbyb3VEds6BKi7tz

📸 Follow Cian O’Dea on Instagram:👉 @cianodea_sc

💼 Learn about my Youth S&C Consultancy Services:👉 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WyrxfpBLkpQDXeS1SqevwohFmEtOq_xFtW9s6W5FOnU/edit?usp=sharing

In this episode of Coach’s Lab, Dr John Murphy is joined by Cian O’Dea — Strength & Conditioning coach, Coach Education Manager, and PhD researcher — to discuss the physical and tactical impact of a Games-Based Approach in Gaelic Games.

Cian shares findings from his research on how different game formats influence fitness, speed, and decision-making, and how coaches can build sessions that are both engaging and physically demanding.

We chat about:

• 🏐 Designing games that develop skill and conditioning

• 🧠 Blending small-sided and large-sided formats for different outcomes

• 🔁 When and how to include top-up running outside games

• 📊 The physiological demands revealed through Cian’s studies

• 🎯 Practical takeaways for coaches balancing realism, fun, and load management

Whether you’re a GAA coach, S&C practitioner, or PE teacher, this conversation offers practical, evidence-based strategies to help you get more from every session.

Follow Coach’s Lab for weekly conversations on Gaelic Games, coaching, sports science, and athletic development.

#GAA #StrengthAndConditioning #GamesBasedApproach #Coaching #AthleteDevelopment #SportsScience #GaelicFootball #Hurling

Sign up for my free weekly GAA coaching insights here:
👉 https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773

In this episode of Coach’s Lab, Dr John Murphy is joined by Donnacha Mulcahy, Lecturer in Strength & Conditioning at TUS and S&C Coach with the Tipperary Senior Hurling and Football teams.

Donnacha has worked across GAA, rugby, and schools rugby systems, giving him a unique view of what connects and separates elite sport, youth development, and coach education in Ireland.

Together we discuss:

• 🏋️‍♂️ Integrating new players into adult panels and managing different training ages

• 📊 Monitoring load, jump testing, and profiling in intercounty squads

• ⚡ Preparing underage athletes for the physical demands of senior sport

• 🔄 Lessons GAA can learn from rugby’s structured coach-education model

• 🤝 How to balance theory, experience, and enjoyment in S&C

• 🧠 Why “keeping it simple” often delivers the best results

Donnacha’s blend of academic insight and on-the-ground coaching experience makes this one a must-listen for anyone serious about athlete development in Gaelic Games.

Follow Coach’s Lab for more conversations on Gaelic Games, coaching, youth development, and applied sports science.

#GAA #StrengthAndConditioning #Coaching #AthleteDevelopment #SportsScience #GaelicFootball #Hurling

📩 Sign up for my free weekly GAA coaching insights here:
👉 https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773

Follow Stephen Walsh:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sw_elite/
🏋️ Atlas High Performance Gym: https://www.atlashpc.ie/

In this episode of Coach’s Lab, I’m joined by Stephen Walsh – S&C coach and owner of Atlas High Performance in Limerick. Stephen works with athletes across 14+ sports, from GAA to soccer, Irish dancing to golf, and shares how he applies simple, effective training principles to very different contexts.

We cover:

• 🏋️ Stephen’s gym session framework and why it works across multiple sports

• ⚡ The balance between general athletic development and sport-specific training

• 👟 Practical examples: sprint prep, plyos, loaded jumps, strength & resilience work

• 📈 How to individualise training without overcomplicating it

• 🤝 The role of collaboration, coach education, and creating sustainable pathways for athletes and coaches

Whether you’re a coach, athlete, or parent, you’ll take away practical ideas for structuring sessions, avoiding over-specialisation, and building athletic qualities that transfer to the pitch (or stage).

🔔 Don’t forget to follow the show for more conversations on Gaelic Games, S&C, coaching, and youth development.

#GAA #StrengthAndConditioning #Coaching #AthleteDevelopment #SportsScience

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Philip’s newsletter (skill acquisition + practice design): https://mrtenniscoach.substack.com/

How do players really develop skill in Gaelic Games? In this episode, Skill Acquisition expert Philip O’Callaghan joins me to unpack the science and practice of learning.

We explore:

• Why skills are best understood as problem-solving

• How to design training that truly represents the game

• The Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) explained in plain language

• When to use opposed vs unopposed practice

• Isolating “slices” of the game to accelerate learning

Philip shares practical examples coaches can apply straight away — from shaping small-sided games to tweaking constraints that bring skills to life.

If you coach Hurling or Gaelic Football, this conversation gives you a clear framework to design sessions that create smarter, more adaptable players.

#GAA #Coaching #SkillAcquisition #ConstraintsLedApproach #EcologicalDynamics #PracticeDesign

👉 Sign up for weekly GAA Coaching insights here: https://fhs-performance.kit.com/4d8709e773

Agility is more than just running around cones. In this episode, I chat with Paul Talty — S&C coach and PhD researcher on Change of Direction and Agility in Gaelic Games.

We cover:

• The real difference between change of direction and agility

• Why decision-making and anticipation matter as much as speed

• Key findings from Paul’s research on Gaelic Football

• How coaches can prepare players for sharp cuts, turns and 1v1 battles

Paul has coached with the Mayo Senior Footballers, worked across top GAA clubs, and spent 5 years as Head of Performance with Swim Ireland, travelling to two Olympic Games.

This episode blends science, coaching, and practical takeaways for anyone serious about improving agility in Hurling or Football.

#GAA #Coaching #Agility #StrengthAndConditioning