...Fundamental Gymnastics for all Sports...
What is Springboard?
- It is a gymnastics-based coaching course
- For any sports coach interested in continuous professional development
- The course focuses on the demonstration, teaching and experience of many fundamental gymnastic skills (e.g. balancing, rolling, jumping and landing), movement patterns, physical preparation and flexibility techniques.
THE KEY TO THIS COURSE...
The transference of the basic gymnastic skills to other sports (i.e. making the skills directly relevant to all sports)
What’s Involved?
- A one day - 6 hour coaching course
- Content is predominantly practical
- All participants will receive a Springboard resource
- Led by a Coaching Ireland approved gymnastics tutor
This resource has been Developed in partnerships with the School of Sports Studies, University of Ulster (Professor Marie Murphy, Head of School of Sports studies & Co-director of Sports & Exercise Research Institute & Sinead Connolly)
From left to right: Dr. Marie Murphy (UUJ), Aimi Baker(Irish Gymnastics), and Sinead Connolly(UUJ).
Mission statement...
To deliver a gymnastic-based coaching course to a wide spectrum of sports in Ireland, helping sports coaches to maximise player/ athlete potential through developing the core physical literacy skills of gymnastics.
Benefits to IG members...
This resource will generate much needed revenue to fund other Irish Gymnastics initiatives, in addition to placing Irish Gymnastics in a position of central importance in the development of sport in Ireland.
Pilot Courses...
To date, we have piloted the course with the IRFU, the FAI and the GAA. The plan is to involve many more sports to our pilot programme before the official launch, early 2011.
IRFU Fitness Department - Autumn 2009
Photo – Aimi Baker (Irish Gymnastics), Tommy Cradock (Sligo Grammar School P.E. Teacher) & Des Ryan (I.R.F.U. Fitness Education Manager) with some of the Young Players from Sligo Grammar School.
The IRFU fitness department joined forces with Irish Gymnastics to complete an interesting 6-week pilot project (Autumn 2009) based on the Springboard resource, aimed at improving fundamental movement skills in young players/athletes.
Des Ryan, IRFU Fitness Development Manager
“...It is well appreciated that gymnastics is a close relation to all sports and helps develop movement skills. The I.R.F.U. would like to help investigate this and increase the knowledge in this area through this and other projects..."
GAA (Nemo Rangers G.A.A. club, Co. Cork) – March 2010
Photo - Aimi Baker with the coaches from Nemo Rangers and a selection of gymnasts from Douglas gymnastics club at the 2nd pilot.
FAI (Co. Wexford) – July 2010
Photo - Aimi Baker with some of the coaches, and players taking part in the soccer pilot with Courtown Hibs, Co. Wexford.
Ongoing negotiations with NGB’s...
The I.G. team have held preliminary negotiations with the GAA & IRFU, and plan to meet with other NGB’s to discuss the potential development possibilities with Springboard.
Photo – IG staff members in Croke Park L-R:Dermot Howlin (Policy & Welfare Officer), Aimi Baker (Participation Officer), Sally Filmer (Coaching Development Manager) & Ciaran Gallagher (CEO)
Where are we now?
The programme is in final stages of development, so keep an eye on this section for updates as we move towards the official launch...
