2024 Funded Research Projects

Summary: Badminton Ireland aim to understand the development and progression pathways of Europe’s top players in Male Singles, Female Singles, Male Doubles, Female Doubles and Mixed Doubles formats. This data will be used to investigate how these players successfully transitioned from junior to senior adult competition. This research will allow Badminton Ireland to review the current junior programme being funded through support from Sport Ireland called ‘Podium Potential’. Badminton Ireland plan to partner with South East Technological University to deliver this project.

Summary: The Camogie Association aim to examine current practices of talent identification and player development in intercounty Camogie development squads. The project seeks to inform the evolution of player development pathways in Camogie and aid in the upcoming integration of Camogie with the GAA. The Camogie Association plan to partner with South East Technological University to deliver this project.

Summary: The aim of this research is to establish research priorities for women's sport in Ireland to provide directions for future research and knowledge translation initiatives. The researchers will develop a co-production collective for Irish women in sport, comprising academics and non-academics across relevant stakeholder groups with the intention of identifying All-Island research priorities for women’s sport. Donegal Sports Partnership plans to partner with Atlantic Technological University to deliver this project.

Summary: The GAA intend to compare the lived experiences of stakeholders engaged in the implementation of a ‘One Club’ model across the Gaelic games associations with contemporaries who have either unsuccessfully pursued this ambition or not embarked upon it. This research will inform planning/decision-making across the Associations, including renewed One Club Model Guidance. The GAA plan to partner with Ulster University to deliver this project.

Summary: Golf Ireland aim to explore the development, implementation, and evaluation of an education support program for parents of youth athletes. Based on the identified support needs of youth golfers, as well as associated parental stressors, the proposed program of research aims to translate and disseminate contemporary research findings into the development, implementation, and evaluation of an evidence-based parent education and support program. Golf Ireland plan to partner with Ulster University to deliver this project.

Summary: Hockey Ireland intend to engage in a programme of research that focuses on the effects of growth and maturation on field hockey players, as well as the gender differences in managing these aspects during adolescence. The research aims to address a gap in the current literature by conducting longitudinal monitoring of the relationship between growth, development, performance, and injury risk among youth field hockey players in Ireland. The project further aims to co-design and evaluate a monitoring approach that integrates growth, performance and self-report data that will help inform selection and individualized training of field hockey pathway athletes. Hockey Ireland plan to partner with University College Dublin to deliver this project.

Summary: The aim of this project is to design and implement an evaluation of the Club Coaching Community of Practice (CoP) programme across Gaelic games. This process will explore the impact of the Club Coaching CoP on coaching practices, coach performance, player/team outcomes and coach perceptions of the relevance and applicability of the Club CoP. The LGFA plan to partner with Munster Technological University, the Gaelic Athletic Association, and the Camogie Association to deliver this project.

Summary: The aim of this project is to investigate the experience of youth female athletes in development pathways across organised sport in Ireland. This research aims to inform and develop more nuanced gender appropriate development pathways and provide young female athletes with equal opportunities to achieve their full potential in and enjoy long term participation in sport. Offaly Sports Partnership plan to partner with Technical University Shannon to deliver this project.

Summary: Paralympics Ireland will investigate if stroke rate differs within and across classification groups in elite female Para swimming events across several international Para swimming competitions. This study will be used to distinguish optimal stroke rates for Para swimmers depending on their classification groups. Furthermore, the data collected can be implemented into talent identification to aid high-performance team selection for the Para swimming program. Paralympics Ireland plan to partner with Technological University Dublin to deliver this project.

Summary: Pitch and Putt Ireland plan to explore the social impact of pitch and putt with the intention of understanding the community benefits of recreational sport for females over the age of fifty-five. The research will explore how pitch and putt contributes to building stronger communities and enhancing the well-being of individuals. Pitch and Putt Ireland plan to partner with University College Dublin to deliver this project.

Summary: Student Sport Ireland and their partners aim to investigate the prevalence of mental health symptoms and their association with the protective factors of psychological resilience and psychological safety, in student athletes in Ireland. This project will inform how Student Sport Ireland and other stakeholders can enhance supports as part of a holistic and integrated approach to facilitating student athletes’ dual careers and promoting their mental health. Student Sport Ireland plan to partner with University College Dublin to deliver this project.