INSTITUTE Director of Technical Services appointed at the Irish Institute of Sport
Sean Kelly, Executive Chairman of the Irish Institute of Sport, today announced that Gary Keegan has been appointed as Director of Technical Services at the Irish Institute of Sport.
Gary Keegan, currently the Performance Director of the Irish Amateur Boxing Association, will continue working with the Irish boxers who qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games to ensure they get the best support in the build up to the Games.
The focus of the work of the Director of Technical Services at the Institute of Sport will be in ensuring Ireland’s best athletes will receive the best possible coaching. Gary will work with the NCTC / Coaching Ireland to ensure coaching structures within Irish sport will deliver the high quality support that is an essential requirement of success at elite international level.
Gary has enjoyed great success with the High Performance Team at the IABA since he took up the post in 2003. The highlights were the championship exploits of Katie Taylor, Andy Lee and Ken Egan. As well as numerous medals won at various international tournaments. Ireland has two boxers qualified for the 2008 Beijing Games with hopes high for more at the next qualifying tournament in Athens in April.
Sean Kelly, speaking at the announcement said “Gary Keegan has an outstanding record with Irish boxing. We have taken great care in all of our appointments as we recognise the importance of getting the right person for each key post. During the selection process we met with candidates of the highest quality and Gary demonstrated that he is the right man for this job. He joins an outstanding team who bring huge practical benefits to elite Irish sport”.
John Treacy, Chief Executive of the Irish Sports Council, welcome the announcement of Gary Keegan’s appointment. “Gary’s work with the IABA is admired in Ireland and abroad. He brings great technical qualities and experience to this post. He also has great passion for Irish sport and a conviction that we can succeed at international level”.
Gary Keegan commented: “Quality coaching is the key to success at elite level. My role is to ensure that all the top athletes have access to the best coaching. It is major challenge but an exciting one that can bring rewards to our athletes”.
For further information contact
Paul McDermott Irish Sports Council 087-6486295
Sinéad McElroy Irish Sports Council 087-6338512
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The Irish Institute of Sport Update - March 2008
The Irish Institute of Sport was launched by An Taoiseach, Mr Bertie Ahern T.D. in 2006. The aim of the Institute is to create an environment which supports talented Irish athletes and assists them in achieving sustained levels of excellence in elite sport.
The Institute has built individualised and intensive programmes of support around the athletes, and their coaches, who will participate in the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This body of work is driven by the two key support programmes, Performance Planning and the International Carding Scheme. The Institute personnel bring the additional level of technical expertise to the support structure. The relationship between the Institute and the Performance Director is the critical factor in ensuring a successfully implemented plan.
A key development at the Institute at this early stage of its development was the appointment of highly skilled individuals to the four director posts at the Institute. Gary Keegan, Technical Director, will have a critical role in matching the best coaches with Ireland’s best athletes. He will work with NCTC/ Coaching Ireland to ensure that all sports our providing with top quality coaching support.
Gary joins an outstanding team of Phil Moore (Director of Athlete Services), Dr Rod McLoughlin (Director Sports Medicine) and Professor Greg Whyte (Director of Sports Science).
The Institute is responsible for the International Carding Scheme in 2008 and from 2009 will take over from the NCTC is delivering the non-financial aspects of the scheme. The budget for the Institute in 2008 includes €2.3 million for the International Carding Scheme and €835,000 for the new Institute programmes.
The Institute will continue with Individual Athlete Interventions (for example in finance, coaching, medical & sports science) which have proved to be very successful for the very best Irish athletes.
It is also putting in place new programmes that will bring tangible benefits to elite Irish athletes. The programme for 2008 was set out at the Institute’s first high performance conference in January. The highlights of the 2008 programme are as follows:
Sports Science Services
The Institute will introduce a Quality Assurance Scheme for sports science service providers to improve access to National and International experts and ensure the best athletes get access to the best service providers.
The Institute will undertake an applied research programme with third level institutions and National Governing Bodies which will focus on applied performance enhancing innovation. It aims to optimise national expertise and utilise international expertise and provide direct liaison with third level institutions.
Athlete Lifestyle Services
The Institute will commence career and education programmes to address the specific needs and concerns of the elite athlete community. A Career Development Programme in partnership with expert career consultants Top People is currently being piloted and aims to provide individual guidance assessment and placement and a transition support to a second career for elite athletes.
In addition, a Performance Athlete Scholarship Scheme (PASS) will be the flagship lifestyle programme for the Institute this year with approximately €300,000 set to be invested. The scheme is at an advanced consultation stage with third level institutions. It will allow for part-time and flexible study and assessment arrangements for athletes, free fees for “slow-track” study and subsistence grants so that athletes are able to combine study with elite sport.
Medical Services
The Institute will introduce a Web Based Injury Management System to enable more appropriate injury management and greater communication between the relevant medical professionals. The Institute will also work across the sports to develop agreed policies and guidelines for injury management.
A Medical Clinic will be established at the Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, providing Consultant Opinions, Laboratory, Imaging and other medical services thus providing a fast track referral service and expedited treatment for Institute athletes.