This document outlines a webinar on conditioning youth Gaelic football and hurling players through games-based coaching. It discusses using small-sided games (SSGs) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) to improve players' physical abilities and meet the demands of match play. SSGs allow coaching of tactics, skills and fitness simultaneously while mimicking the game. The webinar proposes implementing a tactical periodization model of defining principles of play for different moments of the game to structure SSGs. Factors like pitch size and player numbers in SSGs impact the physical and technical outputs. A sample weekly plan integrating SSGs, HIIT and recovery is provided.

1. Kildare GAA
Youth Athletic Development
Webinar Series
Paul Divilly Ciaran Sloan
Mick Gillick Dave O'Neill
Session 4: Conditioning the Youth GAA Player
through Games Based Coaching
Fri 12th June @ 7:00pm

2. Introduction
• Game Physical Demands
• Training types (SSG, Intervals)
• Detail of SSG

3. Game Demands
“Increase the intensity, sustainability and frequency
of high intensity efforts”​
Mladen Jovanovic
Youth Sport
Total Distance
(m)
Total
Distance
(m/min)
HIR
(17-21.9km/h)
VHIR
(≥22km/h)
Sprint
Distance per Rep
(m)
Sprint
Duration per Rep (s)
Sprint
Frequency (n)
Acceleration
Frequency (n)
Maximum
Velocity (km)
Gaelic Football 5731 95 851 198 20.89 3.35 18 188 31.2
Hurling 6483 108 583 272 15 - 18 127 29.1

4. What conditioning strategies
can we implement with our
youth players?

5. Small Sided Games
(SSG)
High Intensity
Interval Training
(HIIT)
SSGs
Reduced playing numbers
Reduced pitch size
Modifications in game rules
(HIIT) embraces a variety of
interval protocols with
varying duration and
interspersed recovery breaks
Youth Conditioning Strategies
Bucheit & Laursen, 2019

6. How to
Implement
HIIT

7. SMALL SIDED GAMES TRADITIONAL RUNNING DRILLS
Advantages
Improved Motivation Exact work intensity can be easily prescribed
Enhanced training of movement efficiency Improvements can be monitored
Tactical awareness and technical skill
improvements
Gain insight into players character and motivation
Optimises training time and physical load
Gain insight into players character and motivation
Disadvantages
Work intensity difficult to control Not game specific movements
Increase risk of contact injuries No technical or tactical development
Possible ceiling effect for fit players Players don’t like running
Technical ability affects intensity
Require player numbers to make up session

8. Define & Implement Your
Game Model Through SSG

9. Game Model
Player
Capabilities
Club &
County
Structure &
Culture
Moments
of the
Game
Coaches
Ideas
Principles &
Sub
Principles
of Play
Mendez-Villanueva, 2012

10. Game Model - Player Capability

11. Tactical Periodisation
Tactical, Technical, Physical & Behavioral components are trained simultaneously.
Training sessions focus is always related to at least one of the five moments of the game.
Game Moments
Attack
Attack to
Defence
Defence
Defence to
Attack
Contesting
Possession
Mendez-Villanueva, 2012 ; Mangan 2020

12. Tactical
Periodisation
• Simplifies game model into principles & sub-
principles of play for each of five game
moments.
• Principles of play are instructions that the
coach wants the players to perform during
each game moment.
• By structuring the game model into principles
& sub-principles, you can increase the
predictability of “unpredictable” game events.
Mendez-Villanueva, 2012 ; Mangan 2020

13. Tactical Periodisation
Principles & Sub-Principles
Moment of the Game:
Transition Defence to Attack
Main Principal:
Depth and Movement in
Attack
Sub Principal:
Look Up & First Pass Forward
Sub Principal:
Kick Pass & Support Runners

14. Gaelic Football - Transition Defence to Attack

15. 13m 45m20m 13m45m 20m
Whichever team breaks through the gates plays with the forwards in red
65m 65m

16. 13m 45m20m 13m45m 20m
3 Hand Pass - Release the ball to your teammate in the opposite square
65m 65m

17. Tactical Periodisation
Principles & Sub-Principles
Moment of the
Game:
Attack
Main Principal:
Probe for a goal
Sub Principle:
Decisive
Sub Principal:
Break the tackle
Sub Principal:
Support Runners

18. Hurling – Attacking Play

19. 13m 45m20m 13m45m 20m65m 65m
Game Instructions
• Red Attack, Green Defend.
• Delivers must break out of front part of box before
they can deliver ball (front foot).
• Red forwards are encouraged to probe for a goal
(break tackle).
• Game can be progressed by bringing in half
forward/back line (support runs, backdoor option)

20. 13m 45m20m 13m45m 20m65m 65m
Game Instructions
• Red v Green
• Team score by carrying ball through their colored gate to score.
• When forwards score, opposition defender restart game behind goals.
• When defenders score, game continues with a delivery into other box.

21. Pitch Size
Considerations
Pitch size impacts physical & technical performance in
SSG.
Players covered greater distance on medium & large
size pitches.
HSR & VHSR were greatest on medium size pitch.
Acceleration frequency increased as pitch size reduced.
Player position -> Pitch size
consideration.
Larger pitch suited to middle 8 positions
(HSR).
Smaller pitch suited to inside line positions
(Accel & Decel).
All 3 pitch sizes overexpose players to the technical
demands of match play.
Mangan, 2019; Casey, 2019

22. Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
Principles Rest
Sub Principals
of Play
Rest
Main Principals
of Play
Rest Rest Game
Physical
Focus
Recovery
High Vol Accel/Decel
Aerobic
Recovery
HSR / VHSR
Aerobic
Recovery
Recovery
HSR / VHSR
Aerobic
Pitch Size -
Small
-
Large
- -
Large
Players - 5v5 - 8v8 - 9v9 - 15v15 - - 15v15
Duration - 75mins - 45-60mins - - 80-100mins
Game
Duration
- 3-5 min - 10-15 min - - 60 – 70min
Game
Repetitions
- 3–5 - 1-3 - - 1
Weekly Overview

23. Further Information
• Leinster GAA – Conditioning for Gaelic Football -
Paul Divilly & Ciaran Sloan
• Tactical Periodisation Model for Gaelic Football-
Shane Mangan - GAA Coach Webinar Series 2020

24. References
• Jovanovic, M. (2018). HIIT Manual High Intensity Interval Training and Agile Periodization (1st ed.). Belgrade, Serbia.
• Laursen, P., & Buchheit, M. (2019). Science and Application of High Intensity interval Training Solutions to the Programming Puzzle (1st
ed.). Champaign, IL.: Human Kinetics
• Mangan, S., Collins, K., Burns, C., & O'Neill, C. (2019). An investigation into the physical, physiological and technical demands of small
sided games using varying pitch dimensions in Gaelic football. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 19(6), 971-
984. doi: 10.1080/24748668.2019.1689003
• Villanueva, A. (2012). Tactical Periodization: Mourinho's Best – kept secret?. Soccer Journal, 28-34.
From https://www.researchgate.net/publication/313774247_Tactical_Periodization_Mourinho%27s_Best-kept_secret
• Casey, T., Dullea, M., Quinn, I., & Walsh, C. (2019, April). The Physical and Technical Demands of Gaelic Football Small-Sided
Games. Paper presented at the Conference: All-Ireland Conference of Undergraduate Research Limerick, Ireland. Abstract retrieved
from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332112580_The_Physical_and_Technical_Demands_of_Gaelic_Football_Small-
Sided_Games