The iCoachKids takes a bow at the 3rd International Conference in Limerick (Ireland)
After a highly successful 2nd Conference in 2018 in Leeds (UK), Sport Ireland took on the challenge of going bigger and better for the 3rd instalment of this prestigious conference. And truth be told, it did not disappoint!
This year’s theme was Child-Centred Coaching, and speakers and coaches had an opportunity to discuss at length what this holistic approach is all about and how to bring it to life in our day to day interactions with the children we coach.
Highlights included keynotes and practical workshops by internationally acclaimed coaches, practitioners and educators such as:
- Prof Dan Gould (Michigan State University)
- Prof Nicolette Schipper Van Veldhoven (Windesheim University and NOC*NSF)
- Prof Marie Murphy (Ulster University)
- Prof Catherine Woods (University of Limerick)
- Kris Van Der Haegen (Belgium FA)
- Dr Sergio Lara-Bercial (Leeds Beckett University and ICCE)
Conference Director Sheelagh Quinn from Sport Ireland Coaching was delighted with how the event unfolded: “The 3rd iCK Conference was a tremendous success, with 330 delegates from over 25 countries, the atmosphere was electric, the talk was of collaboration, connection, commitment to working together to make coaching more child friendly. Over the two days we heard from 35 experts, national and international, who shared their expertise, experience and passion with the delegates. As a result we have extended the iCoachKids family by a considerable number and we are looking forward to working with Coaches, Local Sport Partnerships, NGB’s , and 3rd Levels institutes in the coming months and years”
The enthusiasm and passion exhibited by presenters and participants alike did not go unnoticed for iCoachKids Director Dr Sergio Lara-Bercial: “It was an amazing event. The quality of the speakers and the level of interaction between speakers and coaches was like nothing we have ever seen before. A real family atmosphere and feeling of community. Congratulations to Sport Ireland Coaching, especially to Sheelagh Quinn, Declan O’Leary and Ann McMahon for pulling together a historic moment”
iCoachKids is co-funded by an Erasmus+ grant and led by Leeds Beckett University (LBU) and the International Council for Coaching Excellence (ICCE). It brings together another six world-class organisations with a common desire to support children and youth coaches and a proven track record of doing so. These include Sport Ireland Coaching, the Hungarian Coaches Association, the Netherlands Olympic Committee, the European University of Madrid, Lithuanian Sport University, and the Royal Belgian Football Association.
