Watch – Limerick U21 Strength and Conditioning Coach Mikey Kiely – “The best cultures are player driven.”

Limerick U21 Strength and Conditioning Coach Mikey Kiely – “The best cultures are player driven and that’s what we’re trying to achieve with Limerick.”

Mikey Kiely has the dual role of Strength and Conditioning and hurling coach with the Limerick U21 hurlers and has had high praise from the management team this year.

The former St Clement’s student secured a teaching degree early in his adult life but in the end didn’t feel that it was the right path for him in life.

“I was given a teaching degree but had no real interest in teaching. I then did a Masters in Strength and Conditioning in LIT and during my academia I was always involved in the practical side of things so eventually it evolved naturally.”

“It started off in 2012, I had the chance to intern with the Limerick Football team under Andy O’Neil. After that I got called into Claire under 21’s (hurlers) in 2013, I was working with the now senior hurling management team and they were great to me, fortunately we had a team off All-Stars the same year and we won the Under 21 All Ireland.

From there I went back into the Limerick Footballers as head of Strength and conditioning, it was a huge experience, the first time I controlled a senior team.

I looked after the (Limerick hurling) 14’s to the minor team last year, the pinnacle was getting to an All Ireland final, unfortunately we came up against a good Tipperary team.”

Dealing with young talented athletes will always have its challenges, especially in GAA, with players committed to so many different teams. Kiely says attempting to manage the players workload is the hardest thing about his role.

“This is the most difficult part of the job, particularly in February and March. You’ve players involved with club’s football and hurling, colleges and a lot of our panel play senior hurling.

We have them using monitoring apps, where they detail their sleep, how much training they do, how may games they play and their nutrition every week. We have to make educated decisions based on that information.

The communication in the GAA in general is poor. Once we get the communication between ourselves and John Kiely right and the college coaches, a lot of this overtraining can be avoided.”

The Ballybrown club-man is also hurling coach with the panel, he feels being able to have a more hands on approach and having the chance to implement fitness regimes into actual match training practices is a big bonus.

“I find it much easier having a role in fitness and coaching, it might be more difficult if I was trying to put my thoughts to a hurling coach.”

This Limerick U21’s side is probably as talented a panel as you’re likely to see. Kiely says that they are a self-motivated group and that Limerick are looking to move towards a more player driven culture at Inter-County level.

“They drive behaviour and they drive performance themselves. You see with the best sporting cultures around the world, the likes of the All Blacks. The best cultures are player driven and that’s what we’re trying to achieve with Limerick.”

The Limerick man, who’s currently doing his PHD in WIT, is still in the early stages of his career, and at 28 he feels that there is always room to improve.

“You can always develop your coaching, I’m still early in my coaching career. You’re always looking at the likes of the Munster’s or the soccer to see if you can pick up anything.”

Watch the full interview below. 

Social Sharing

Posted in

Sean Finn on condensed season, license to get forward and “basic” pre-match meals

The four-time All-Star was speaking spoke at the launch of Optimum Nutrition as the Official Performance Nutrition Partner ...
Read More

HIGHLIGHTS | Limerick Minors hold off Clare to maintain 100% start to the championship

The Treaty held off the Banner following a second-half fightback to keep their 100% record in this year's ...
Read More

WATCH | Clare secure valuable draw with Limerick following late flurry in Munster U20 Championship

English gave Limerick their first lead as the opening half drew to a close, collecting a dropped Con ...
Read More

Pairc Ui Chaoimh confirmed as venue for National Hurling League final

Both sides were relatively comfortable in their semi-final victories over the weekend, beating the previously unbeaten Tipperary and ...
Read More

Goals key as Limerick edge past Clare to secure consecutive Minor Hurling wins

Limerick 2-20Clare 0-22By Tom Clancy at TUS Gaelic GroundsA goal at the beginning of either half propelled Limerick ...
Read More

PREVIEW | Limerick continue Munster U20 Hurling C’Ship defence against neighbours Clare

Diarmuid Mullins has made just one change to his side to take on Clare with Monaleen midfielder Joseph ...
Read More

Lynch & Casey back to their best, Shades of 2021, All-Ireland rematch & More | Talking Points as Limerick reach League final

Following an interesting weekend of action, we look at the key points to emerge from the League semi-finals, ...
Read More

“We just want to keep improving week to week” | John Kiely clear on his focus as League final awaits Limerick

Limerick's reward for the victory is a place in the league final for the first time in three ...
Read More