Training Coordinator Announcement and Training overview 2013/2014

No doubt you are all aware by now that training within the club has undergone quite a bit of restructuring this past year. This has all been to try and capitalise on existing strengths and introduce new initiatives to set our members up for a bumper year of training and racing in 2014.

We are not quite done with announcements yet though!

• 1. Training Coordinator confirmed: 

  We would like to congratulate Stephen Gallagher and Dig Deep on becoming our New Training Coordinators. Stephen has put together a very impressive training programme for the club which will kick off from 7th October 2013. We will launch the plan at our AGM on 5th October so we encourage everyone to be there.

• 2. Swim Coaches: 

  Sinead McBreen: I am sure you will all join us in welcoming back Sinead McBreen to our Swim Coaching team – Sinead will be leading our Saturday morning sessions from 5th October. It’s great to have Sinead back. 
  Conor Hillick: We would also like to welcome Conor Hillick to our Swim Coaching team – Conor will be leading our Tuesday and Friday sessions in West Wood starting in Octobeer. I know Conor plans to formally introduce himself to everyone during his first week but just in the meantime here is a bit of background: Conor Coaches Pentathlon Ireland’s youth squad, some of which will be competing at European Youth Olympic Qualifiers at the end of September. He also assisted in coaching Barracudas Swim Club in Dalkey and is coaching this season with NAC Swim Club and their Junior/Age Group squad. We are delighted to have in on board.

So with all the restructuring and announcements the committee thought it might be handy to pull everything together and set out a full and complete Piranha training picture for everyone.

Training committee

Consists of 2 training officers who report into the overall Piranha Committee. Diana Stafford is currently fulfilling this role with assistance from our Chairman James Hoare. Diana plans to stay on in this role next year should she be elected but we do need another person to join the team. It’s a varied and dare I say it at times demanding role but also a very fulfilling one so please if you are interested in signing up as training officer do get in touch or contact us with any questions you may have on training@piranhatri.com

Training Sub Committee

It was decided this year giventhe extent of the training role and the ever increasing membership numbers that it would be best to create a sub-committee to assist the Training Officers with specific areas. We put these roles out to the membership and we were really delighted with the response. All roles for next year have been filled and a substantial amount of work has already been completed in these areas so thank you to all involved :

• Warm Weather Training – Nick Walsh
• New to Triathlon- Hugh Larkin
• Races and National Series Team – Bernard Hanratty
• Ironman – Frank O’ Connor

Discipline Captains
Another new initiative this year was to nominate discipline captains who will work with the training committee to promote development, communication and interest within the relevant disciplines. Again amazing work has been done already and we would encourage everyone to get to know the discipline captains and to get in touch with them should you have any questions/ideas/Complaints (as if) in any of the areas or relating to our new training programme and they will collate and bring them to the committee/training coordinator on your behalf. Big thanks again to all those who stepped into the roles

• Swim – Chris Farr
• Run – Niall McDonnell
• Bike – Stephen Cawley

Training Coordinator
Following all the feedback from members throughout the year on what it was they wanted in terms of support for their training we confirmed Dig Deep as the new Training Coordinator for Piranha. Their objective is to provide structured coaching and professional advice to members of Piranha Triathlon Club. Full Details on the programme will follow in the coming weeks.

Discipline Coaches
This year saw the introduction of Assistant coaches to supplement the existing superb coaching team. It is a credit to our members that so many of them stepped into these roles and we thank them and of course our lead coaches for the great job they all do every day. We are now a club that can truly say is run for its members by its members. We hope to continue to support the development of our members as much as possible in the coming year.