1 minute with ... U14 Antrim Development Squad Coach-Sean Kelly​

1 minute with ... U14 Antrim Development Squad Coach (who bags a few medals) 

Name:Sean Kelly

Club:Naomh Gall

Playing Career Achievements:  

13 Antrim Senior Championships, 
1 All Ireland Club Championship, 
2 Ulster Club Championships, 
a few Kilmacud and Castlewellan 7s winners medals 

Coaching Experience;

Have helped out at different times with some sessions in St Galls from the tiny tots, to the U14s and 16s as well as some ladies sessions. I have coached a number of School teams in St Marys including a McLarnon winning team. Coached St Marys teaching college freshers also.
This is my first involvement within the county.

Greatest Coaching influence:

Hard to say, I’ve picked up something from every coach I have ever worked with from when I was under age right up to senior. All of them had different characters and different methods which was a great experience.

What got you involved in Dev Squads?  

Liam McGoldrick tricked me! In all seriousness though I wanted to see what it was like on the inside and what could be done to help with the development of footballers in the county. The chance to test myself as a coach with the best players from all the clubs and to see if I could make a difference was also a big draw.

Benefits gained from coaching the squads?  

Working with the best players. Testing them and yourself against the best teams of the same age group. Trying to improve yourself in every aspect of your coaching so that you can make them better and in turn send them back to their clubs better players which hopefully has the knock on effect of improving standards throughout the county.

Coaching Aspirations?

Simple, make the players I work with better players. I always think it is more important to look at how to coach the processes that allow players to perform at their best. Coach them well and the results will look after themselves.

Favourite coaching moment?

Probably my involvement with St Marys winning the McLarnon cup. Myself and Donal Armstrong would like to think that our coaching helped improve the team from a very poor start to a team we could identify had the traits that we had attempted to instil in them.

What is your favourite coaching game / drill?

Any small sided game based scenarios that makes the player think and forces them to assess the options around them and make the best decision.

Coaching Motto you live by? .

Train the way you want to play. I heard that from Jackie Webb from my club when I was a youngster many years ago and it stuck with me.