Declan has been coaching and training since 2004 developing an extensive coaching record having worked with clients ranging from four year olds, the general public and at the elite level with Donegal Senior GAA . He has also worked for professional bodies the IRFU (Irish Rugby Football Union) and Ulster Rugby from 2010 to 2013.
In 2005 Declan began a Business, Sports Development & Coaching Honours degree in LYIT before undertaking a Master’s Degree in Sport & Exercise Psychology which he successfully completed in 2010 along with his thesis “Pre-Performance Multidimensional Anxiety in the Transition Period between Age Grade and Senior Level Rugby Union”. Declan attributes his Masters in Sport & Exercise Psychology as the “Most important course I’ve ever done” in shaping his training philosophy with clients. After his Masters Declan took up a position with the Irish Rugby Football Union and Ulster Rugby as a coach, training youth & senior athletes in the north west of Ireland.
Declan worked with the Donegal Senior GAA team in late 2011 as part of their regionalised pre-season program leading into the successful 2012 All Ireland Championship season and later towards the end of 2013 took up a role as a Strength & Conditioning Coach and Performance Analyst for 3 years with 2014 being a successful year leading into a Ulster Senior Championship before losing out in the All Ireland Final. He worked closely with Jim McGuinness in opposition analysis along with providing sport science support through heart rate and GPS analysis & tracking. He was also strength & conditioning coach for the south based Donegal minors in 2015 and the Ulster Championship winning minor team in 2016.
Declan has given guest lectures in LYIT on the topics of “Behavioural Change” and “Performance Coaching”.
His main areas of interest include player loading, adaptive periodisation and the psychological determinants of performance for both athletes and non-athletes.
Along with Declan’s performance training, Declan has ran numerous fitness classes for the general public in south Donegal and is looking forward to continuing this in Donegal Physiotherapy & Performance through semi-private, group and team based training. Declan attends numerous seminars and conferences each year nationally and internationally along with continuously adding to his professional development through courses in a variety of performance fields & disciplines.
Contact Declan on 087 135 6547.
Qualifications
- BA (Honours) Business, Sports Development and Coaching
- MA (Honours) Masters in Sport and Exercise Psychology
- EXOS Advanced Strength & Power
- Certified Speed & Agility Coach
- Bioforce Conditioning Coach
Psychology & Behaviour
- Emotional Intelligence Training
- Restorative Practice Training
- Equality & Diversity Training
- Managing Actual & Potential Aggression
- Jigsaw Level 1 & 2
- ASIST
- LGBTI
Technology
- Activio Heart Rate Systems
- Polar Heart Rate Systems
- StatSports Viper GPS System
- Catapult GPS System
- Playertek GPS System
- Athlete Database Development (in process)