#24

Developing fitness & performance on & off the pitch

Joey Boland

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Joey Boland is a former Dublin hurler and founder of Sports Physio Ireland, which provides physio care for the Dublin hurlers, as well as various club teams in the capital.

In recent weeks Boland took the decision to close his sports physiotherapy clinic but he and his staff were determined to continue looking after their clients. Boland and his team are using various modes of communication to continue the rehabilitation work with their clients who may be stuck at home for the foreseeable future. Everything they do is done online now – personal training, physio, injury rehab.

We talk all about how he is training the current generation of athletes through the Coronavirus pandemic.

Joey has also kindly provided access to a free online training session, available here.

Summary

1:31  Joey Boland introduction

• Background and experience

4:10 Where Joey’s passion comes from and who influenced it

• Early years and family life
• Spending holidays in North Tipperary
• Going for the games

6:08 Host’s memory of his early life and attended matches

6:51 Growing up in Dublin vs. living in the countryside

• Appreciation for hard work and nature

7:55 Meaning of Gaelic heritage

• Quality control of coaching
• Looking for possibilities for expansion

9:10 How are players training during the quarantine

• Different approaches in different teams
• Lack of schedule, and possibly motivation to practice without having specific games planned
• Need for players’ special preparation after the lockdown
• Need for players attention to the body during the period of no games

14:30 Inter-country managers’ approach to players after the lockdown

• Players using free time for personal things
• Healing injuries

15:45 Championship 2020

• Lack of possibility to fill the stadium (no vaccine, no way to manage)
• Financial aspects of preparation of inter-county team
• Challenge of keeping discipline within the teams

18:45 Proper consulting for players

• No guarantee that the players will be able to play
• A difficult choice for players not wanting to expose their families to virus infection
• Importance of sports to society after the lockdown

20:21 Memories of the first senior game

• Lack of confidence
• Building own philosophy and tactics
• Struggles in young age and getting more experience through years

22:23 Creating and teaching a young team

• “We got a little tougher on them first 2 years because we had to.”

23:43 Working with managers

• Becoming a vice-captain
• Being a fanatic about the sport: arrogance, trying different tactics
• Creating a cause

26:06 Creating culture

• Importance of respect towards managers
• Managing a diverse team
• “Once you have everybody on board going in one direction, you will get results”

28:30 Discussion about Final in 2013

• “We gave everything that we could.”
• Psychology of momentum

30:29 “Dublin Hurling” brand

• Initial positive approach and difficulties later
• Motivation during a period of lost games
• Mistakes of the past and lessons for the future
• Loyalty to poor performance
• Need for appropriate processes

36:20 What needs to be done so that Dublin wins in Ireland

• Impact of society on young players
• Building motivation based on the impact of culture and society during a player’s early years

39:23 Discussion about Kilkenny and Dublin development process

• Division of board’s focus between football and hurling
• “Do you want performance, or do you want engagement? And engagement is the number thing for GAA”

42:33 Retirement from sport and loss of identity

• Admitting the end of a career
• Challenge of admitting weaknesses

47:12 Discussion about lack of senior hurling clubs in Dublin

• Financing problems of clubs

47:39 Outstanding players

• Physical aspects and impact on technique and player’s capabilities
• Modeling best players
• Health problems and impact on player’s career
• Memories of specific games and meetings

51:55 Coaching experienced players

• Difficulties
• Experience of coaching young players
• Motivating older players
• “You need to create a bit of a competition…”

58:14 Services offered and change of business during virus

• On side services, something for every age
• Investing in body
• Focus on corporate clients
• Offer for podcast’s listeners
• Athletic development platform
• Possibility for athletes to understand their own body
• Innovation during of period of crises

1:05:00 Steps to learn about an individual or a team

• Analyzing strengths and leveraging on them

1:06:13 Pareto principle in teams

• Role of a player in a team
• Impact of a player on other players’ behavior and a team’s performance

1:08:47 What to look at in players

• Skills and readiness for continuous learning
• Physical aspects
• Soft skills

1:10:31 Using analytics and technology in sports

• Opportunity to learn and focus on specific goals
• Possibility for improvements of tactics
• Future of technology and its usage

1:13:28 What should players focus on in a specific age

• Importance of feedback
• Focus on an individual at first and later on a team and an individual’s role

1:15:22 Preparation of a player during the lockdown

• Importance of structured life

1:16:37 Preparation of intra-country team

• Evolution of a team members structure through the years

1:18:20 What could improve the game

• High catch
• Players position on a pitch

1:20:15 Discussion about a hand pass

• GAA looking from an entertainment point of view
• “GAA wants the game to look clean, entertaining, and safe.”

1:22:12 How to help players to realize their potential

• Importance of increasing a player’s confidence

1:24:45 A performance advice

• “If you don’t address them, then injurers will slow you down and have an effect on your performance”
• “Invest in your body and look after yourself, so the rest will look after itself.”

1:25:52 Advice for young players

Further Resources

More about Joey Boland’s work on his website: https://sportsphysioireland.com/

Access a free online training session with Joey, available here.