Ireland has produced some of the most successful coaches and players in the world of sports, from rugby to hurling, football, boxing, golf, martial arts and many others.
Many of these coaches and players began their careers as teachers, sometimes adding to the PE efforts of their schools before the subject became more formalised in recent years.
Using their teaching skills and knowledge to inspire and guide young students and athletes to success by incorporating physical activity into children's lives.
Others are retired players who are still working as teachers, passing on their love of sports to the next generation of Irish greats.
If you are a teacher at primary or secondary level, thinking of adding PE to your professional remit or considering a future career in teaching, these inspiring sports coaches and players and their professional backgrounds may be inspiring.
Brian Cody is easily hurling's most decorated manager and a household name across the country. The legendary former Kilkenny hurling player and manager began his career as a teacher.
After completing his Leaving Certificate, he attended St Patrick's College in Dublin where he qualified as a primary school teacher. Cody later worked as a teacher at St Patrick's De La Salle national school in Kilkenny, before serving as principal between 2009 and 2015.
He first became manager of Kilkenny in November 1998 and he guided The Cats to the All-Ireland final the next year.
From there, Cody led the county to 11 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championships, 18 Leinster Senior Hurling Championships and 10 National Hurling Leagues.
Watch this video of his inspiring hurling philosophy below.
Valerie Mulcahy is a ladies' Gaelic footballer who played at senior level for Cork, winning ten All-Ireland titles and nine Ladies' National Football League titles between 2005 and 2015.
She was also an All Star on six occasions and as a women's association football player, she represented Ireland at the 2003 Summer Universiade and played for Cork City in the Women's National League.
In 2015, Mulcahy helped launch the Women's Gaelic Players' Association.
The Cork football icon studied PE and Irish at the University of Limerick and is a PE and Maths teacher at Gaelcholáiste Mhuire in Cork.
Pat Spillane is an Irish former Gaelic football pundit and player. His league and championship career at senior level with the Kerry county team spanned seventeen years from 1974 to 1991. Spillane is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
He attended Thomond College in Limerick where he studied to be a PE teacher. He worked as a PE and geography teacher at St. Gobán's College in Bantry, County Cork, where he became vice-principal and, subsequently, principal of the school in 2011.
He also led the school’s under-16 boys' team to two 'Munsters' in a row in 2005–2006 and 2006–2007.
In retirement from playing Spillane combined his teaching career with a new position as a sports broadcaster. His media career began with RTÉ in 1992, where he started as a co-commentator before progressing to the role of studio analyst with the flagship programme The Sunday Game.
On 9 July 2022, Spillane announced his retirement as a pundit on The Sunday Game after three decades and that the 2022 All-Ireland Football Final would be his last appearance.
Peter Canavan is an Irish former Gaelic footballer, manager and pundit.
He played inter-county football for Tyrone and is one of the most decorated players in the game's history, winning two All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medals, six All Stars Awards, four provincial titles, and two National Leagues and several under-age and club championship medals.
He represented Ireland in the International Rules Series on several occasions from 1998 until 2000. He is considered one of the great players of the last twenty years and alongside his career as a player and a coach, he has also been a PE teacher.
Canavan was appointed manager of Fermanagh in November 2011. He stepped down as Fermanagh's manager in September 2013. However, Canavan was not out of management for long. He was appointed manager of Cavan Gaels in December 2013. He guided them to their 1st Senior Championship in 3 years in October 2014, defeating Kingscourt Stars in the final by a point. This was seen as a huge success for Canavan and the Cavan Gaels Club.
He is also an analyst for BBC and Sky Sports.
Mick Bohan is a Gaelic football coach who is working with Dublin GAA. The Clontarf native is the Dublin Ladies' most successful senior manager, having led his charges to a four-in-a-row of TG4 All Ireland titles (2017 to 2020) along with two LIDL NFL Div one league titles (2018 and 2021) plus four TG4 Senior Leinster titles (2017, 2018, 2019 & 2022).
Bohan was a skills coach with Jim Gavin when Dublin won the 2010, the 2012 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship titles, and the 2013 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title.
He was also part of three Sigerson Cup titles for DCU and worked with Dublin clubs Thomas Davis, Lucan Sarsfields and Clontarf.
Bohan went to work in Clare with Colm Collins and helped the team to a National League Division 3 title and an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship quarter-final birth.
He also teaches physical education in Clontarf.
There are several reasons why teachers, particularly PE Teachers, can make great sports coaches and players.
Ability to communicate: Teachers have a natural ability to communicate effectively and clearly, which is an essential skill for coaches. They can explain complex concepts and strategies in a way that is easy for athletes to understand.
Understanding of learning styles: Teachers are trained to understand different learning styles and adapt their teaching approach to suit each student's needs. Similarly, coaches must understand the unique strengths and weaknesses of each athlete and tailor their coaching approach accordingly.
Patience and empathy: Teachers are patient and empathetic, which can help them build strong relationships with their athletes. Coaches who have a teaching background are often skilled at providing constructive feedback and helping athletes develop their skills and confidence.
Organisational skills: Teachers are often required to juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities, from lesson planning to grading assignments. This experience can translate well to sports coaching, where coaches must manage practices, games, and travel schedules.
Knowledge of human development: Teachers have a deep understanding of human development and how individuals learn and grow. This knowledge can be applied to sports coaching, where coaches must help athletes develop their physical, mental, and emotional skills.
Overall, the skills and experience that teachers bring to the coaching field can be invaluable in helping athletes develop their skills and achieve success on the field. These Irish sports coaches and players are a testament to that as they balanced their playing and coaching careers around teaching.
WATCH: Pathways to PE Webinar
If you aspire to be a teacher or want to add PE to your existing teaching career speak to us at Portobello Institute today to find out what qualifications can help to get you there.
View our BA (Hons) in Physical Education full-time and blended learning courses.
View our Graduate Diploma in Physical Education here.
Visit our sports department here.
If you are interested in any of our sports courses or have any questions you can book a consultation call with our expert sports advisor Sharde Sebastian here, email sharde.sebastian@portobelloinstitute.com or call 01 892 0029. Visit our sports department here.
Join our mailing list to receive the latest insights and exclusive content from your chosen department of interest
© 2020 Portobello Institute | Powered by Wurkhouse
