The GAA season is a maze, like no other sport for the average player. Outspoken Australian conditioning expert WILL HEFFERNAN gives his controversial opinion on the peaks and troughs in training and argues that consistency is the key to successful preparation

IN coaching circles, one of the most highly debated topics is how to properly ‘peak’ an athlete and this conversation then extends to bringing teams to a peak.

There are several schools of thought on this, ranging from ‘mini-peaking’ athletes and teams throughout the season to ‘mega-peaking’ them for championships only.

Professor Aidan Moran of UCD, author of Pure Sport, Practical Sports Psychology,  looks at practical ways of preparing for the big day. Colm Ó Riagáin talks to Prof of Psychology Aidan Moran about the application of sports psychology in Gaelic games and discovers that success comes in ‘cans’ and not ‘can’ts’.

Q. Applying sport psychology in a group context is a difficult concept. How does it work?

Working with teams is definitely different from working ‘one-to-one’ with players but the basic psycholgical principles remain the same. I’ve advised lots of GAA teams, including Mayo in 2004, and the main message I try to get across to them is that the purpose of psychological training is to help players to do their best when it matters most.

Here’s an example. Anyone can kick a ball over the bar from 20 metres in training. But can they do it in Croke Park in front of 70,000 people when their heart is pounding and their team is a point behind with seconds to go?