brief summary ! – Mark Carroll Named US Athlete Manager For Athletics Ireland
– Coaching Legend Retires
– Coaches Shot Putt Clinic
– Athletics Ireland Appoint New CEO Mark Carroll Named US Athlete Manager For Athletics Ireland
Irish athlete Mark Carroll was today named the US Athlete Manager for Athletics Ireland. The former European Champion will take up the part-time post, which has been supported by the Irish Sports Council, to assist Irish athletes who are on scholarship or are training in the US.
Carroll, who is based in Providence, Rhode Island will take up the post immediately. The Leevale athlete is already coaching three of Ireland’s top athletes, with Gareth Turnbull, Mark Christie and Liam Reale all who have been training under the watchful eye of Carroll in the US. Other Irish athletes based in the US include, Mary Cullen, Roisin McGettigan and Alistair Cragg and they will all be able to liaise regularly with Carroll in his new role.
Carroll is one of Ireland’s most talented athletes with both a European gold and bronze medal to his name, while he is also the holder of national outdoor records at 3,000 and 5,000m. He is still competing as a top level athlete and is aiming to qualify for the Beijing Olympics in the 10,000 metres.
The 36-year-old is looking forward to his new role as Athletics Ireland’s first US Athlete Manager. “This position is a great move for Irish athletes in the US. It will give them a point of contact in America, someone who they can call at any time for advice on training, travel or just a chat. I have been over there a long time now and am very familiar with how it all works. I will also be keeping an eye on their progress and form to make sure they are doing the right things to help themselves improve,” Carroll said on his appointment.
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Coaching Legend Retires
John McDonnell today announced his retirement after 36 years as head track and field coach at Arkansas.
McDonnell achieved the status of legend during his years of coaching that rocketed Arkansas to the top of the track and field college league in the US.
Born in Mayo he provided scholarships for countless Irish athletes down through the years. He coached Irish Olympians Frank O’Mara, Paul Donovan and Alistair Cragg.
O’Mara and Donovan were part of a golden era of Irish middle distance athletics. O’Mara was World indoor 3,000m champion in 1987 and 1991, while Donovan won silver at the World indoor championships when he chased O’Mara home in 1987. He also coached Cragg to gold in the 3,000m at the European indoor championships in 2005.
The Arkansas Irish connection continues with Colin Costelloe who is on scholarship there at present.
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Coaches Shot Putt Clinic
Leading UK coach Dennis Roscoe will hold a coaches clinic in the Sunny South East this weekend
Dennis Roscoe will conduct a workshop for coaches in the DMP grounds for all coaches interested in the Shot from 11-3 this coming Sunday. On Saturday in the same venue there will be National Squad for Shot. Also there will be over two days a National Hammer Squad on both Saturday and Sunday. The details of the weekend’s events are as follows
April 26th & 27th National Squad Hammer with Nicola Coffey and Paddy Mc Grath (Starts at 10am in Wexford DMP grounds)
April 26th National Squad Shot Putt with John Farrelly and Dennis Roscoe (Starts at 10am in Wexford DMP grounds)
April 27th Coaches clinic (Shot Putt) with Dennis Roscoe 11-3 in Wexford DMP grounds
For further information please contact Ailish O Brien, National Throws Event coordinator on 0857268849 or [email protected]
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Athletics Ireland Appoint New CEO
The President and Board of Athletics Ireland have today announced the appointment of Mary Coghlan as their new CEO. The decision was ratified last night at an Athletics Ireland board meeting and Coghlan will replace Brendan Hackett as the new Chief Executive from the 19th of May.
The Crusaders club member has been Chair of the Athletics Ireland Finance and Risk Committee for the past two years. Coghlan is also a qualified actuary and has extensive experience in accounting and finance and has a degree in mathematics from Oxford University.
Her family is steeped in athletics history with her brother Peter, ten times a national champion, holding the Irish record for the 110m Hurdles, while Mary herself has captained Crusaders AC and represented the club at 100m, 200m, and 400m.
“I am delighted to be appointed CEO of what is Ireland’s most successful international sports organisation. Athletics Ireland is in the very fortunate and enviable position of receiving outstanding support from the Irish Sports Council as well as having thousands of volunteers up and down the length and breath of the country who coach children, organise competitions and build facilities out of a sense of passionate community involvement.
“My 2 years experience on the board has equipped me well for the challenges that lie ahead and I am really looking forward to working in close cooperation with the Irish Sports Council, our 25,000 members, the current staff, sponsors and partners to ensure the continued success of our sport,” Coghlan said following the announcement.
This weekend will also see the election of a new President and Board of Athletics Ireland at the Annual Congress, which will take place on Saturday and Sunday in the Radisson SAS Dublin Airport.
