Mayo football league announces goalkeeping academy initiative

THE Mayo Football League in conjunction with JUST4KEEPERS has announced the setting up of a goalkeeping academy.

The academy will be spearheaded by goalkeeping coach Adrian Cronin, who has over 20 years' experience of working with goalkeepers of all ages. The purpose of the initiative is to enhance and develop the quality provision of goalkeepers and coaches in Mayo who are members of the Mayo Football League.

The aim of the league is to develop a programme of coaching that will facilitate the skills and techniques required to enable an individual 'keeper to be given every opportunity to advance through this academy, as well as to develop a programme that will empower the coach with knowledge and practice methods that will enable the coach to evaluate a goalkeeper and then design an appropriate practice programme for goalkeepers in and out of team practices.

The Mayo League, in conjunction with Adrian, has decided to invite clubs in the league to forward names of goalkeepers who have reached their 16th birthday to participate in a six-week development programme.

The programme will consist of a one-and-a-half-hour session per week at Milebush Park, Castlebar, on Friday nights at 8 p.m., to commence before the end of October. As each session is limited to 16 players, it will be on a first come, first served basis. The cost of the six-week programmed is €80. Clubs are asked to forward names of interested participants to Mayo Football League secretary John Durkan by email to jdurkanmfl@gmail.com on or before Thursday, October 15. If more than 16 names are forwarded, the league will include them in the next programme.

It is also the intention of the league to hold a 'coach the coaches' programme later in the year, and clubs are asked to ensure that this information is brought to the attention of the relevant people in the club.