Below, MSc in Performance Coaching graduate Declan Berry outlines his early beginnings in S&C, his roles as Head of Athletic Development with HoopsLife Ireland and Head S&C Coach with Cashel King Cormacs GAA. 

S&C Background

“My S&C journey began, like so many other people, near the end of my playing career, as I wanted to improve my overall physicality and fitness to help me continue playing sport,” Declan shared. It didn’t take long for his focus to shift from his own performance to helping others. “I very quickly found a love for helping friends reach certain fitness and performance goals, and subsequently, this led to coaching individuals and teams. I became more passionate about the coaching side of sport and this led me to seek out ways to enhance my knowledge.”

Coaching Philosophy and Approach 

Declan’s coaching practice has been shaped by his experience across various sports, including GAA. “I have been very lucky to have gained experience with teams and individuals from multiple sporting backgrounds. I believe as an S&C practitioner, it is your responsibility to experience the practices of multiple sports and try and learn as much as possible from the people who have been there and done it. Because of this, my coaching practice has evolved in a lot of ways throughout my career, as it gave me a greater understanding of the development process. Each sport provided new challenges, and as you delve deeper into finding the solutions, you enhance your knowledge, coaching skills, and confidence in your own ability.”

Declan’s coaching philosophy is grounded in a belief in fundamentals and individualisation. “My coaching philosophy can be summated with a John Wooden phrase: ‘Don’t think outside the box until the box is full.’ But also, added to that is the belief that every individual you encounter has their own needs and wants, responses, and actions, so you must be willing to meet each person at their level and provide the assistance they need at that moment in time. 

What that means to me is simply discover the fundamental components of the sport and develop a strategic plan to improve those components (Fill the box). But be open to responding and adjusting to individual requirements whenever necessary.” 

Current Roles

Declan is currently Head of Athletic Development at Hoopslife Ireland. In this role, Declan is responsible for developing and implementing a long-term athlete development model. “Within the Hoopslife Academy, my role is to develop and implement a long-term athlete development model, which provides challenging but maturity-appropriate strength and conditioning sessions for athletes aged between 12-18 years of age, which gradually prepares them to withstand and excel at the senior level,” he explained. 

“Our programmes include physical development but also mental development by providing strategies to help understand and practice mental toughness, emotional control, and goal setting within a safe and nurturing environment.” 

Studying with Setanta

Declan’s decision to pursue an MSc in Performance Coaching at Setanta College was driven by his desire to learn from the best in the field. “Setanta College is a prestigious educational provider, and its staff are some of the most renowned coaches of strength and conditioning. The opportunity to learn from such practitioners provided me with access to the most up-to-date research and coaching practices, which enabled me to garner additional knowledge and improve my coaching skills, which I believe helped me to become a better coach.” 

One of the most valuable lessons Declan took away from his time at Setanta College was the importance of balancing scientific knowledge with individualised coaching. “Be educationally informed but individually minded. In other words, follow the most up-to-date research and implement it in your programmes, but always be aware of the individual and tailor your coaching towards them.”  

Looking ahead, Declan’s goal is to continue learning and developing as a coach. “My aim is to continually learn and develop so that I can continue to help individual athletes attain their goals,” he shared.