St Enda’s coach Cain excited about PS programme

A TALENTED young Omagh St Enda’s coach has returned though the gates of his former Primary School (as well as three others in the vicinity) to put his knowledge of the game to good use with the pupils.

Twenty-four year old Cain Bradley is St Enda’s Games Development Officer and is kickstarting the new school term by visiting primary schools around the town each week, picking up from where he left off last year.

The four schools- Holy Family, Christ The King, Omagh Integrated and his old alma mater St Conor’s- will all benefit from Cain’s expertise, with his coaching sessions forming part of the St Enda’s club’s programme of development.

The development programme is focused on promoting GAA in Primary schools around Omagh for now but has the potential down the line to get involved in the post primary sector as well.

The club felt there was a need to initiate such programme, after cutbacks curtailed a similar scheme run by the Ulster Council.

Cain, a graduate from UUJ and senior footballer with St Enda’s, stated: “It was important that youngsters got a taste of Gaelic Games. Being involved in any sporting activity is excellent and it’s a privilege to be reaching out to them at our schools.

“All the pupils involved will receive coaching for the full school year from September through to June . It’s open to all children, whether they are involved in a club or not.”

The programme developed by the club and Cain is totally free to the schools and Bradley has a clear focus on what the plans are.

“I suppose future plans would be to firstly keep building upon the good relationships we have built with the schools to this point as well as bringing the youngsters to a proper club setting and enabling them to give Gaelic Games a real go.”

Boys and girls will benefit from the exciting programme that is geared specifically for the various age groups that will be visited. Cain outlined how the programme is structured.

“Primary 1+2 is fundamental based. Coaching the basic fundamental of catching, rolling, kicking throwing etc through a variance of different fun games and activities.

“P3+4 would then be more football based with the basic introduction of skills through games and activities to encourage the repetition of the skill being practiced on that given day.

“While from P5 to 7 the children would then be more into a games based approach with some focus on the start of the sessions being the skill and/or concept being coached.”

Cain also heads up St Enda’s pre school Gaelic Start programme which is up and running again on Saturday mornings. It has attracted record numbers and provides an ideal opportunity for a first taste of Gaelic Games for its young participants.

Serious ACL Injuries have curtailed Cain’s own playing career although he is focused on returning to action next year, after undergoing surgery.

He’s just had a successful summer out on the west coast of America coaching Ulster San Francisco to their first Senior Western Division Championship since 2016.

His side made it all the way to the North American finals getting pipped by Chicago Wolfe Tones by the minimum.

Back now on Irish soil the focus is very much now on developing the next generation.

Cain was delighted with the response when the initial programme was rolled out, with K2 Cars generously sponsoring a van to help transport the equipment about.