We’re excited to announce that members at this year’s AGM approved the implementation of a new age-based pod training system for our juvenile athletes, starting in January 2026 until the summer break (June).
What’s Changing?
To address overcrowding during peak training times and provide better age-appropriate coaching, we’re restructuring our juvenile training schedule. Each age group will have dedicated training times with specialist coaching teams.
New Training Schedule (from January 2026)
- Little Athletics: Tuesday 7-8pm (From March 2026)
- U8s: Wednesday 6-7pm
- U10s: Monday & Wednesday 7-8pm
- U12s: Tuesday & Thursday 6-7pm
- Juniors (U13-U18): Tuesday & Thursday 7-8pm
What This Means for Your Athlete
Each age pod will have a dedicated coaching team including a lead coach, pod facilitator, assistant coaches, and rotating parent volunteers. This structure ensures:
- Age-appropriate training tailored to your child’s developmental stage
- Clear progression pathways with objective standards
- Safer training environment with better coach-to-athlete ratios
- Opportunities for athletes to develop across all athletic disciplines
What This Means for Parents
This new structure requires regular parent involvement to ensure safe, high-quality training for all our young athletes. Existing coaches and the club executive will support each pod during setup and throughout the season.
We recognise these changes to training times and parent commitment levels represent a significant shift, and may not be feasible for all families. We’re communicating this now, before 2026 membership renewals, so families have the information they need to decide what’s right for them.
Who Will Be in Each Age Pod
| Age Pod | Year of Birth |
|---|---|
| Little Athletics | 2019 to 2021 |
| U8 | 2019 only |
| U10 | 2017 and 2018 |
| U12 | 2015 and 2016 |
| Juniors (U13-U18) | 2009 to 2014 |
Implementation
We’ll be rolling this out from January, with full operation ready for the 2026 outdoor season. More details about registration, pod assignments, and specific coaching teams will be shared in the coming weeks.
Questions?
If you have any questions about the new structure or which pod your child will be in, please contact Eoin Gallagher via text/WhatsApp [ +353872473657 ].
