The Emerging Talent Programme was launched in November 2006 and on a phased basis since that time has now developed into a national programme.
The Emerging Talent is split into two sections: Schoolboy Leagues and Regional centres. The programme is underway in 32 schoolboy leagues across Ireland catering for players aged 10-17. The league centres follow guidelines and procedures set out by the FAI and are run by the individual leagues. These league centres feed into twelve regional centres based in Dundalk, Letterkenny, Waterford, North Dublin, Castlebar, Cork, South Dublin, Galway, Killarney, Arklow, Tullamore and Ennis. The Regional centres are designed for players aged 14 -17 and are controlled by the FAI.
The programme is under the control of the High Performance Director, Player Development manager and the Emerging Talent National coordinator and Under 15 National team Head Coach Niall Harrison. The programme is benchmarked against worldwide best practice and is the vehicle used to develop National team training themes to the elite players countrywide. The Emerging Talent programme and our National teams at underage level are intrinsically linked together.
Emerging talent lifestyle pack
The FAI also provides Nutrional Advice for players which is applicable for all particpants in the sport, including those outside the emerging talent programme.
The aims of the Emerging Talent Programme are;
• To identify, develop, monitor and evaluate players in all three age groups on a continual and consistent basis
• To enable emerging talent to develop all of their capacities to their potential
• To provide emerging talent with a more challenging level of training and development
• To provide emerging talent with the opportunity to train within their own area in a structured and quality environment
• To provide a higher quantity and quality of players for National and International teams
• To improve the quality of players across all levels of the game
• To allow National team training themes and style of play be developed countrywide and on a regular consistent basis
• To allow National team Head Coaches monitor and evaluate current national team players and potential national team players on a structured and regular basis
