Donegal Sports Partnership are inviting you to join our Free Women in Sport Webinar, on Tuesday 8TH March at 7pm as we look to the future of Women in Sport leadership in Donegal. The purpose of this webinar is two-fold, one to hear the experiences of current leaders in competitive and recreational sport and Physical Activity in Donegal. Our inspirational speakers will share their insights of their journey from when they first started out to their current role in sport. They will discuss how they got involved and what motivated them to stay involved and future aspirations.

Guest speakers include

Teresa McDaid (Athletics Coach)

Lynda McGuinness (Letterkenny Blaze Chairperson & Coach)

Brid McGinty (Lagan Ladies Soccer Coach & Executive Committee member)

Margaret O’Donnell (Letterkenny Park run Director)

Secondly, we want to use this opportunity to promote and recruit future leaders to be part of our Female Leadership Programme starting at the end of the month. This leadership programme has proved to be hugely successful before the pandemic hit. Donegal Sports Partnership is committed to developing strategies to increase Women’s participation in Sport in the county and to provide opportunities for Women to engage in meaningful programmes which will build towards a lasting and positive relationship with Sport.

The aim of the programme is to provide training and support to women to help them achieve success in leadership roles in their sport. It will give women and young girls across Donegal the opportunity to enhance personal skills, increase their confidence and create networks with like-minded people across different sports.

Sessions will be delivered using a combination of both online and in person settings. The sessions will be interactive which will focus on developing confidence, leadership, resilience and effective communication.

The programme is specifically designed for female leaders over 16 years old working or volunteering in sport (Committee members, officials, coaches) and to those who want to pursue a future role in club activities.

Those who attend this online session will get an opportunity to meet past participants from the Female Leadership Programme delivered in 2020. This will enable attendees to ask questions and hear from their experience first-hand.

Places will be offered via application process and as the course is heavily subsidised through Sport Ireland Dormant Accounts, we are able to offer it at 25 Euro per participant. Application deadline is Friday 18th March @ 12pm

To register your expression of Interest for this programme click on the link below

Female Leadership- Expression of Interest

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1f-192dadTWo7ixIHLKdYZsZhfar3SJ1cr0mNR7IQZ2M/edit

We would encourage all those who support the delivery and facilitation of sport in clubs to join us, including male, female, athlete/player, coach/volunteer, mentor/administrator or a parent.

Teresa McDaid

Irish Senior Team Manager Athletics

Philosophy I believe in a Coach Led, multi-functional, integrated, event specific coaching system. Working closely with service providers enabling the athlete to reach their potential and be “fit for purpose”.

I believe in balance, trust and developing an individual relationship based on understanding the person, their abilities, goals, and what athletes want out of athletics.

Margaret O'Donnell

parkrun

Margaret has been involved in sport all her life, from playing indoor soccer at her local Youth Club, part of the school running team, to playing outdoor soccer for her workplace, and for the University of Surrey where she studied as a mature student.

She started running marathons over 10 years ago and has completed over 20 marathons, with her highlight doing the Boston marathon.She is interested in fitness and exercise for recreational purposes, for mental and physical wellbeing and being open to all the community to participate. To this end she helped set up Letterkenny parkrun six years ago and has remained as the Event Director for those six years.

Parkrun is a free fun and friendly community event, where members of the community can come along to walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate…… it’s up to them.

Brid McGinty

Lagan Harps FC

Brid has been a part of girls coaching staff with Lagan Harps since 2005 and since then progressed to coaching the Donegal Interleague Squads and now Donegal National League teams at U17 and U19 level. Currently on the UEFA A licence diploma course.

Joint the Donegal Women’s League Executive in 2007 and was on the FAI Women’s Football Committee from 2015 to it was disbanded by FAI in March 2020.

Lynda McGuinness

Blaze Basketball

Lynda is currently the Chairperson of Letterkenny Blaze Basketball Club and coaches the U10 girls, U10 Boys and U16 Boys within the club and the U19 Colaiste Ailigh Girls Team.

She has had two stints as coach of the Northwest Regional Girls Schools Team. Sport was an integral part of family life when growing up, so for Lynda it was a natural progression to get involved in a local basketball club in Killybegs.