Sport Ireland recently published the “Spotlight on Coaching” providing a fascinating insight into the role played by volunteer coaches within Irish sport. The report is based on insights from the Irish Sports Monitor, conducted by Ipsos B&A since 2011.
It finds that 7% of people over 15, roughly 268,000 people, are actively coaching sport in Ireland. With almost two thirds (64%) of those active coaches volunteering primarily with children.
This spirit of volunteerism is a cornerstone of Irish sport, with three out of every ten adults (29%) have coached at some point in their lives. This really highlights the incredible scale of community involvement and the willingness of people to give their time. Of those who have never coached, a notable 22% (600,000) people identified a sport that they believed they could coach.
However, the report also sounds a note of caution. It appears there’s a risk of losing a substantial portion of this valuable coaching workforce. A significant 22% of current coaches are thinking about stepping away from their roles. The primary reason for this is the difficulty of balancing coaching with other commitments, with lack of time due to work or study being the main driver. This presents a key challenge for sporting organisations to ensure they can retain these dedicated volunteers.
For more details, please contact kieran.oleary@ipsos.com
