Agility Training For GAA Players – Part 1

Agility Training for GAA Players – Part 1

Agility is undeniably crucial in field sports, and for GAA players, it's often the difference between creating a scoring chance or getting dispossessed. While there are plenty of textbook definitions of agility, the one I keep coming back to is simple and practical: “the ability to quickly change the position or direction of the body.” It captures what most of us see in a split-second sidestep, a sharp cut, or a seamless transition from defence to attack.

This short article is the first in a series where I’ll share some of my key beliefs and experiences when it comes to making GAA players more agile—not just faster, but more effective movers overall.

The First Step: Nail the Basics

Before we dive into any of the flashy drills or high-level concepts, the truth is you’ve got to get the fundamentals right. That means players need to be able to hip hinge properly, adopt an athletic position with confidence, and understand how to shuffle, crossover, and cut with intent.

I’ll be honest—I used to skip this stage far too often. And it still surprises me how many players at all levels of the GAA pyramid lack some of these essential movement skills. Despite the evolution of the game and coaching methods, there’s still a big gap in how movement is taught. You’ll see scores of players who are strong, fit, even fast—but just don’t move well.

The Athletic Stance to Shuffle, Doing this well is a good start. I would build this into the warm-up phase of your training, especially with underage teams. Note some of the coaching points. 

From Athletic Position to Shuffle

A good starting point is the athletic stance into a shuffle. This might seem overly simplistic to some, but doing it right is foundational. I always try to build this movement into the warm-up phase, especially with underage teams. You’re not just preparing the body to train—you’re embedding the building blocks of agility.

Some key coaching points:

• Keep the chest up and spine neutral
• Weight distributed through the mid-foot
• Knees bent, hips loaded, and ready to move laterally
• Don’t let the feet cross when shuffling—control and balance over speed

The cut, a great move when observed in full flow, but certain aspects need to be refined and coached. [/caption]

The Cut: Cleaning Up Natural Movement

Next on the list is the cut. Yes, it’s a move that happens instinctively during a match—but instinctive doesn’t always mean efficient. When you bring the cut into training, you’re refining natural reactions and cleaning up mechanical inefficiencies.

A sharp, well-executed cut can leave a defender in your dust. But poor foot placement, balance issues, or hesitation can just as easily lead to a turnover or even an injury. When we coach the cut, we’re focusing on deceleration, angle of the plant foot, posture, and reactive ability. It’s a beautiful movement when done well—but it has to be coached.

The Cross-Over Step: A Game-Changer

One of my personal favourites to coach is the cross-over step. And I’ll say this—very few players I meet are naturally proficient at it.

The cross-over step allows players to move laterally without sacrificing momentum, often used in recovery runs or defensive repositions. But what it really does is expose how overly sagittal (i.e., forward-and-backward) most GAA training still is. Too many athletes are stuck in straight-line mechanics, and it shows in their limited hip mobility and general stiffness when asked to rotate or swivel.

This drill goes into nearly every session I coach. It's not flashy, but it's necessary. You’ll often see players (to use a not-so-scientific term) "seized" through the hips—locked up and unable to move fluidly across planes. That needs work

The cross-over step is one you will definitely need to coach. I aim to do cross-overs nearly every session. It's one a lot of GAA players struggle with. You will see a lot of GAA players (for want of a more scientific term) "seized" at the hip region.