Keith Begley

With over 20 years coaching experience, I am an accredited sport psychology consultant with Sport Ireland Institute and registered with British Association of Sport & Exercise Science (BASES).

I have acted as a performance psychologist to IABA international boxers and Irish international athletes (junior and senior), up to and including Olympic, World Championship and Commonwealth Games level while I have also consulted successfully with numerous championship and league winning elite level senior hurling and football teams (GAA) at inter-county level in Ireland. My experience also includes working with representative rugby players and various athletes up to elite level in golf, rowing, tennis, badminton, soccer and swimming among other sports.

Previously, I have acted as a manager, skills and strength & conditioning coach with football and hurling teams from development to elite level.

Generally, I provide performance psychology and leadership support for leaders, coaches and athletes across a variety of areas. In 2015, I designed a sport psychology module for the Gaelic Athletic Association's (GAA) Coach Education Programme. The module is for nationwide delivery of the Award 2 GAA coaching course in both hurling and Gaelic football and I deliver this nationally as a Coach Education Tutor with Coaching Ireland.

From a well-being perspective, I have a broad range of experience across sport and education. After teaching Physical Education (BSc) for 14 years, a career change saw me working in education and youth mental health as a Home School Community Liaison with the Irish government's child and family agency (TUSLA) for 6 years. Through this role, I have organised and delivered on community and school well-being programmes, and currently sit on a national committee for the development of a well-being programme for all second level schools in Ireland.

Throughout this period, I have been coaching and managing adult sports teams up to and including elite level in Gaelic sports (GAA - Hurling and Gaelic Football).

I hold an MSc in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology (Distinction) from the Institute for Psychology of Elite Performance (IPEP), University of Wales, Bangor and have peer reviewed research published in Journal of Applied Sport Psychology (JASP) regarding attentional focus, self-talk and skill execution in elite sport.

Husband of one, and father of three, I remain an avid exerciser and enjoy a game of golf when my time allows.