Full Schedule Released for Basketball Ireland Coaching Conference

Basketball Ireland are delighted to reveal the full schedule for this years coaching conference including an Irish coaches panel and a talk from Colin Doherty. This completes the line up along with the sessions to be deilvered by Laura Antoja, Gianmarco Di Matteo and Joerik Michiels at the National Basketball Arena on August 23rd and 24th.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

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2025 Conference Schedule

Saturday 23rd

Time	Title
0915	Opening address
0930	Talk 1 - Laura Antoja - Specific details for Effective Transition Offense
1040	Talk 2 - Gianmarco Di Matteo - Defensive drills: Building from 1v1 to Group Tactics
1150	Talk 3 - Colin Doherty MD FRCPI - Essential Concussion Best Practice for Basketball Coaches
1230	Lunch - Hot Lunch Provided Onsite
1310	"Irish Coaches Role in the Irish Player Development Pathway" - An Interactive Fireside Chat hosted by Conor Meany featuring Francis O'Sullivan, Jillian Hayes and Paul Kelleher
1420	Talk 4 - Joerik Michiels - My Favorite Small-Sided Games: Developing Skills in Competitive, Real-Game Environments
1530	Talk 5 - Laura Antoja - Individual Techniques for Improving Passing

Sunday 24th

Time	Title
0930	Talk 1 - Gianmarco Di Matteo - Game preparation, Video Analysis and Self Scouting: Methodology and Practical Activities
1045	Talk 2 - Joerik Michiels - My Favorite Small-Sided Games: Developing Skills in Competitive, Real-Game Environments
1200	Talk 3 -  Gianmarco Di Matteo - On ball Screens Offense: Spacing and Adjustments vs Different Defensive Choices
1315	Lunch - Hot Lunch Provided Onsite
1400	Talk 4 - Laura Antoja - Guide to Pick and Roll Defense
1515	Talk 5 - Joerik Michiels - How to Load Games and Find the Right Constraints to Optimize Player Development

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Laura Antoja

 Laura Antoja during her most recent job as head coach of UNI Girona CB.

Laura was a professional player who played at the highest level in Spain winning 10 trophies in a highly decorated career before transitioning to coaching in2015. She has coached from grassroots right up to elite level and was most recently head coach of UNI Girona CB in the top division in Spain and in the Eurocup while also serving as assistant coach on the Angola men's National team who qualified for the FIBA World Championships in 2023.

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Gianmarco Di Matteo

 Gianmarco Di Matteo gives out instructions to his players. 

Viewed as one of the most talented coach educators by FIBA Coaching Europe, Gianmarco has been a professional coach since 2017 and has been lead assistant coach in the Italian top division since 2021, first with Derthona Basket and more recently Scafati Basket. In that time his teams have won the Italian Supercup and made the Cup Finals on a further two occassions. 

He is a recent graduate of the FIBA FECC coaching certificate, a two year programme with coaches from all over Europe, and Gianmarco was awarded "best in class" of the 52 coaches who graduated the programme. Since 2022 he has been responsible for video breakdown for FIBA for basketball analysis of the Basketball Champions League, FIBA Europe Cup, Eurobasket and the Olympics as well as serving as video analyst for multiple Italian International teams since 2015.

Gianmarco will deliver three sessions over the two days at the conference covering on ball screens and adjustments, game preparation, video analysis, self scouting and defensive drills building from 1v1 to group tactics.

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Joerik Michiels

 Joerik Michels (right) has worked with players at every level from grassroots to FIBA and the NBA. 

Joerik Michiels, founder of Elite Athletes, with over 15 years of coaching experience across 40+ countries. He has worked with players of all levels, from grassroots to elite, including collabotaing with the NBA and FIBA. One of the pioneers in applying small-sided games and the constraint-led approach to skill development, Joerik focusing on creating real-game situations that enhance decision-making, adaptability, and skill execution, helping athletes grow in dynamic enviorments that closely mirror the challenges of actual competition.

Joerik will be presenting three sessions over the two days.