Michael O’Neill is among the guest speakers at a major sports conference in Belfast today.
The Northern Ireland senior men’s team manager will be sharing his knowledge at PER4MANCE, a half-day summit which is aiming to explore the latest trends and research in shaping the future of sport.
The event is being hosted at W5, Northern Ireland’s award-winning science and discovery centre, by The Odyssey Trust. And it is bringing together experts, innovators and elite performers from across professional sports.
Other speakers at the summit include ice hockey expert Pierre McGuire, a renowned NHL analyst and former two-time Stanley Cup-winning coach.
Also sharing their experiences will be Team Ireland boxers Aidan and Michaela Walsh, the first brother and sister to box at the same Olympic Games, and Sue Ronan, former head coach of the Republic of Ireland women’s football team and current women’s football technical consultant with FIFA.
Former Ulster Rugby and Ireland international Craig Gilroy and Professor Cathy Craig, a leading figure in sports science and performance analysis, will be addressing the conference as well along with Paul McKernan, managing director of StatSports, the Newry-based company which is the world’s leading player tracking and analysis provider.
“We’re proud to bring together such an exceptional group of speakers, whose depth of knowledge, experiences and expertise will provide invaluable insights for those in attendance,” said Steve Thornton, Group Head of Hockey and Commercial at The Odyssey Trust.
“PER4MANCE underscores the Friendship Four’s mission of connecting sport, education, and community, and we’re excited to witness the positive impact that this event will have.”
Set against the backdrop of the Friendship Four, which is the first and only National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division One men’s ice hockey tournament to take place outside of North America, PER4MANCE will aim to provide practical insights into the ever-changing landscape of elite level performance.
Following the conclusion of the conference, the Friendship Four will get under way at the SSE Arena with Boston University and Merrimack College going head to head in the tournament’s opening game before the University of Notre Dame and Harvard University hit the ice later today.
