It gives me great honour to present your senior men's head coach for the 2018-2019 season Simon Fitzgerald. Simon will be a great addition to our club and I would like for everyone to welcome him next week at the club and say hi.

He will be starting pre-season in the first week of August and he's very excited to be apart of our Hornets family and looking forward to working with the guys for this season. Simon is arriving with his girlfriend Erin Caughey who herself is no stranger to the game of rugby as she has represented Ireland as captain as well as Ulster rugby and provincial in their homeland. Here are some of Simon details below. This is a great day for our club and let's start getting excited for the up coming season and put the word out.

Simon Fitzgerald is a determined Rugby Coach from Belfast, Northern Ireland, who has brought success to each team he has been involved with. Adept at delivering a winning game plan while continuously developing abilities of players at a technical and tactical level, focusing on skill acquisition. Specialise in developing forward unit play, team attacking patterns and defensive structures. Highly motivated and ambitious individual with experience in sports development, focusing on increasing participation and developing performance. He has experience in running an academy and managing regional talent development hubs. Often held several positions simultaneously, with time management and the ability to prioritise key to fulfilling these roles effectively.

RUGBY COACHING:

• Netherlands Rugby August 2016 - Present

• Ulster Rugby June 2014 - May 2016

• Regional Talent Identification Coach

• U16 School’s Coach

• Fitness Development Officer

• Queen’s University Belfast RFC May 2013 - May 2016

• Forwards Coach of Men’s 1st XV (Premier Division)

• Head Coach of Women’s 1st XV (Premier Division)

• Head Coach of Men’s and Women’s 7’s Squads

• Video Analyst

• Coaching Co-ordinator

• Academy Co-ordinator

• Recruitment Co-ordinator Wellington College Belfast May 2013 - September 2015

• Forwards Coach of Senior 1st XV

• Video Analyst Lisburn RFC August 2011 - May 2013

• Forwards Coach of Men’s Under 20’s

• Video Analyst

• Coach Educator Dendermonde Rugby Club (Belgium) August 2016 - Present

• Head Coach of Women’s 1st XV (Premier Division)

• Video Analyst

• Coach Educator EZRC Oemoemenoe (Netherlands) June 2016 - Present

• Head Coach of Men’s 1st XV (Premier Division)

• Head Coach of Men’s and Women’s 7’s Squads

• Rugby Development Manager

• Video Analyst

• Coaching Co-ordinator

• Recruitment Co-ordinator • Coach Educator

• Technical Director

Irish Rugby Football Union (Ulster Branch)

• Level 4 Coach

• Level 3 Coach

• Level 2 Coach

• Certified Conditioning Coach

• SAFE Rugby (First Aid) Certified Sport Northern Ireland

• Talent Athlete Coach Development Programme

National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)

• Performance Enhancement Specialist Certification

World Rugby

• Coach Educator License

• Level 2 Coach

• Level 1 Referee

• Level 1 Strength and Conditioning

• Rugby Ready Program Certified Active IQ

• Level 3 Personal Training

• Level 2 Gym Instruction

• Certificates: Myofascial Release Training, Bodyweight Training & Suspension Training

-Darren Wicks