NUI Galway Appoints New Director of Sport & Physical Activity

Mike Heskin
Nov 25 2015 Posted: 14:26 GMT

NUI Galway is delighted to announce the appointment of Mike Heskin as Director of Sport & Physical Activity. The newly established post underpins NUI Galway's commitment to further strengthening the sport reputation and ethos of the University.

As Director for Sport & Physical Activity, Mr Heskin will play the lead role in the strategic management of sport and physical activity in the University and the development of the infrastructure necessary for all sports activity to ensure that NUI Galway will remain at the forefront nationally and internationally in sports excellence through elite and high performance.

Specifically, Mr Heskin will ensure that the University will build on previous successes in attracting top athletes and sportspeople to campus as well as supporting and developing opportunities in the area of sports and physical activity across all faculties, he will also ensure the University's contribution to Ireland's playing fields and realise the University’s strategic aspirations in relation to sport, health and well being.

Congratulating Mike Heskin on his appointment, the Vice President for Student Experience, Dr Pat Morgan said, "We are very pleased to announce that Mike Heskin will lead and develop our sports reputation. Mike is an established sports manager and brings a passion for sport, a breadth of achievements across various codes and a promise to invigorate our clubs, support our elite athletes and promote the health and wellbeing of all our students and staff. We welcome Mike and under his stewardship, we look forward to ensuring that our national strengths and achievements in sport will continue to grow and prosper."

Mike Heskin has served as the CEO of Hockey Ireland for the past three years, where he had overall responsibility for all aspects of Hockey Ireland including their high performance programme.

The progress within Hockey Ireland during this time has been matched with similar progress on the International front with all of Hockey Ireland’s teams from under 16 to senior level, both genders, now playing in the top tier of European hockey. Mike has been appointed as the Hockey Manager for the Rio Olympic Games 2016, a role he will now step away from on his appointment as Director of Sport & Physical Activity in NUI Galway. Mike had previously served as a member of the Board of Irish Hockey.

Prior to his involvement in Hockey, Mike spent over twenty years involved in International Rowing, coaching and managing to World Championship level. In 2007, Mike was appointed rowing High Performance Manager and managed the team to the Beijing Olympics in 2008. He also served as a member of the Board of Rowing Ireland.

Speaking of his appointment, Mike Heskin said: “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to play a leading role in the development of high-performance sport and physical activity within NUI Galway.
I am especially looking forward to working with the University's sports professionals and clubs in developing a performance culture and environment which will enable our athletes and teams to perform at the highest level on both the international and national stage.

In turn, with their support, we will develop an engaging, social and fun physical activity program for the enjoyment of the entire student body and staff.

With the commitment and leadership shown by the University I am confident that NUI Galway will develop into one of the leading sporting and physical activity hubs on the island of Ireland and become a central player in Irish Sport.”

Mike is married to Geraldine (Lupton) and has three children, Claire and Joseph who are both graduates of NUI Galway and Rachel who is a leaving cert student.

ENDS

Ceapann OÉ Gaillimh Stiúrthóir Nua Spóirt and Aclaíochta

Tá an-áthas ar OÉ Gaillimh a fhógairt go bhfuil Mike Heskin ceaptha mar Stiúrthóir Spóirt agus Aclaíochta. Post úrnua é seo agus léiríonn sé tiomantas na hOllscoile cáil agus éiteas an spóirt a láidriú tuilleadh in OÉ Gaillimh.

Mar Stiúrthóir Spóirt agus Aclaíochta, beidh ról ceannaireachta ag an Uasal Heskin i mbainistíocht straitéiseach an spóirt agus na haclaíochta san Ollscoil agus san infreastruchtúr riachtanach a fhorbairt do gach gníomhaíocht spóirt chun a chinntiú go bhfanfaidh OÉ Gaillimh ar thús cadhnaíochta go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta i sárchaighdeán spóirt agus ardghníomhaíocht spóirt den scoth.

Cinnteoidh an tUasal Heskin go háirithe go dtógfaidh an Ollscoil ar an méid a rinneadh roimhe seo ag mealladh na lúthchleasaithe agus lucht spóirt is fearr chuig an gcampas agus deiseanna a fhorbairt i réimse an spóirt agus na haclaíochta i ngach coláiste. Cinnteoidh sé chomh maith go mbeidh seasamh ag an Ollscoil ar pháirceanna imeartha na hÉireann agus go mbainfear amach mianta straitéiseacha na hOllscoile ó thaobh spóirt, sláinte agus folláine de.

Ag tréaslú le Mike Heskin ar a cheapachán, dúirt an Leas-Uachtarán d'Eispéireas na Mac Léinn, an Dr Pat Morgan, "Tá ríméad orainn a fhógairt go mbeidh Mike Heskin i gceannas ar ár gcáil spóirt agus go bhforbróidh sé an cháil sin. Is bainisteoir spóirt cruthaithe é Mike agus tabharfaidh sé a phaisean don spórt, a chuid éachtaí i réimsí éagsúla agus a ghealltanas brí nua a chur sna clubanna, tacaíocht a thabhairt do na lúthchleasaithe is fearr agus sláinte agus folláine na mac léinn agus na gcomhaltaí foirne a chur chun cinn chuig an bpost seo. Cuirimid fáilte is fiche roimh Mike agus faoina stiúir, táimid ag súil ár láidreachtaí agus éachtaí náisiúnta spóirt a threisiú."

Bhí Mike Heskin ina Phríomhfheidhmeannach ar Haca Éireann le trí bliana anuas, áit a raibh sé freagrach as gach gné den Chumann, an clár ardfheidhmíochta san áireamh. 

Chomh maith leis an dul chun cinn a rinneadh ag an am i Haca Éireann tá dul chun cinn idirnáisiúnta déanta chomh maith agus foirne Haca Éireann ar fad ón bhfoireann faoi 16 go dtí an fhoireann sinsir, idir fhir agus mhná, ag imirt sa tsraith is airde haca san Eoraip.  Ceapadh Mike ina Bhainisteoir Haca do na Cluichí Oilimpeacha 2016 in Rio, ach fágfaidh sé an ról seo ina dhiaidh anois agus é ceaptha mar Stiúrthóir Spóirt & Aclaíochta in OÉ Gaillimh. Bhí Mike ar Bhord Haca Éireann roimhe seo.

Sula raibh baint aige leis an Haca, chaith sé os cionn scór bliain leis an Rámhaíocht Idirnáisiúnta, i mbun cóitseála agus bainistíochta chomh fada le craobh an domhain fiú.  In 2007, ceapadh Mike ina Bhainisteoir Ardfheidhmíochta ar an rámhaíocht agus is é a bhí ina bhainisteoir ar an bhfoireann sna Cluichí Oilimpeacha i mBéising in 2008.  Bhí Mike ar Bhord Rámhaíocht Éireann chomh maith.

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Mike Heskin faoina cheapachán: “Tá áthas orm ról ceannaireachta a ghlacadh agus an deis a bheith agam spórt agus aclaíocht ardghníomhaíochta  a fhorbairt in OÉ Gaillimh. 

Táim ar bís le bheith ag obair le gairmithe spóirt agus clubanna na hOllscoile chun cultúr agus timpeallacht ardghníomhaíochta a fhorbairt a thabharfaidh an deis dár lúthchleasaithe agus dár bhfoirne feidhmiú ag an leibhéal is airde go hidirnáisiúnta agus go náisiúnta.

Dá thairbhe sin, agus lena dtacaíocht, beidh clár aclaíochta sóisialta agus spraíúil againn a mbainfidh an fhoireann agus na mic léinn ar fad sásamh as.

Leis an tiomantas agus an cheannaireacht atá léirithe ag an Ollscoil táim muiníneach go mbeidh OÉ Gaillimh ar cheann de na hionaid spóirt agus aclaíochta is fearr ar oileán na hÉireann agus go mbeidh sí i lár an aonaid i spórt na hÉireann.”

Tá Mike pósta le Geraldine (Lupton) agus tá triúr clainne orthu. Is céimithe de chuid OÉ Gaillimh iad beirt dá chlann, is iad sin Claire agus Joseph agus is dalta ardteistiméireachta í a iníon Rachel.

CRÍOCH

Marketing and Communications Office

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