Our latest Setanta Student Story features Orla O’Regan. Orla is currently a strength and conditioning coach with Cork City Women’s FC senior team and Head of Athletic Development with Cork City Women’s Academy. 

Orla shares her background in sport and coaching, along with her approach to working with teams and athletes below. 

Beginnings in S&C

Having always been passionate about performance, Orla outlines her journey towards S&C. 

“I found myself increasingly drawn to the coaching side – working with local Camogie and Soccer teams for a number of years. That experience really opened my eyes to the gap in tailored, high-quality physical preparation for women’s sport, and it pushed me to want to offer more than just general fitness guidance. I started by qualifying as a personal trainer, but I quickly realised I wanted to work at a higher performance level. That led me to formally train in S&C with Setanta.

What inspired me most was seeing the difference structured, evidence-based physical preparation can make — not just in terms of performance, but also in reducing injury risk and building confidence. Now, in my role, I get to combine my own sporting background, my coaching experience, and my technical training to support athletes in a much more meaningful way. It’s incredibly rewarding to be part of their development both physically and mentally.”

Working with Cork City

In 2023, Orla began working with both the Women’s Academy and Women’s senior team at Cork City FC. 

“As the S&C Coach with Cork City FC Women’s Senior Team, my main responsibilities centre around optimising player performance, reducing injury risk, and supporting the long-term athletic development of our squad within a semi-professional environment. While the foundational principles of strength and conditioning apply across genders, I also consider factors that are specific to females athletes such as fitness testing, injury risk reduction – especially ACL as women are at a significantly higher risk for ACL injuries, strength and power, speed, agility and conditioning, holistic athlete development. Also, collaboration and communication – regular feedback and testing cycles help me monitor progress and make data-informed adjustments.

Designing and implementing a strength and conditioning programme for women’s football in the League of Ireland involves balancing the demands of elite performance with the realities of players’ commitments such as work, college, school, exams.”

Orla combines her role with the senior team with the role of Head of Athletic Development in the Academy. 

“This role focuses on building the physical foundations that support long-term player development and strong, resilient, and well-rounded athletes who are physically prepared for the demands of senior football. I oversee both the gym and pitch-based programmes and guide the Strength and Conditioning coaches for both the U17 and U19 squads, which include female players aged 14 to 19. 

Ultimately, the goal is to lay down the physical and behavioural habits that will not only support performance now but also encourage these players to become the best versions of themselves.

Working with Youth Players

Orla’s role in the academy is one she is particularly passionate about, being part of a player’s long-term journey. 

“I quickly realised how much impact you can have at that formative stage – not just in terms of physical development, but in building confidence, resilience, and a positive relationship with training.

What excites me most about this area is the opportunity to lay strong foundations. Teaching young players how to move well, train smart, and take ownership of their own development. At this stage, the progress is often rapid, and it’s incredibly rewarding to watch players grow – physically, technically, and mentally.

There’s also a huge sense of responsibility and privilege in helping shape not just athletes, but people. Good coaching at this stage can help young players build habits that will support them for years — whether they go on to play at elite level or stay involved in sport in other ways. Being part of that journey is what keeps me motivated and passionate about youth development.”

Approach to Youth Development

When working with youth players, Orla outlines her approach. 

“Physically, I focus on building strong foundations – movement competency, basic strength, coordination, speed, and aerobic capacity. These are introduced progressively, in line with the athlete’s age, training history, and maturity. We don’t rush into advanced programming – I work to ensure athletes understand good technique, recovery, and how to listen to their bodies.

You can have all the knowledge in the world – training methods, periodisation models, rehab protocols – but if athletes don’t feel that you genuinely care about their well-being, development, and performance, it won’t matter. They won’t fully buy in. Once that trust and respect are established, everything else becomes easier: communication improves, standards rise, and athletes become more open to feedback and challenge.”

Studying with Setanta

Orla outlines reaching a point “where I wanted to deepen my knowledge and deliver programmes that were more structured, evidence-based, and tailored to the specific demands of sport.” This led her to Setanta.

“Setanta’s course stood out because of its applied, coach-focused approach. It allowed me to bridge the gap between theory and practice and immediately apply what I was learning to my coaching role.

The most beneficial part of studying with Setanta has been the practical, applied nature of the education. The content is rooted in evidence-based practice but delivered in a way that’s directly relevant to the realities of coaching in the field – especially in environments like the League of Ireland and youth development settings.

What stands out about Setanta is that it bridges the gap between theory and practice. It’s not just about learning the science – it’s about knowing how to apply it effectively, adapt it to your environment, and communicate it to athletes and staff. That’s made me a more confident and well-rounded coach in my day-to-day role.”

Looking to the Future

“Looking ahead, my main focus is to continue growing as a coach and contributing to the development of women’s football at both academy and senior levels. In the short term, I want to keep refining the systems we have in place at Cork City FC – particularly around athletic development pathways, injury prevention, and performance support – to ensure players are progressing physically in a structured and sustainable way.

Learn more about the Certificate in Strength & Conditioning here. 

Learn more about the Certificate in Youth Athletic Development here.