Biography

My training lies at the intersection between Social, Cognitive and Developmental Psychology and I have primarily applied this training to the fields of Sport and Education. Broadly speaking, I am interested in values, virtues, norms, practices, identities, and the psychosocial mechanisms that combine to regulate behaviour. My published research has focused on the impact of leadership and coaching behaviour; coach and athlete welfare (including anti-doping); and social, emotional, and character development.

My research goals are to (1) develop new insights, tackle international challenges, and create new collaborations and mentoring, (2) build upon my existing network of world-leading researchers and continue to develop new opportunities for collaboration for myself and those who work within my lab, (3) further enhance my international reputation as a researcher, and (4) further engage with my scientific communication efforts and create meaningful outcomes that positively impact the communities I serve. To successfully achieve these goals, I collaborate within and across disciplines (e.g., psychology, philosophy, education, and public health).

I have also been working at the forefront of encouraging the adoption of open science practices and norms in the field of Sport and Exercise Science/Kinesiology/Movement Sciences. I founded SportRχiv in 2016, and more recently the Society for Transparency, Openness, and Replication in Kinesiology (STORK) in 2019. SportRxiv has now made over 500 manuscripts openly accessible to all and STORK has over 200 members worldwide.

At work, I am the Director of Team Researcher Lab which typically houses around 10-15 students. I also lead the Developing Young People through Sport Research Group within the School of Sport, Rehabilitation, and Exercise Sciences at the University of Essex. Outside of work, I run an NGO that uses the power of play to enhance young people’s health and wellbeing.

I also host a podcast (it’s 2022, who doesn’t) called Sports Debate and in 2019 I wrote a book called First Time Sports Coach.

Before entering academia, I spent 10 years working as an academy and community football coach both within the UK and US. I was fortunate to work for clubs such as Colchester United, Ipswich Town, Penrhyncoch, Chelmsford City, Coggeshall United and as a Player Development Officer in Connecticut (US). I have also worked as a school sports teacher and worked at two colleges managing their football teams. In one guise or another, I have now been stood in front of a group of young people for over 20 years supporting them to be the very best version of themselves.

If you’d like to discuss anything further, I’m open to grabbing a cup of tea and chatting more – virtual or otherwise.