Sports Coaching Research Group

Psycho-pedagogical research in sports coaching examines the person-in-context from the perspective a variety of actors (e.g., athletes, coaches, officials) and dyads/triads (e.g., coach-athlete) in a range of sport settings (high performance, participation, traditional, extreme). This research cluster is focused on applied research to foster performance and health outcomes for all actors in the sporting landscape.

Key areas of research include:

• Coach as architect (e.g., motivational/learning climate, psychological needs)
• Coach as educator (e.g., digital learning habitats, daily training environments)
• Coach as leader (e.g., social identity, shared leadership, culture)
• Coach as learner (e.g., workplace learning, social learning, e-Learning)
• Coach as performer (e.g., narrative identity; strivings, emotions, mental toughness, beliefs/mindset, assessment and evaluation);

Researchers

Professor Cliff Mallett

Dr Steven Rynne

Research Concentrations and Collaborators

• Social identity, leadership and health: Profs. Alex and Cath Haslam, Dr Nik Steffens (Psychology, UQ); Prof. Katrien Fransen (Leuven, Belgium)
• Positive Parenting Program: Prof. Matt Sanders, Dr James Kirby (Psychology, UQ)
• Leadership and performance: Prof. Jürgen Beckmann, Vanessa Wergin, Chris Mächel (Technical University of Munich)
• Narrative identity: Dr Tristan Coulter (QUT), Prof. Jefferson Singer (Connecticut), Dr Jarred Parkes (UQ)
• Sports coaching, learning and development: Emeritus Prof. Pierre Trudel, Prof. Diane Culver (University of Ottawa), Prof. Tania Cassidy (Otago University), Dr Michel Milistedt (Universidade Federal do Santa Catalina), Dr Dean Barker, Dr Natalie Barker-Ruchti (Örebro University).

Major Industry Partners

As long-standing members of the research and practitioner communities in sports coaching, the staff at UQ are highly connected internationally and domestically. The UQ Sports Coaching team works with a variety of peak bodies in sport such as national sporting organisations, international federations and coaching associations.

Current Funded Research Projects