Cardiff School of Sport
Research Centres & Groups
Centre for Performance Analysis
The Centre for Performance Analysis has been established on campus for over a decade and provides a direct interface with international sport.
Staff have supported the preparation of National squads in rugby, soccer, hockey, lacrosse, netball and squash. Over the past five years staff have attended numerous European, World and Olympic events and established an international reputation for the services they provide. Our students have benefited from this work by having access to these staff, and to one of the best video archives in the world as a teaching/research resource base.
Centre Director: Prof Mike Hughes
Sport Biomechanics Group
The sport biomechanics research group is based in the National Indoor Athletics Centre, within the Cardiff School of Sport on Cyncoed Campus. Currently there are 13 members of the research group, including academic and research staff, research students and a specialist technician.
Amongst other projects, the group is actively involved in the delivery of SESAME, a major EPSRC funded project due to complete in 2010.
’SESAME’, an acronym from ‘SEnsing for Sport And Managed Exercise’, is a four year research project involving colleagues from the University of Cambridge, University College London (UCL) and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC).
The Sport Biomechanics Research team is led by Prof David Kerwin and includes: Dr Marianne R.J. Gittoes, Dr Gareth Irwin and Dr Cassie Wilson.
BIG 2008: BASES Biomechanics Interest Group Meeting, 8th April - Call for Abstracts
Exercise Physiology Group
Exercise Physiology is a diverse field of study into the acute and chronic changes that take place in the body as they respond to single or repeated bouts of exercise. Current projects include: investigations into the effect of lifestyle interventions on glucose control and measures of insulin resistance and sensitivity in persons with Type 2 diabetes, research into the physiology of repeated sprint activity and research into paediatric physiology and growth.
Group members: Dr Karianne Backx, Prof Bill Bell, Steve Cooper, Michael G Hughes, Dr Andy Miles, Dr Richard Tong
Sport Psychology Group
Research studies carried out by members of this research Group are aimed at examining a wide range of psychological factors within sport and physical education. The main areas of interest include: competition and organisational stress; the personality disposition of hardiness; mental toughness research; the psychology of sports injuries; reflective practice and consultant effectiveness; goal setting practices; achievement goal orientation, motivational style, climate, and behaviour; self–confidence in sport; and, coordination processes within elite teams.Group members: Declan Connaughton, Lynne Evans, Prof Sheldon Hanton, Dr Kieran Kingston, Ian Mitchell, Dr Kevin Morgan, Dr Owen Thomas
Sport Sociology & Comparative Studies Group
The research interests of staff working in this group are wide–ranging and link closely with aspects of social history, social interaction, social psychology, philosophy and ethics. In particular, they are concerned with central themes of social class, gender and ethnicity and the various impacts of them on sport. These are reflected in work on sports coaching, youth studies, gender studies, construction of identity, elite sport and aspects of social inclusion; and embrace the application of social policy in sport and the related domains of exercise, leisure and physical education. There is also a strong interest in research methodology and methods, as well as research ethics.Group members: Prof Scott Fleming, Dr Carwyn Jones, Prof Robyn Jones
Sports Coaching Group
The prime research focus of this group involves a critical sociology of coaching and, in particular, how issues related to power and interaction impact on the coach–athlete relationship. This is supported by a line of enquiry into better understanding the complexity of coaching, and how to teach it.Group members: Prof Robyn Jones, Dr Andy Miles
Sports Performance Research Group
The Sports Performance Research Group is an interdisciplinary group, primarily interested in the development of sport performance through the application of sport science and coaching research. The research activities in this area draw on the specialist sports science and coaching research of other disciplines with a view to providing performance related solutions to performers and coaches.Group members: Dr Andy Miles, Kevin Morgan
Health and Exercise Research Group
The Exercise and Health Research Group is an interdisciplinary group, primarily interested in the role of exercise in the treatment and prevention of disease. Current projects are investigating the role of exercise in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes patients, obesity prevention programmes for young people, risk factors of coronary heart disease in young people and the investigation of barriers to exercise in children from black and ethnic minority groups.Group members: Dr Karianne Backx, Prof Bill Bell, Dr Non Thomas