By Professor Barry Drust Photo by LOGAN WEAVER | @LGNWVR on Unsplash The last couple of weeks have seen a group of talented and ambitious students start their doctoral journey in our school here at the University of Birmingham on the Doctorate in Sport and Exercise Science. It’s always a privilege to welcome new researchers into the programme. … Continue reading “Here we go again! Some thoughts on starting the 2025 cohort on the Doctorate in Sport and Exercise Science”
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Looking Back to Look Forward: Reflections on Supervision
By Dr Liam Anderson A little over three years ago, I was just stepping into the world of PhD and Professional Doctorate supervision. I can still remember the mix of excitement to be part of each student’s journeys. There was a sense of stepping into something significant, knowing I had the chance to help others … Continue reading “Looking Back to Look Forward: Reflections on Supervision”
Hannah Hampton and the Rise of Penalty Preparation
By Jamie Kyte England’s Euro 2025 triumph will be remembered for many moments, but few were more decisive than Hannah Hampton’s performances in two tense penalty shootouts. In both the quarter-final against Sweden and the final against Spain, she showed that penalties are no longer just about instinct — they’re about preparation. Analysis Over Instinct … Continue reading “Hannah Hampton and the Rise of Penalty Preparation”
Finding hope in stories
By Dr Andrew Soundy I managed to get an old laptop I had many years ago working recently and I found on it a story by one of my children. The story was entitled ‘Harry the Hare’. It was the beginning of the story, about a hare, who was the odd one out, he was … Continue reading “Finding hope in stories “
Escaping the Cage: What Rabbits Taught Me About Mental Health at Work
By Dr Andrew Soundy At first glance, a rabbit in a cage might seem dull—lacking personality, social engagement, or joy. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. I have three rabbits, and when they’re free to roam our walled garden, they come alive. Storm, our most adventurous rabbit, fist-bumps me with her head, digs … Continue reading “Escaping the Cage: What Rabbits Taught Me About Mental Health at Work”
What are you going to do about it?!
By Dr Tom Brownlee Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash Often when I’m looking over a students work I find that they provide a good commentary of what they’ve found, but not necessarily what that means. It’s this level of criticality that we try to build, which is really useful in the real world. I stole from a … Continue reading “What are you going to do about it?! “
Behind the Scenes at the Women’s Rugby World Cup: Life on the Medical Team
By Caroline White Being part of the medical team at the Women’s Rugby World Cup was a unique privilege and a reminder of just how much teamwork happens off the pitch. Based at Northampton, my role varied from match to match. Sometimes providing physiotherapy coverage for the match officials, and other times stepping into a … Continue reading “Behind the Scenes at the Women’s Rugby World Cup: Life on the Medical Team “
Who’s really in control? Sport in the shadow of the ‘posts’
By Dr Paul Garner The annual Cluster for Research in Coaching (CRiC) Conference in Oslo, Norway, was an excellent experience – full of rich learning, connection-building, and thought-provoking presentations. Despite a varied programme, a recurring theme emerged: the use of the ‘posts’ as a lens through which to view sport coaching, and indeed, sport more … Continue reading “Who’s really in control? Sport in the shadow of the ‘posts’”
Lift Off For Your Bright Ideas: Innovation Consultancy Challenge 2026 (Sports Business)
By Dr Jamie Pringle A live consultancy programme running January–May 2026, the University of Birmingham’s Innovation Consultancy Challenge (Sport Business) will connect ambitious MSc Sports, Business, Management and Leadership students with forward-thinking industry partners to solve real-world challenges in sport, health, and business. We’re inviting expressions of interest from organisations to take advantage of this opportunity. Over five months, student consultancy teams—backed … Continue reading “Lift Off For Your Bright Ideas: Innovation Consultancy Challenge 2026 (Sports Business) “
Broadening Horizons: The Interdisciplinary Appeal of the Golf Industry
By Dr Paul Garner As programme lead for the Applied Golf Management Studies (AGMS) BSc, I recently found myself organising a careers event that was delivered by colleagues from The Golf Foundation and the DP World Tour. Whilst this started out as an opportunity to help students on the AGMS course prepare for future employment, … Continue reading “Broadening Horizons: The Interdisciplinary Appeal of the Golf Industry “