Papers by Stewart Cotterill
Effective leadership in sport at the elite level can make the difference between success and fail... more Effective leadership in sport at the elite level can make the difference between success and failure. However, while the importance of leadership is acknowledged there is little published evidence regarding how the required skills could or should be developed. The current case study reports the implementation of a leadership development program with elite professional cricketers. The intervention itself was focused at three levels: (1) captaincy development, (2) leadership skill development, (3) personal growth and leadership development. Program effectiveness was determined through the feedback provided by the individual players on the program, the reflections of the sport psychology consultant, and feedback from the professional staff. Evaluation and reflection of the program suggests that a formal development program can be both beneficial and impactful in enhancing the leadership capabilities of elite players.
Sport Psychologist
Research has reported that initial evaluations of consultants' competency are affected by dress a... more Research has reported that initial evaluations of consultants' competency are affected by dress and build. This investigation examined how athletes' perceptions of sport psychology consultants (SPCs) are affected by SPCs' physical characteristics of BMI and dress, and whether these perceptions are moderated by the athletes' sex or standard of competition. Two hundred and thirty three competitive sports volunteers classified by sex and competitive standard viewed computer generated images of the same female SPC in sports and formal attire manipulated to represent a range of body mass indexes. Participants were asked to rank the SPCs in order of their preference to work with them, and to rate their perceived effectiveness of each of the SPCs. Results demonstrated that SPCs' physical characteristics do influence athletes' preference to work with them and perceptions of their effectiveness. Furthermore, athlete's competitive standard does significantly moderate initial evaluation of SPCs based on physical characteristics.
Sport Psychologist
Research has reported that initial evaluations of consultants’ competency are affected by dress a... more Research has reported that initial evaluations of consultants’ competency are affected by dress and build. This investigation examined how athletes’ perceptions of sport psychology consultants (SPCs) are affected by SPCs’ physical characteristics of BMI and dress, and whether these perceptions are moderated by the athletes’ sex or standard of competition. Two hundred and thirty three competitive sports volunteers classified by sex and competitive standard viewed computer generated images of the same female SPC in sports and formal attire manipulated to represent a range of body mass indexes. Participants were asked to rank the SPCs in order of their preference to work with them, and to rate their perceived effectiveness of each of the SPCs. Results demonstrated that SPC’s physical characteristics do influence athletes’ preference to work with them and perceptions of their effectiveness. Furthermore, athlete’s competitive standard does significantly moderate initial evaluation of SPC...
Eye tracking offers significant potential for both applied practice and research across a broad r... more Eye tracking offers significant potential for both applied practice and research across a broad range of domains, and specifically for sport and exercise psychology. However, when first engaging in eye tracking research many researchers are presented with a daunting array of books, manuscripts and instruction manuals that are composed of difficult terminology, complex statistical equations and difficult to fellow figures. The aim of this article is to provide an overview and introduction to eye tracking application within sport and exercise (aimed at undergraduate and postgraduate students). The article also highlights a number of practical considerations and offers solutions to some of the barriers that exist. This article is designed to provide new or aspiring eye tracking researchers with a better understanding of what eye tracking involves, and provide the individual with the knowledge needed to start the process.
Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport & Tourism Education, 2015
Sport Psychologist
Research has reported that initial evaluations of consultants' competency are affected by dress a... more Research has reported that initial evaluations of consultants' competency are affected by dress and build. This investigation examined how athletes' perceptions of sport psychology consultants (SPCs) are affected by SPCs' physical characteristics of BMI and dress, and whether these perceptions are moderated by the athletes' sex or standard of competition. Two hundred and thirty three competitive sports volunteers classified by sex and competitive standard viewed computer generated images of the same female SPC in sports and formal attire manipulated to represent a range of body mass indexes. Participants were asked to rank the SPCs in order of their preference to work with them, and to rate their perceived effectiveness of each of the SPCs. Results demonstrated that SPCs' physical characteristics do influence athletes' preference to work with them and perceptions of their effectiveness. Furthermore, athlete's competitive standard does significantly moderate initial evaluation of SPCs based on physical characteristics.
Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 2014
ABSTRACT Effective decision-making forms an important aspect of the game of cricket. In particula... more ABSTRACT Effective decision-making forms an important aspect of the game of cricket. In particular, the ability of players to process relevant perceptual information to select an appropriate course of action is crucial. However, although the importance of decision-making in cricket is universally accepted, there is currently little consistency in the approaches adopted to develop this important ability. This article presents a practical framework for decision making in the game of cricket, specifically focusing on batters and bowlers. Building upon this framework, relevant intervention strategies are presented that seek to specifically target the development of decision-making in the game of cricket.
The ability to mould a group of talented individual athletes into an effective team takes effort ... more The ability to mould a group of talented individual athletes into an effective team takes effort and skill. Team Psychology in Sports examines the crucial factors in the development of an effective team, introducing important psychological and organizational concepts and offering evidence-based interventions for enhancing the performance of any sports team. The book neatly bridges the gap between theory and practice, with real sporting case studies, examples and practical tools included in each chapter. It covers the full range of issues in team sport, including: planning communication cohesion motivation emotions momentum leadership recovery. No other book offers such an up-to-date, relevant and applied guide to working with sports teams. It is essential reading for all students and practitioners working in sport psychology or sports coaching.
International journal of sport psychology
The representative experimental design of many previous studies exploring the nature of pre-perfo... more The representative experimental design of many previous studies exploring the nature of pre-performance routine usage in golf has been limited by flaws in research design. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the use of a full-swing golf simulator could provide an ecologically valid alternative to lab-based experimental designs. Participants were six elite male golfers (mean age = 22.5yrs, s = 3.3 years; mean handicap = +1, s = 1; mean years playing = 8.63, s = 5.21) who were required to play in three conditions: simulated; practice; and competition. A one-way, within-participant MANOVA was conducted investigating whether significant differences existed in the temporal characteristics of the behavioural categories (head, club, posture, still) within the routines across the three conditions. Four dependent variables relating to category of behaviour were used: head, club, posture and still. The independent variable was the condition. No significant differences were iden...
... The general purpose of this thesis was to quantify differences in the duration / ... 23 2.6.2... more ... The general purpose of this thesis was to quantify differences in the duration / ... 23 2.6.2. Fidelity
25 ... Figure 3.4. Real verses virtual views of a particular hole available to play on the ...
International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology
The past 15 years has seen a significant acceleration in the availability of technological soluti... more The past 15 years has seen a significant acceleration in the availability of technological solutions for both business and social interactions. The use of social media as a way to communicate has had a significant impact upon education and the way that individuals share information, particularly in the under 25s age group. These developments are presenting new challenges and new opportunities to sport psychology consultants across the world. The aim of this article is to explore the benefits and pitfalls associated with a range of social media, hardware and software, and to consider how the technological solutions might be integrated into applied practice.
The mental side of cricket is what separates the best players from the rest. Technical, tactical,... more The mental side of cricket is what separates the best players from the rest. Technical, tactical, and physical preparation are important for top class performances but it is often what happens inside a player's mind that is the difference between success and failure. The very best players and teams are confident, motivated, concentrate effectively, cope with pressure, and control their emotions. The Psychology of Cricket is the first book to provide expert and up-to-date advice into one of the most psychological sports around. The book is appropriate for anyone involved in playing or coaching cricket, and for all levels. The Psychology of Cricket teaches individuals to develop mental toughness by using mental skills which can be used in both practice and match situations, and provides expert advice on understanding the important ingredients of successful teams and leaders.
International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology
Sport Psychologist
Research has reported that initial evaluations of consultants’ competency are affected by dress a... more Research has reported that initial evaluations of consultants’ competency are affected by dress and build. This investigation examined how athletes’ perceptions of sport psychology consultants (SPCs) are affected by SPCs’ physical characteristics of BMI and dress, and whether these perceptions are moderated by the athletes’ sex or standard of competition. Two hundred and thirty three competitive sports volunteers classified by sex and competitive standard viewed computer generated images of the same female SPC in sports and formal attire manipulated to represent a range of body mass indexes. Participants were asked to rank the SPCs in order of their preference to work with them, and to rate their perceived effectiveness of each of the SPCs. Results demonstrated that SPC’s physical characteristics do influence athletes’ preference to work with them and perceptions of their effectiveness. Furthermore, athlete’s competitive standard does significantly moderate initial evaluation of SPC...
The Sport Psychologist, 2014
The ability to prepare effectively to execute complex skills under pressure is crucial in a numbe... more The ability to prepare effectively to execute complex skills under pressure is crucial in a number of performance-focused professions. While there is emerging evidence of best practice little research has sought to compare preparation strategies across professions. As a result, the aim of this research was to explore the approaches employed within a number of professions and whether there are similarities in the techniques and strategies adopted.
Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 2013
The development of effective learning environments in higher education (HE) appears to become inc... more The development of effective learning environments in higher education (HE) appears to become increasingly prioritised by HE institutions. This approach reflects an increasingly 'consumer' focused student body, and HE attempt to further quantify the quality of their products. However, all too often attempts to build more effective learning environments are hampered by the structures and processes that have historically existed in HE. The traditional lecture-seminar approach is increasingly been seen as not supporting effective student learning. As a result, the quality of the student learning experience is being compromised. This paper explores some of the factors currently limiting the development of effective learning environments and considers relevant questions and possible solutions. In particular, this paper explores the degree to which University interactions with student groups are driven by quality assurance processes rather than for maximising student learning.
Whilst much research has suggested a positive link between pre-performance routines (PPRs) and pe... more Whilst much research has suggested a positive link between pre-performance routines (PPRs) and performance, the specific mechanisms of the process have yet to AQ1 be understood fully. It has been suggested that the PPR may influence performance through lowering the athlete's anxiety, and/or increasing their self-efficacy, but to date this has not specifically been explored in detail. As a AQ2 result the aim of the current study was to explore the impact of specific individualised PPRs on performance, anxiety and self-efficacy in semi-professional soccer players. Participants were 20 male semi-professional soccer players (M = 15 19.45, SD = 2.81) recruited from clubs in England. Adopting a repeated measure design, players were tested on performance, anxiety, and self-efficacy pre-and post a 7-day intervention period in which the participants learnt a new PPR. The data were analysed using factorial mixed measures analysis of variance (ANOVAs) AQ3 , with the results revealing a significant difference in somatic anxiety for the experimental group and a decrease in performance for the control group. The study provides further support for the suggestion AQ4 that the PPR can enhance performance by reducing experiences of anxiety prior to performance. 20
Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 2010
The purpose of this investigation was to explore the nature of pre-performance routines used in g... more The purpose of this investigation was to explore the nature of pre-performance routines used in golf. Six male international golfers were recruited to participate in this study (Age M = 29; handicap M = +1.5; years playing golf M = 16.25). The golfers were interviewed individually to gain an understanding of participants’ perceptions of the nature and function of their pre-performance routines. The data were thematically analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. In total, 9 super-ordinate themes emerged: allocation of attention, psychological skills, shot selection, routine mind set, routine composition, compulsive behaviors, routine evolution/application, top players, and moderating factors. Results suggest that the development of routines is dependent on the personality, coping resources, and situational appraisals of each individual performer.
While there is much research exploring the nature of pre-performance routines in sport there is v... more While there is much research exploring the nature of pre-performance routines in sport there is very little work that outlines the process of developing and implementing these routines. This paper documents the development of pre-performance routines in professional cricket prior to the start of the season. The paper describes the method and approach adopted by the sport psychology consultant to develop specific individualized routines for the players involved. The consultant briefly reflects on the process, it's outcomes and potential implications for future practice.
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Papers by Stewart Cotterill