Ashley is a lecturer in Football Development and Coaching, with research interests related to sports coaching, coach behaviours and effective competition communication. He has worked at St Mary’s since 2022, supporting a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and will be undertaking a PhD that focuses on the exploration of competition specific communication by coaches to their players.
Ashley has worked in the sports and education sectors for the last 20 years, undertaking roles in both coaching and teaching that has fuelled an interested in the pedagogical principles that support both disciplines.
He has a strong interest in combining classroom teaching techniques into the world of coaching, believing they can help coaches to have an even bigger impact on their athletes.
Away from St Mary’s University, Ashley is an active grassroots volunteer coach as well as undertaking consultancy roles within elite sports. This comprises of observing sports teams on matchday and providing advice on how best to support their teams through communication strategies.
Key Qualifications / Certifications
- Sport Psychology and Coaching Sciences (BSc)
- Applied Sport & Exercise Psychology (MSc)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice (PGCAP)
- UEFA B Football Coaching Licence
Areas of Expertise
- Pedagogy and learning design
- Sport coaches’ behaviour
- Sport competition communication
Content Specialisation
- Football coaching and development
- Coaching pedagogies and principles
- Coaches’ behaviours, including matchday