Sport and Exercise Research Lab

Our work on sport includes coaching and physical education pedagogy, sport sociology and anthropology. Within this area of research Professor Light is a leading international researcher working on athlete-centred and inquiry-based approaches to sport coaching with PhDs and other staff also working in this area. SERL aims to produce relevant, high quality, high impact output that has an influence upon research, thinking and practice in studies on sport and exercise at a national and international level. The lab’s research activity includes cutting edge research conducted on athlete-centred and holistic approaches to sport coaching pedagogy that is used in a research-led approach teaching in the sports coaching program. This work is conducted across a diverse range of sports and levels from children’s sport in schools and clubs to the highest levels of elite level international sport and on physical education teaching. The hub produces high quality articles and books that are used in our research led teaching courses in the sport coaching and physical education programs.

The primary focus of sport and exercise science focus for SERL is on research in the areas of health and sports performance.  It looks at sport, coaching and physical education that promotes improved and sustains health in general and special populations and interventions that support improved sporting performance from junior to Olympic levels across a range of sports including cricket, rugby, judo, croquet and rock climbing. Research in the sport performance arena revolves around the development of valid and reliable sport-specific measures and the development of and/or measurement and evaluation of interventions.  Research in this field includes projects on rock climbing focused on uncovering the role of psycho-physiological differences that enable elite performers to lock-down the anxiety associated with the inherent possibility of falling and the development of sport-specific performance measures.  This work is very closely associated with the International Rock Climbing Research Association, which was established by the University of Canterbury in 2011.  Co-director, Professor Nick Draper is currently Chair of the Association and is leading the international multi-centre trial being undertaken by it between 2014 and 2018. The increasing significance of this research is being reflected in the increasing volume of research and the inclusion of sport climbing in the schedule for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

 While many studies are conducted in New Zealand and are focused on issues of importance for New Zealand the lab has a global outlook and profile with a numbers of staff enjoying strong international recognition and experience. It also includes researchers based outside New Zealand who collaborate with campus-based members.

Directors

Research Associates (at UC):

• Professor Richard L. Light
• Professor Nick Draper
• Associate Professor Stephen Gieseg
  
• Dr Jenny Clarke
• Dr Carl Petersen
  
• Dr Brad Miles
• Chris North
  
• Piet van Hasselt
• Phillip Borrell

International Affiliated Researchers

• Associate professor Mike Hamlin (Lincoln University, NZ)
• Professor John Evans, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
• Dr Shane Pill, Flinders University, Australia
• Associate Professor Naoki Suzuki, Tokyo Gakugei University, Japan
• Professor Wataru Yasaki, Tokyo University of Science, Japan
• Associate Professor Stephen Harvey, West Virginia University, USA
• Professor Carlos Gonclaves, Coimbra University, Portugal
• Professor Alain Mouchet, Université Paris est Creteil,France
• Dr Kendall Jarrett, Deakin University Australia
• Dr Rémy Hassanin, Federation University Australia
• Dr Kass Gibson, University of St Johns and St Marks, UK.
• Dr. Tetsuya Tsubakihara (Tokyo City University, Japan)
• Dr. Jiří Baláš, Charles University, Czech Republic
• Professor Gareth Stratton, Swansea University, UK.
• Professor Vanesa Espana Romero, University of Cadiz, Spain
• Professor Tino Fuss, Swinburne University, Australia
• Professor Phil Watts, Northern Michigan University, USA
• Professor Zeevi Dvir, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Israel
• Dr Simon Fryer, University of Gloucestershire, UK
• Dr Andi Schweizer, University of Zurich, Switzerland
• Associate Professor Ludovic Seifert, University of Rouen, France
• Associate Professor Pierre Legreneur, University of Lyon, France
• Associate Professor Mike Hamlin (Lincoln University, NZ)

Current Full Time PhD Students 

• Ricardo Pimenta (on campus, Portugal)
• Bianca Aguiar (on campus, Portugal)
• Mohammad Rasak (on campus, Singapore)
• Sibi Walter (on campus, India)
• Chris Bacon (on campus, UK)
• David Giles (off campus, UK)
• Luke Gibson (off campus, UK)
• Mark Cheetham off campus, (UK)
• Charles Spring (off campus, UK)
• William Neill (off campus, UK)
• Peter Gilliver (off campus, UK)

The Sport and Exercise Lab hosts high profile international researchers for short visits and longer stays under the Canterbury Fellowship and Erskine Fellowship schemes or as visiting scholars. Visiting researchers typically conduct research seminars and collaborate in relevant research with members of the lab. We presently have strong and productive relationships with researchers and institutions in Japan, the USA, The UK, Australia and Chile and welcome international researchers.

In 2018 we have our third consecutive visiting scholar here for a full year. Professor Jong Eun Lim from the Chinju national University of Education, Korea follows our two previous visiting scholars from Japan and will be conducting research over 2018. Last year Professor David Lavallee visited us as a Canterbury Fellow. Professor Lavallee is a sport psychologist and a world-leading figure in research on athlete transition who worked with our sport psychology staff and with local sport organizations such as the Canterbury Crusaders as well as delivering our 2017 UC Sport Seminar presentation. He has since been appointed as a UC Adjunct Professor.

The lab is working to raise the international profile of its research and to enrich its research culture through links with established researchers from overseas. This varies from a single research seminar to hosting conferences such as the 2015 Game Sense for Coaching and Teaching International Conference (November 17th-18th) from which we published peer reviewed conference proceedings available here. 

In 2016 and 2017 we produced two high quality research books, which were: Light, R. L. (2016) Children, young people and sport: Studies in experience and meaning. Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars Press and Light, R. L. (2017) Positive Pedagogy for sport coaching: Athlete-centred coaching for individual sports. London & New York: Routledge. (November, 2016).

This year will see the launch of Stories of indigenous success in Australian sport: Journeys to the AFL and NRL at NRL headquarters in Australia and was written by Professor Richard Light and Professor John Evans (UTS).

Professor Nick Draper edited a new research book with a colleague that released in 2017. It is Draper, N. & Statton, G. (Eds) (2018) Physical Activity. Routledge, London: UK.

1. Professor Richard Light is joint Chief Investigator on the project, Identifying pedagogical factors enabling success in elite level team sport for Indigenous Australians: Lessons for Closing the Gap. The $350,000 project is funded by the Australian Research Council and is being conducted through collaboration with Professor John Evans from the University of Technology Sydney who is an Indigenous Australian.

2. Professor Richard Light is also lead researcher on a study on changes in rugby coaching in Japan since professionalization in 1995 (2018-2019). Conducted in collaboration with Professor Wataru Yasaki (Tokyo University of Science). Professor Hitoshi Ebishima and Associate Professor Tetsuya Tsubakihara (Tokyo City University) the study inquires into the development of rugby coaching in Japan.

3. Professor Nick Draper is currently leading the research and evaluation for a $3M multi-disciplinary project, based in the UK, which takes a citywide approach to increasing physical activity levels.  

4. Professor Draper is also leading a multi-centre trial on behalf of the International Rock Climbing Research Association (IRCRA).  In 2014 the IRCRA agreed to develop a multi-centre trial as an investigation into sport-specific measurement and evaluation tools for the sport of rock climbing.  A battery of 10 tests were developed for validation and reliability assessment.  Seven research centres, in Austria, Chile, Czech Republic, France, New Zealand, Spain and United Kingdom are involved in the study.  The initial results for the study were presented at the 2016 IRCRA Congress in telluride, CO, USA.  Details of the research can be found at www.ircra.rocks.

5. Associate Professor Steven Gieseg’s research team has developed robust cost effective biochemical methods using urine and salvia samples to measure muscle trauma and stress in Rugby players and Cage Fighters. They are now applying this technology to other sports and investigating the trauma of knee surgery under a Lottery Health grant. The lead researchers in the team are PhD student Greg Parker (University of Canterbury), Prof Garry Cooper (Dept Orthopaedic Surgery & Musculoskeletal Medicine, Uni Otago, Christchurch) and A/Prof Michael Hamlin (Sports Science, Lincoln University).

6. Associate Professor Gieseg, Dr Carl Peterson and Dr Angus Lindsay have been investigating the role of inflammation in sports injury using controlled exercise tests. Their analysis allows the inflammatory and oxidative response of affected tissue to be directly measured. This research is backup by ongoing laboratory studies by PhD students Hannah Prebble and Greg Parker using immune cell culture to characterise the underlying biochemical processes.

7. Associate Professor Mike Hamlin’s research team have been involved in investigating the use of intermittent hypoxic training on repetitive sprint ability in team sport athletes. This large study had a number of specific focus areas including the performance effects of such training (A/Prof Mike Hamlin, Lincoln University, Dr Peter Olsen and Dr Helen Marshall, Ara Institute of Canterbury), the stress responses to such training using heart rate variability and biochemical markers in the urine (A/Prof Steven Gieseg, Greg Parker University of Canterbury), and the psychological and training stress involved with such training (A/Prof Mike Hamlin, A/Prof Steven Gieseg).

8. Associate Professor Mike Hamlin(Lincoln University) along with Dr. Sohei Takamori (Visiting Research Fellow from Yokohama Hospital Sports Medicine Centre, Japan), A/Prof Steven Gieseg (University of Canterbury) and other colleagues from Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ) will investigate concussive and sub-concussive impacts on rugby players. The research will involve the use of small devices placed behind the ear that can record details such as liner and rotational forces during impacts.

Publications by UC-based members between 2014 and 2016

Books

Draper, N. & Stratton, G. (Eds) (2017) Physical Activity. Routledge, London: UK

Light, R. L. (2017) Positive pedagogy for sport coaching: Athlete centred coaching for individual sports. London & New York: Routledge.

Light, R. L. (2016) Children, young people and sport: Studies on experience and meaning. Newcastle, UK: Cambridge Scholars Press.

Light, R. L., Evans, J. R., Harvey, S., & Hassanin, R. (2015) Advances in rugby coaching: An holistic approach, London & New York: Routledge.

Peer-reviewed journal articles

2017

Light, R. L., Evans, J. R. & Lavellee, D. (2017) The transition of Indigenous Australian athletes into professional sport. Sport, Education and Society. Published ahead of print, 19 October, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2017.1391085

Light, R. L. &  Evans, J. R. (2017) Socialisation, culture and the foundations of expertise in elite level Indigenous Australian sportsmen. Sport, Education and Society, 22(7), 852-863. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2015.1105208

Jarrett. K & Light, R. (2017). In-service teachers’ experiences of using game based approaches to teach games: Implications for physical education teacher educators. International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health 4(2), 73-81.

Light, R. L., Yasaki, W. (2017). Adolescent girls’ experiences of being in Australian and Japanese basketball clubs. Asia-Pacific Journal of Health, Sport and Physical Education, 8(2), 147-160.

Light, R. L. & Harvey, S. (2017) Positive Pedagogy for sport coaching, Sport, Education and Society, 22(2), 271-287.

2016

Baláš, J., Giles, D., Chrastinová, L., Kárníková, K., Kodejška, J., Hlaváčková, A., Vomáčko, L. & Draper, N. The effect of potential fall distance on hormonal response in rock climbing. Journal of Sports Sciences doi. 10.1080/02640414.2016.1206667.

Draper, N., Giles, D., Schöffl, V., Fuss, F. K., Watts, P. B., Wolf, P., Baláš, J., Romero, V. E., Gonzalez, G. B., Fryer, S.,  Fanchini, M., Vigouroux, L., Seifert, L., Donath, L., Spoerri, M., Bonetti, K., Phillips, K. C., Stöcker, U., Bourassa-Moreau, F., Garrido, I., Drum, S., Beekmeyer, S., Ziltener, J-L., Taylor, N., Beeretz, I., Mally, F., Amca, A. M., Linhart, C., and Abreu, E. (2016).  Comparative grading scales, statistical analyses, climber descriptors and ability grouping: International Rock Climbing Research Association position statement.  Journal of Sports Technology doi:10.1080/19346182.2015.1107081.

Giles, D., Draper, N. & Neil, W. (2016). Validation of the Polar V800 heart rate monitor to measure RR intervals at rest. European Journal of Applied Physiology. doi:10.1007/s00421-015-3303-9.

Giles, D., Kelly, J. & Draper, N. (2016). Alterations in autonomic cardiac modulation in response to normobaric hypoxia. European Journal of Sport Science, 16, 8, 1023-1031.

Lémonie, Y., Light, R. L., & Sarremejane, P. (2015)The nature of teacher-student interaction and their influence on learning in swimming lessons. Sport, Education and Society, 21(8), 1249-1268. Doi: 10.1080/13573322.2015.1005068

Light, R. L., & Yasaki, W. (2016) The nature of experience and learning for Japanese girls in a high school basketball club. In O. Vors, and D. Kirk (Eds.) special issue on L’écologie de la classe: approches contextualisées en éducation physique et en sport [The ecology of the class: Contextualised approaches in physical education and sport]. Recherches & Educations, 15, 47-64.

Lindsay, A., Othman MI, Prebble H., Davies, S., and Gieseg, S.P., (2016) Repetitive cryotherapy attenuates the in vitro and in vivo mononuclear cell activation response, Experimental Physiology,101(7), 851-65

2015

Baláš, J., Mrskoč, J., Panáčková, M. and Draper, N. (2015). Sport-specific finger flexor strength assessment using electronic scales in sport climbers. Sports Technology. doi: 10.1080/19346182.2015.1012082.

Chappell, G. & Light, R. L. (2015). Back to the future: Developing batting talent through Game Sense. Special issue of Active +Healthy Magazine, 23(2/3), 31-34.

Light, R. L. & Kentel, J. A. (2015). Mushin:  Learning in technique-intensive sport as uniting mind and body through complex learning theory. Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy, 20(4), 381-396. DOI:10.1080/17408989.2013.868873

Light, R. L. &  Evans, J. R. (2015) Socialisation, culture and the foundations of expertise in elite level Indigenous Australian sportsmen. Published ahead of print November 18. DOI:10.1080/13573322.2015.1105208

Harvey, S. & Light, R. L. (2015). Questioning for learning in games-based approaches to teaching and coaching. Asia Pacific Journal of Health, Sport and Physical Education, 6(2), 175-190.* Most read article on physical education published by Taylor & Francis in 2015.

Light, R. L. & Harvey, S. (2015) Positive Pedagogy for sport coaching. Published ahead of print (4 March, 2015), Sport, Education and Society. Doi 10.1080/13573322.2015.1015977 available at: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13573322.2015.1015977#abstract

Lindsay, A., Bernard, A., Davidson S.M., Redmond D.P., Chiew, Y.S., Pretty, C., Chase, J.G., Shaw, G.M., Gieseg, S.P., Draper, N. (2015) Lung injury and respiratory mechanics in rugby union, J Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, 56(4), 450-457.     

Lindsay, A., Carr, S., Draper, N., and Gieseg, S. P. (2015). Urinary myoglobin quantification by HPLC; an alternative measurement for exercise induced muscle damage. Analytical Biochemistry: Methods in the Biological Sciences. doi10.1016/j.ab.2015.09.001.

Lindsay, A., Carr, A., Othmana, M.I. Marks, E., Davies, S., Petersen, C., Draper, N. and  Gieseg, S.P., (2015) The physiological and mononuclear cell activation response to cryotherapy following a mixed martial arts contest: a pilot study, Pteridines, 26(4) 143–151.

Lindsay, A., Draper, N., Lewis, Gieseg, S.P. and Gill, N., (2015) Positional demands of profession rugby, European Journal of Sports Science, 15(6), 480-487. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2015.1025858

Lindsay, A., Healy, J, Mills, W., Lewis, J, Gill, N., Draper, N., and Gieseg, S.P. (2015) Impact induced muscle damage and urinary pterins in professional rugby: 7,8-dihydroneopterin  oxidation by myoglobin, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, 26(3), 329-337, DOI: 10.1111/sms.12436

Lindsay, A., Lewis, Gill, N., Gieseg, S.P. and Draper, N., (2015) Effect of varied recovery interventions on markers of psychophysiological stress in professional rugby union, European Journal of Sports Science, 15(6), 543-549

Lindsay, A., Lewis, J, Scarrott, C., Gill, N., Gieseg, S.P. and Draper, N.,(2015) Assessment of acute stress in professional rugby Assessment of acute stress in professional rugby, International Journal of Sports Medicine, 36(6), 446-454.

North, C. (2015) Rain and Romanticism: the environment in outdoor education. Asia Pacific Journal of Health, Sport & Physical Education 6(3): 287-298. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/18377122.2015.1092725

Book chapters

In press

Aguiar, C. B. & Light, R. L. (in press). Gymnastics. In R. Light (Ed.), Positive Pedagogy for Sport Coaching: Athlete-centred Coaching for Individual Sports. London and New York: Routledge.

Clarke, J., & Light, R. L. (in press). Croquet. In R. Light (Ed.), Positive Pedagogy for Sport Coaching: Athlete-centred Coaching for Individual Sports. London and New York: Routledge.

Draper, N. & Stratton, G. Introduction to physical activity. In N. Draper and G. Stratton, (in press). Physical Activity. Routledge, London: UK

Draper, N. & Stratton, G. Schools, physical education and physical activity. In N. Draper and G. Stratton, (in press). Physical Activity. Routledge, London: UK

Draper, N. & Lines, T. Multi-disciplinary approaches to physical activity. In N. Draper and G. Stratton, (in press). Physical Activity. Routledge, London: UK

Light, R. L. Athlete-centred coaching for individual sports (2018). In S. Pill (Ed.) Perspectives on Athlete Centred Coaching. London & New York: Routledge.

Light, R. L. (2018) Positive Pedagogy for sport coaching: The influence of Positive Psychology. In A. Brady, & B. Grenville-Cleave (Eds.) Positive Psychology in Sport and Physical Activity: An Introduction (pp. 193-203). Oxford: Routledge.

North, C. and Light, R. (in press). Teaching kayak rolling through feel and flow. In R. Light (Ed.), Positive Pedagogy for Sport Coaching: Athlete-centred Coaching for Individual Sports. London and New York: Routledge.

Razak, M. S., & Light, R. L. (in press). Rock climbing. In R. Light (Ed.), Positive Pedagogy for Sport Coaching: Athlete-centred Coaching for Individual Sports. London and New York: Routledge.

2016

Borell, P. & Macfarlane, A. (2016). Dual discourses of sport and education: An effectual blend for Māori development. In Light, R.L. (Ed.), Children, young people and sport: Studies on experience and meaning: not yet known. Christchurch: Cambridge Scholars Press.

Evans, J. R. & Light, R. L. (2016). The roots of exceptional performance: Indigenous players’ early development in Australian football. In M. Drummond and S. Pill (eds) Advances in Australian football: A sociological and applied science exploration of the game (pp. 128-135). Hindmarsh, South Australia: ACHPER.

Draper, N. (2016). Climbing grades – systems and subjectivity. In P. Wolf, A. Schweizer, & L. Seifert. Science of Climbing and Mountaineering (1st ed.), Routledge, London; UK.

2015

Borell, P. (2015). Patriotic Games: Boundaries and Masculinity in New Zealand Sport. In R.A. Innes and K. Anderson (Ed.), Indigenous Men and Masculinities: 165-180. Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press.

Light, R. L. & Evans, J. R. (2014). Putting habitus to work in research on experience and coach development. In L. Hunter, W. Smith, & E. Emerald (Eds)

Fields of Physical Culture: Encounters with and beyond Pierre Bourdieu. London & New York: Routledge (pp. 65-73).  

Full length, peer reviewed conference papers

2016
Clarke, J. (2016) Teaching older athletes new tricks coaching croquet through Game Sense. In J. Bruce & C. North (Eds) Proceedings for the 2015 Game Sense for Teaching and Coaching, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (pp. 28-39).

Light, R. L., & Light, A. L. (2016) Making the games lesson the ‘laboratory of the possible’ through Game Sense. In J. Bruce & C. North (Eds) Proceedings for the 2015 Game Sense for Teaching and Coaching. University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (pp. 74-85).

North, C. (2016) Changing roles for teacher candidates and teacher educators in outdoor education. In J. Bruce & C. North (Eds) Proceedings for the 2015 Game Sense for Teaching and Coaching, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (pp. 99-109)

Pimenta, R. M., & Light, R. L. (2016) High performance coaching: Comparison between a highly successful coach’s approach and Game Sense. In J. Bruce & C. North (Eds) Proceedings for the 2015 Game Sense for Teaching and Coaching, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (pp. 156-107)

Couto de Aguiar, B., & Light, R. L. (2016). A challenge to the idea of an authentic version of a Game Based Approach. In J. Bruce & C. North (Eds) Proceedings for the 2015 Game Sense for Teaching and Coaching, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (15-27).

Razak, M.S. (2016). Games Concept Approach (GCA) and Game Sense: A Practitioner’s Reflections of a Physical Education (PE) Teacher from Singapore. In J. Bruce & C. North (Eds) Proceedings for the 2015 Game Sense for Teaching and Coaching, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand (168-177).

2015
Aguiar, B. C. & Light. R. L. (2015). Self-taught pre-service and beginning physical education teachers’ implementation of TGfU in Portugal. Proceedings for 2015 ACHPER International Conference, (pp. 197-205). Available at https://www.achper.org.au/professionallearning/past-international-conference-proceedings/2015-international-conference-proceedings

Clarke, J.C. (2015) Teaching older athletes new tricks: Coaching croquet through Game Sense. University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand: Game Sense for Coaching and Teaching Conference, 17-18 Nov 2015.

Light, R. L. (2015). Managing practice activities and games in Game Sense coaching: Reflections upon teaching in Asia. Proceedings for 2015 ACHPER International Conference, pp. 246 – 254. Available at: https://www.achper.org.au/professionallearning/past-international-conference-proceedings/2015-international-conference-proceedings

Petersen, C. and Clarke, J. (2015) Experiential research inspired sport science pedagogy. Adelaide, Australia: 29th Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation International Conference (ACHPER), 13-15 Apr 2015.

Pimenta, R.M. & Light, R. L. (2015). High-performance adolescent female basketball players’ views on parental involvement. Proceedings for 2015 ACHPER International Conference, pp. 225 - 234. Available at: https://www.achper.org.au/professionallearning/past-international-conference-proceedings/2015-international-conference-proceedings