Professor Don Vinson

Dr Don Vinson

Course Leader for MSc Sports Coaching and Professor of Sport Coaching

School of Sport and Exercise Science

Professors

Academics

Contact Details

email: d.vinson@worc.ac.uk
tel: 01905 542470

Don's specialist area is sport coaching.  He is driven by balancing his roles as teacher, researcher and practitioner, applying his expertise in learning and pedagogic theory to all areas of his work. Don has written extensively in the area of sport coaching, performance analysis, leadership and higher education pedagogy. In particular, his recent research focuses on Coach Developer learning through the perspective of Landscapes of Practice in various contexts.

Don is a member of the International Council for Coach Education (ICCE) Research Committee, founder-member and Secretary of the Cluster for Research into Coaching (CRiC) Executive Board and is the UK representative for the International Advisory Board for the Teaching Games for Understanding Special Interest Group. Don is currently the Lead for the Coach Developer and Performance Analyst Research Group.

Don has secured over £160,000 in external project funding. This includes a current project evaluating the impact of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 on behalf of the Royal British Legion.

Don reviews for a wide range of academic journals and was Associate Editor of the Graduate Journal of Sport, Exercise and Physical Education Research from 2015-2020. Don is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and also holds a University Teaching Fellowship from the University of Gloucestershire.

Don has worked with a large number of National Governing Bodies (NGBs) including the Football Association, Europe Netball, British Cycling, British Gymnastics, British Rowing and the British Equestrian Federation. Don has also consulted for many influential bodies within the sport sector such as UK Sport, UK Coaching and the League Managers’ Association.  

An experienced PhD supervisor, Don is currently supporting students conducting research with the Football Association, Worcester Wolves and Gloucester Rugby. He has examined Professional Doctorates, PhD by thesis and by portfolio both in the UK and internationally.

Don is currently Head Coach of the England U16 girls’ hockey squad and he is also part of the England Hockey Coach Developer Workforce. Don has coached hockey in the Women's National Premier League and Indoor Premier League. Don was short-listed for England Hockey's Performance Coach of the Year in 2011.

Don is passionate about most sports and, in addition to hockey, can also be regularly found playing squash, badminton and golf.

Qualifications:

  • PhD Physical Activity and Health, University of Central Lancashire (2008)
  • PGCert Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, Liverpool John Moores University (2006)
  • BSc (Hons) Physical Education and Sports Science with Mathematics, University of Hull (2001)
  • Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Authority (SFHEA)

Teaching & Research

Teaching Interests:

  • Sport coaching pedagogy
  • Coach Developer learning
  • Leadership
  • Research methods

Research Interests:

  • The evaluation of the impact of the Invictus Games Düsseldorf 2023 (funded by the Royal British Legion).
  • Value Creation in a Coach Developer Social Learning Space: Stories of openness and making a difference (funded by UK Coaching).
  • An evaluation of the UK Sport Coach Leader programme (funded by UK Sport).
  • Creating value within the UK Coaching Coach Developer workforce (funded by UK Coaching).
  • Transformational Leadership in the Severn Stars netball club.
  • Enhancing mentoring for professional football managers (funded by the League Managers’ Association).
  • An evaluation of the Aspire III coach development programme (funded by Sports Coach UK).
  • Vygotsky and sports coaching: Non-linear practice in adult and youth sports coaching.
  • Facilitating professional learning within a landscape of practice through action research: The case of association football coach educators and mentors.
  • The Supporting and Promoting Include Coach Education (SPICE) project (funded by Sports Coach UK).
  • Investigating the use of the Coach Logic platform to facilitate collaborative evaluation of team processes, training and match performance amongst athletes and coaching staff.
  • Investigating non-linear coaching approaches in grass-roots and elite level sport.
  • An evaluation of good practice in coaching delivery between Governing Bodies of Sport and County Sport Partnerships (funded by Sports Coach UK).
  • The development of position-specific performance profiles in elite level women's indoor field hockey.

Professional Bodies

  • Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
  • Cluster for Research into Coaching (CRiC)
  • International Council for Coach Education (ICCE)
  • Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) Special Interest Group
  • UK Coaching
  • England Hockey
  • Christians in Sport

Publications

Journal Articles and Commissioned Reports:

Vinson, D., Bradshaw, A., Cale, A. (2024) Value Creation in a Coach Developer Social Learning Space: Stories of openness and making a difference, International Sport Coaching Journal. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2023-0019

Burgess, B., Molnár, G., Vinson, D., & Richardson, E. V. (2024): The realities of utilising participatory research and creative methods to explore the experiences of non-heterosexual coaches, Sports Coaching Review.

Richardson, S. J., McRobert, A. P., Vinson, D., Cronin, C. J., Lee, C. and Roberts, S. J. (2023) Systematic Review of Sport Coaches’ and Teachers’ Perceptions and Application of Game-Based and Constraints-Led Pedagogy: A Qualitative Meta-Study. Quest, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/00336297.2023.2257343

Vinson, D., Navin, A., Lamont, A., Turnnidge, J., and Côté, J. (2023) Understanding the leadership and environmental mechanisms in a Super League netball club. The Sport Psychologist, 37(2), 106-118. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2022-0104

Vinson, D., Simpson, H.-J., and Cale, A. (2023) ‘I felt I’d lost myself – not really knowing who I was’: Coach Developer learning as negotiating identity through engagement, imagination and alignment. Sport, Education & Society, 28(5), 536-552. https://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2022.2038126 

Vinson, D., Huckle, V. and Cale, A. (2021) 'I’ve had a magical journey': Understanding how international sports coaches learn through cross-sport boundary encounters. Sports Coaching Review, 10(2), 177-202.

Vinson, D. and Parker, A. (2021) Christian Sports Coaches and Servant Leadership. International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching, 16(2), 304-316.

Vinson, D. and Cale, A. (2021) Coach Leader: A review - December 2018 - April 2021, London, UK Sport.

Navin, A., Vinson, D., Croad, A., Turnnidge, J. and Côté, J. (2020) The Birth of the Stars: Transformational Leadership in a Superleague Netball Club. The Sport Psychologist, 34(3), 220-231.

Navin, A. and Vinson, D. (2020) Seeking consensus regarding the characteristics of expertise and development requirements across five domains of netball coaching in the United Kingdom. International Journal of Applied Sports Sciences, 32(1), 69-90.

Vinson, D. and Parker, A. (2019) Vygotsky and sports coaching: Non-linear practice in youth and adult settings. Curriculum Studies in Health and Physical Education, 12(1), 91-106.

Croad, A. and Vinson, D. (2018) Investigating games-centred pedagogies to enhance athlete decision making in elite coaching contexts. International Journal of Coaching Science, 12(1), 35-68.

Vinson, D., Gerrett, N. and James, D.V.B. (2018) Influences of playing position and quality of opposition on standardized relative distance covered in domestic women's field hockey: Implications for coaches. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 32(6), 1770-1777.

Vinson, D., Beeching, K., Morgan, M. and Jones, G. (2017) Collaborative evaluation of individual and team performance in training and match environments using the Coach Logic online platform. International Sport Coaching Journal, 4(1), 47-62.

Vinson, D., Beeching, K., Morgan, M. and Jones, G. (2016) Coach Logic and Athlete Learning. Edinburgh, Coach Logic.

Vinson, D., Cale, A., Christian, P., Huckle, V., Faulkner, C. and Jones, G. (2016) An evaluation of the Aspire III talent and performance coach development programme, Leeds: National Coaching Foundation.

Vinson, D., Christian, P., Jones, V., Williams, C. and Peters, D.M. (2016) Exploring how well UK coach education meets the needs of women sports coaches. International Sport Coaching Journal, 3(3), pp. 287-302.

Baker, C., Vinson, D. and Parker, A. (2016) Evaluating good practice in coaching delivery between governing bodies of sport and county sports partnerships in the United Kingdom. Leisure/Loisor, 40(1), pp. 1-31.

Vinson, D., Brady, A., Moreland, B. and Judge, N. (2016) Exploring coach behaviours, session contexts and key stakeholder perceptions of non-linear coaching approaches in youth sport. International Journal of Sport Science and Coaching, 11(1), pp. 54-68.

Vinson, D. and Peters, D. (2016) The development of position-specific indicators in elite level women’s indoor field hockey. Journal of Sports Sciences, 34(4), pp. 311-320.

Vinson, D., Christian, P., Jones, V., Matthews, J., Williams, C. and Peters, D. (2014) Investigating the culture of coach education in the UK: The supporting and promoting inclusive coach education (SPICE) project, Leeds: National Coaching Foundation.

Vinson, D. (2014) Sports and Christianity: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives: A Book Review. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 49(2), 251-255.

Vinson, D., Parker, A., Baker, C., Croad, A. and Padley, S. (2013) Evaluating Good Practice in Coaching Delivery between Governing Bodies of Sport and County Sports Partnerships UK, Leeds: National Coaching Foundation.

Vinson, D., Padley, S., Brady, A., Jeffreys, M., Croad. A. and James, D.V.B. (2013) ‘Penalty corner routines in elite women’s indoor field hockey: prediction of outcomes based on tactical decisions’, Journal of Sports Sciences, 31(8), pp. 887-893.

Vinson, D., Adams, I., Ibbetson, A.B. and Baugh, P. (2012) 'Investigating the conceptual gap between patient expectation and perception of GP and Exercise Professional interactions in Physical Activity Referral Schemes', Innovations in Practice.

Vinson, D. and Parker, A. (2012) ‘Exercise, service and support: Client experiences of Physical Activity Referral Schemes (PARS)’, Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise, 4(1), pp. 15-31.

Fairclough, S.J., Hilland, T.A., Vinson, D. and Stratton, G. (2012) 'The Physical Education and School Sport Environment Inventory. Preliminary validity and reliability.', Environment and Behavior, 44(1), pp. 50-67.

Vinson, D. and Hawcroft, S. (2011) ‘It’s thought that counts’, Coaching Edge, 22, Winter 2011, pp. 26-27.

Padley, S., Hardman, J. and Vinson, D. (2010) 'Enhancing student learning and experience through creative practice utilising mobile technologies', Innovations in Practice, 3(1), pp. 58-65.

Vinson, D., Nixon, S., Walsh, B., Walker, C., Zaitseva, E. and Mitchell, E. (2010) Investigating the relationship between students’ transition into university and the engagement with peers, staff and the discipline, Active Learning in Higher Education, 11(2), pp. 131-143.

Hilland T.A., Stratton G., Vinson, D. and Fairclough S. (2009) The Physical Education Predisposition Scale: Preliminary development and validation, Journal of Sports Sciences, 27(14), pp. 1555-1563.

*** Please note I married in July 2009 and changed my name ***

Cock, D., Nixon, S., Walker, C., Mitchell, E., Walsh, B. and Zaitseva, E. (2008) Understanding student engagement: evaluation of an intensive five-week transition programme, Innovations in Practice, 1(1), pp. 36-43.

Cock, D., Adams, I.C., Ibbetson, A.B., and Baugh, P. (2006) REFERQUAL: A pilot study of a new service quality assessment instrument in the GP exercise referral scheme setting, BMC Health Services Research, 6(61).

Harrison, R. and Cock, D. (2004) Increasing response to a postal survey of sedentary patients - A randomised controlled trial, BMC Health Services Research, 4(31).

Book:

Parker, A., and Vinson, D. (2013) Youth Sport, Physical Activity and Play: Policy, Intervention and Participation, London: Routledge.

Book Chapters:

Parker, A. and Vinson, D. (2023) Religion and leadership. In S. T. Allison (Ed.), SAGE Encyclopedia of Leadership Studies (pp. 794-797). Sage.

Vinson, D. and Bell, J. (2020) Athlete-centred coaching: An applied example from junior international field hockey.  In Cope, E. and Partington, M. (eds.) Sports Coaching: A theoretical and practical guide, Abingdon, Routledge, 40-52.

Vinson, D. and Parker, A. (2020) Servant Leadership and Sports Coaching. In Hoven, M., Parker, A. and Watson, N. (eds.) Christian Practices in Sport: An introduction, T and T Clark, London, 121-131.

Vinson, D., Cale, A., Christian, P., Huckle, V., Faulkner, C. and Jones, G. (2019) Investigating the value created through a selective talent and performance coach development programme. In Corsby, C. and Edwards, C.(eds.) (in press) Context and Contingency: Exploring research in sports coaching pedagogy, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Cambridge, 73-84.

Parker, A. and Vinson, D. (2013) Introduction: Youth sport physical activity and play. In Parker, A. and Vinson, D. (eds.) (2013) Youth Sport, Physical Activity and Play: Policy, intervention and participation, Abingdon: Routledge, 1-9.

Vinson, D. and Lloyd, M. (2013) Moving forward from the Physical Education, School Sport and Young People Strategy. In Parker, A. and Vinson, D. (eds.) (2013) Youth Sport, Physical Activity and Play: Policy, intervention and participation, Abingdon: Routledge, 126-137.

Padley, S. and Vinson, D. (2013) Sports coaching and young people in the twenty-first century. In Parker, A. and Vinson, D. (eds.) (2013) Youth Sport, Physical Activity and Play: Policy, intervention and participation, Abingdon: Routledge, 138-151.

Vinson, D. and Parker, A. (2013) Afterword: Reconsidering youth sport physical activity and play. In Parker, A. and Vinson, D. (eds.) (2013) Youth Sport, Physical Activity and Play: Policy, intervention and participation, Abingdon: Routledge, 179-186.

Vinson, D., Padley, S. and Jeffreys, M. (2012) Looking beyond 2012 - ethical conflicts for coaching: a review of key UK sport-based policy. In Day, D. (ed.) Sports and Coaching: Pasts and futures, Manchester: Manchester Metropolitan University Institute for Performance Research, 13-34.

Cock, D., Adams, I.C., Ibbetson, A.B. and Baugh, P. (2008) The impact of the physical leisure environment on client adherence. In Gilchrist, P. and Wheaton, B. (eds.) Whatever happened to the Leisure Society? Theory, debate and policy, Eastbourne: Leisure Studies Association, 47-72.

Conference Presentations:

Cale, A. and Vinson, D. (2020) Sports coaching and professional learning. 3rd Belt and Road Forum for Physical Education and Sports, Beijing Sports University, Online, 21st November.

Vinson, D., Huckle, V. and Cale, A. (2020) Value creation across the coach developer landscape. UK Coaching 3rd Applied Sports Coaching Research Conference, Derby, UK, 26th February.

Vinson, D., Huckle, V. and Cale, A. (2019) Sports coaching, professional learning and boundary crossing, International Council for Coaching Excellence 12th Global Coaches’ Conference, Tokyo, Japan, 30th October - 1st November.

Vinson, D., Huckle, V. and Cale, A. (2019) Sports coaching, professional learning and boundary crossing, Cluster for Research into Coaching (CRiC) 5th International Sports Coaching Conference, University of Worcester, Worcester, 4th-5th September.

Vinson, D. and Cale, A. (2018) Sharing successful experiences: The power of storytelling – ‘more successful, more often’, National Coach Mentor Development Days, The Football Association, St George’s Park, Burton-upon-Trent, 10th March.

Navin, A., Vinson, D., Croad, A., Turnnidge, J. and Côté, J. (2018) #stargazing – Transformational Leadership in Superleague netball – dream or reality? UK Coaching – Applied Coaching Research Conference, Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester, 27th February.

Spacey, M., Vinson, D. and Cale, A. (2017) Coaching Journeys, Grassroots Coaching Conference, The Football Association, St George’s Park, Burton-upon-Trent, 3rd December.

Vinson, D., Cale, A., Christian, P., Huckle, V., Faulkner, C. and Jones, G. (2017) Investigating the value created through a selective talent and performance coach development programme, Cluster for Research into Coaching, 4th International Coach Conference, Cardiff Metropolitan University, Cardiff, 6th-7th September.

Vinson, D., Cale, A., Christian, P., Huckle, V., Faulkner, C. and Jones, G. (2017) Investigating the value created through a selective talent and performance coach development programme, International Council for Coaching Excellence 11th Global Coach Conference, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, 31st July - 2nd August.

Vinson, D. (2017) Going beyond yelling and telling, Conference of Coaching, Independent Coach Education, Bisham Abbey, Marlow, 21st June.

Vinson, D., Watson, N. and Parker, A. (2016) Servant Leadership and sports coaching, Inaugural Global Congress for Sport and Christianity, York St John University, 24th-28th August.

Vinson, D. (2016) A five-year action research project investigating coach and athlete perceptions of a games-based coaching approach in high-performance domestic women's field hockey, 6th International Teaching Games for Understanding Conference, Sport University of Cologne, Germany, 25th-27th July.

Vinson, D., Beeching, K., Morgan, M. and Jones, G. (2015) Investigating the use of the Coach Logic platform to facilitate collaborative evaluation of individual and team performance in training and match environments amongst athletes and coaching staff, 3rd International Coaching Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe, 9th-10th September.

Vinson, D., Christian, P., Jones, V., Matthews, J., Williams, C. and Peters, D. (2015) Investigating the culture of coach education in the UK: The Supporting and Promoting Inclusive Coach Education (SPICE) project, 3rd International Coaching Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe, 9th-10th September.

Muir, A., Vinson, D., Beeching, K., Morgan, M. and Jones, G. (2015) Investigating the use of the Coach Logic platform to facilitate collaborative evaluation of individual and team performance in training and match environments amongst athletes and coaching staff, 10th International Conference of the International Council for Coaching Excellence, Vierumäki, Finland, 23rd-25th August.

Vinson, D., Brady, A., Jeffreys, M., Croad, A., Padley, S., Moreland, B. and Judge, N. (2013) Professional Pedagogies? Exploring Coach Behaviours, Session Contexts and Player Perceptions of Non-linear Coaching Approaches in Youth Sport. Centre for Research into Coaching 2nd International Coaching Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe, June.

Padley, S. and Vinson, D. (2013). An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Christian Coaches Involvement in Competitive Sport. Centre for Research into Coaching 2nd International Coaching Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe, June.

Vinson, D., Brady, A., Padley, S., Croad, A. and Jeffreys, M. (2012). Professional Pedagogies? Exploring Coach Behaviours, Session Contexts and Player Perceptions of Innovative Coaching Approaches. International Convention on Science, Education and Medicine in Sport (ICSEMIS), Glasgow, July.

Vinson, D., Brady, A., Padley, S., Croad, A. and Jeffreys, M. (2012). Towards professional pedagogies? Investigating the coach behaviours, session contexts and player perceptions of game-based approaches, The 5th International Teaching Games for Understanding Conference, Loughborough University, July.

Memory, J. and Vinson, D. (2011) Belief on the Bounce? Exceptional cases of religious resurgence among the youth of Europe, The Value(s) of Europe Conference, Tillburg University, 24th-25th November.

Walsh, B., Nixon, S. and Vinson, D. (2011) Investigating the relationship between student engagement and transition into Higher Education, International Conference on the First Year Experience, 21st-24th June.

Jeffreys, M., Vinson, D., Padley, S., Brady, A. and Croad, A. (2011) Looking Beyond 2012 Ethical Conflicts for Coaching: A Review of UK Sport-Based Policy, Institute for Performance Research Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe, 25th-26th June.

Padley, S., Brady, A., Croad, A., Jeffreys, M. and Vinson, D. (2011) Embedding Communities of Practice in Cross-Cohort Collaborative Coaching Activities An Action Research Project', Institute for Performance Research Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe, 25th-26th June.

Vinson, D., Croad, A., Padley, S., Brady, A. and Jeffreys, M. (2011) Investigating Sports Coaching Pedagogies in Games Contexts', Institute for Performance Research Conference, Manchester Metropolitan University, Crewe, 25th-26th June.

Padley, S., Jeffreys, M. and Vinson, D. (2010) Sports coaching policy and young people, Fit for London, 2012? An assessment of UK sport policy in comparative context, University of Birmingham, 19th July.

Vinson, D., Padley, S. and Hardman, J. (2010) Enhancing student learning and experience through creative practice utilizing mobile technologies, Higher Education Academy Conference, 22nd-23rd June.

Walsh, B. and Cock, D. (2009) Challenging the status quo: student engagement and transition in higher education, Higher Education Academy Conference, Manchester, 30th June - 2nd July.

Cock, D. and Nixon, S. (2008) Re-thinking the concept of Induction the student perception, European First Year Experience Conference, 7th-9th May.

Cock, D., Adams, I., Ibbetson, A.B. and Baugh, P. (2007) The impact of the physical leisure environment on client adherence, Leisure Studies Association, 3rd-5th July.

External Responsibilities

  • Cluster for Research into Coaching – Secretary
  • Teaching Games for Understanding Special Interest Group International Advisory Board – UK Representative
  • International Council for Coaching Excellence Research Committee – English Representative