Andy Gair M.Sc, B.Ed Hons, Dip Psych
Senior Lecturer
Summary
Originally a Carnegie PE graduate, with a 30-year career working within GB, National sports organisations and education across the country, I have been an active sports coach for 32-years in my main sport of Rugby Union. After a playing career, that began in Sheffield and ended in Newcastle my coaching career kicked off in the mid 1980's as the youngest ever qualified Full Coach Award holder in Rugby Union. With coaching experience including various age groups (2 - 40 year olds) across educational, community club (youth and adult), representative rugby programmes in England and Scotland and in professional performance environments I've worked with a variety of players, standards and groups.
As a senior 'Coach Educator, Assessor' and 'National Trainer' I've worked in coach education for almost three decades. Previously a National Lead for 1/4 of the UK Coaching Framework's 12-development projects my research interests remain centred the professionalisation of sport coaching, physical literacy, participant/talent development, coach education/development and rugby union coaching.
About
Originally a Carnegie PE graduate, I spent 30-years working within GB, National sports organisations and education across the country, as well as developing a 32-year parallel career in sport coaching. After my formative years, experiencing 34-sporting activities through my childhood and adolescent years, my attention focused on Rugby Union with a playing career that began at Abbeydale (Sheffield) and ended with Newcastle RFC. Although they overlapped, by almost 10-years, the end of my playing career enabled my focus on coaching to take centre stage. My coaching career has lasted 34-years and has included working with 2 - 40 year olds across 3-schools, 7-clubs and 3-county programmes, the Scottish RFU Exiles/Scottish Qualified programme as well as within professional performance environments and has included not only five league promotions, setting a world first record with Novocastrians WRFC but also influencing and shaping hundreds of lives.
As a senior 'Coach Educator & Assessor' (27-years) and 'National Trainer' (15-years) I've supported the development of over 10,000 rugby union coaches, including many current professional coaches across the UK and Europe. In addition I've run my own sport coaching business and have consulted on sports coaching policy at national and local levels.
Previously a key member of the UK Coaching Framework development team leading 1/4 of the 12 project strands I've maintained a research interest in the professionalisation of sport coaching as well as participant/talent development, physical literacy, coach education/development and rugby union coaching.
Away from the coaching field I've recently completed 'solo' national 3-peaks (24-hour) and 'Hadrian Wall' challenges in my spare time as well as exploring interest in the outdoors, genealogy and history in general.
Specialist areas of interest
The professionalization of Sports Coaching
Talent Identification and development
Athlete and participant development
Sport coaching
Development of sport coaches and sport coaching
Coaching Expertise
Workforce development
Community sport development
Teaching
Academy of Sport and Physical Activity
College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences
Academy of Sport and Physical Activity
Health And Wellbeing
Sport coaching delivery, Sport coach education, Workforce development, Sport coaching qualifications, Coaching children, Participant development. Regulation, licensing and professionalization of sport coaching.
BSc Sport Coaching. BSc Sport Development with Coaching. MSc Advanced Coaching Practice
Level 4: Sport Coaching Foundation, Developing Physical Literacy, Level 5: Coaching in Context, Developing Academic and Professional Practice 2, Level 6: Talent Development
Sport Coaching and Physical Education
Courses taught:
- Sport Coaching BSc Hons
Modules taught:
Level 4: The Sport Coaching Process, Developing Physical Literacy
Level 5: Applied Professional Development, Coaching Physical Literacy
Level 6: Talent Development
Other activities
Yorkshire Lead Coach for the Scottish Qualified Rugby Union Player development programme.