Applied Coaching Research Journal Research Journal Volume 2 | Page 42

APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2018, Vol. 1
Q&A with
Dr Laura Gale
from the Cluster for Research into
Coaching (CRiC) at Manchester
Metropolitan University
Conducted by Dr Lisa Whitaker
UK Coaching
42
COULD YOU
TELL ME A
BIT ABOUT
YOURSELF? I am a Lecturer in Sports Coaching in
the Department of Sport and Exercise
Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan
University (MMU). My research addresses
the everyday working realities of
community sport coaches, with particular
attention given to the personal,
emotional and socio-political features of
practice. I work with local authorities and
private community coaching providers
in the east and west of England. Prior
to becoming involved in research, I
completed an undergraduate degree in sports coaching and performance,
followed by a PhD in understanding
community coaches’ experiences of
everyday coaching practice at the
University of Hull. My most recent
work includes: (1) surviving austerity in
community sport; (2) exploring trust and
distrust in community sports coaching;
(3) mentoring in community sports
coaching and (4) the interplay between
emotion, identity and workplace
relations in community sports coaching.
SO, WHAT
IS THE
CLUSTER FOR
RESEARCH
INTO
COACHING
(CRIC)? The CRiC draws on the expertise of
MMU academics working in coaching
pedagogy, coach education, the sociology
of coaching, and performance analysis
coaching to stimulate and support a
sports coaching community. The cluster
aims to generate critical approaches
to coaching to establish a repository
for the outcomes of coaching research,
and to provide opportunities and
encouragement to early career and postgraduate researchers. A significant
focus of the CRiC’s work is to support
and advise coaching practitioners and
coaching associations in all sports and
related activities. In addition, CRiC
organises a biannual coaching conference
in conjunction with Cardiff Metropolitan
University and the University of
Worcester.