A little about me and my research interests
I’m a BASES accredited sport and exercise scientist physical activity researcher based in northwest England. My professional career began as a secondary school Physical Education teacher and since then I’ve maintained an interest in children’s health and wellbeing through physically active behaviours. As a consequence, my research interests focus on children’s and adolescents’ movement behaviours, fitness, health, and wellbeing. This work aligns to the Behavioural Epidemiology Framework (Sallis et al., 2000), and includes interventions to improve health outcomes and activity behaviours, research to understand the influences or correlates of movement behaviours, and studies into the measurement of these behaviours.
When I’m not working I’m invariably doing something physical activity or sport related. I try to practice what I preach which usually involves a combination of running, gym workouts, cycling (I’m a self-confessed fair-weather cyclist though!), and touch rugby. From 2009 to 2021 I also coached both of my sons’ junior rugby league teams, and every day share some physical activity with my four-legged friend, our English Pointer Rosie! She’s basically a pair of lungs on legs and can go forever, so she makes a great running partner! Being a Wigan boy I’m also a Wigan Warriors supporter which brings its fair share of ups and downs!
In December 2022 I was shocked to be diagnosed with head and neck cancer. I’ve since had successful surgery and radiotherapy treatment and I am blessed to now be cancer-free. One thing I truly believe is that my physical activity habits and healthy lifestyle over many years really helped my post-surgery recovery and dealing with the radiotherapy. Now I’m through this I certainly don’t take my health and wellbeing for granted. I am moving on with physical activity as a constant in my daily life.
Inaugural Professorial Lecture, 2015
A revolving door between physical education and exercise science: Reflections on 15 years of children’s school-based physical activity and health research
