Cluster for Research into Coaching 2026 Conference

For CRiC 2026, we are excited to be presenting 4 separate workshops spread across Monday 8th afternoon and Tuesday 9th morning (ahead of the main conference, which begins Tuesday after lunch). The following workshops will be presented:

Monday 8th 1330-1630

1330 Registration

1400 – 1630 Choose either ‘Drawing Attention’ OR AI and ‘Coach Development’

• Drawing Attention: Using creative methods to think differently about the world of sports coaching. Dr Alex Lascu

Sports coaching research has seen a recent shift towards new/different ways of knowing and being to capture the relational task, with growing calls for a more critical lens on the phenomena of coaching and/with the ways we research it. In an attempt to answer this call, diverse methodologies that move beyond reductionist and restrictive classifications of what constitutes ‘data’ are (re)emerging, including the use of creative and artistic methods of capturing, presenting, and (co)creating artefacts of research. As written word (in the policed and pre-determined form of journal articles) is often privileged in science communication, this workshop aims to expose participants to alternative ways of storytelling and play with tools that may help them think/do/be differently. In this workshop, participants will be (re)acquainted with creative methods such as drawing, photography and poetry through guided prompts centred on sports coaching and coach development before wandering through the Stirling University campus to practice noticing the intricacy of a mundane scene. Participants will be asked to draw and/or photograph their adventure, with particular attention to interesting details and non/human interactions along their journey. Upon their return, the workshop will continue to explore creative expression through written word, guiding participants through poetry and prose to detail their adventure. Such guided exposure through creative methods is a rare opportunity in the sport and coaching sciences, so this workshop will be facilitated by ‘experienced others’ – scholars who have also been exploring their own use of creative methods through sports coaching research. We hope that this creative inspiration carries on, so we can diversify who/what/how we tell the stories of sport coaching. 

Dr Alex Lascu (she/they) is a Sport Scientist in Learning Design, specialising in how talent and skill development practices can inspire a lifelong love of sport and physical activity, and foster elite performance. With a PhD in Sport Science, Alex consults directly with state and national sporting organisations, professional and amateur sporting teams, within Australia and overseas to help create more engaging learning environments and support holistic athlete and coach development. In particular, they specialise in generating knowledge together, fostering athlete and coach curiosity and building evidence-informed practice.

• Critical Café: AI and coach development. Dr Edward Hall

Responding to fast-paced advancements in and adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies and tools, the purpose of this interactive workshop is to critically debate AI’s constructive and ethical use in coach development. The facilitation team will help to guide participants through activities in small groups, bringing together diverse experiences and perspectives, promoting collaboration, unpacking our collective insights as a CRiC community, and mapping potential courses of action to take forward. Initial stimulus will come from a showcase of AI in coach observation and development by Coach Logic.
 
Driven by key questions relating to AI’s strengths and limitations, we aim to connect people through conversation who share an interest in (or curiosity about) AI and its responsible applications across coach development inclusive of research and teaching within and beyond Higher Education and sport organisations. Our intended outcome is not necessarily to arrive at a definitive consensus or position, but to raise critical attention towards AI in coach development, to reveal common concerns, existing problems and future possibilities, and to consider how we, the CRiC community, may seek to shape the development of ethical and impactful AI that maximises benefits and mitigates risks.
 
Time will be protected at end of this workshop to ensure people can break out into more informal discussions, simply digest what they have heard or review source material that we reference, or to connect with others in pursuit of desirable next steps and concerted action.
 
This workshop is open to those with some or no existing experience with AI – all are welcome.

Edward is an Assistant Professor of the Sociology of Sport as well as a consulting expert advisor, coach developer and mentor. His sociological research examines the relational, (micro)political and emotional complexities of sports work. As an ethnographer, and drawing extensively from situated interviewing approaches and participatory forms of fieldwork, his work critically examines the opportunities and challenges associated with professional practice to inform and beneficially impact workforce development to the benefit of those leading, working and participating in sport and exercise (across public, private, and voluntary sectors).

Tuesday 9th 0900-1130

Choose either ‘Coaching observation and Discussion’ OR ‘Design Thing in Sport Coaching’

• An opportunity to watch a University of Stirling coached session, followed by a discussion with the coaches around their challenges in coaching. Led by Dr, Edward T. Hall, Derek O’Riordan, and Dr, Andrew Mark Gillott.

This participatory session offers a window into University of Stirling’s acclaimed high-performance swim programme. Participants will observe a live performance coaching session. During this exciting, up-close experience, participants will be invited to work with observational concepts, supporting them to explore diverse factors that shape and influence coaching at a sessional and programmatic level, and to consider the implications for future research and coach development.

Participants should note that suitable, indoor-only footwear must be worn for this session. Air temperature in the venue may be 27-29 degrees centigrade and participants should dress appropriately and carry a water bottle.

Edward is an Assistant Professor of the Sociology of Sport as well as a consulting expert advisor, coach developer and mentor. His sociological research examines the relational, (micro)political and emotional complexities of sports work. As an ethnographer, and drawing extensively from situated interviewing approaches and participatory forms of fieldwork, his work critically examines the opportunities and challenges associated with professional practice to inform and beneficially impact workforce development to the benefit of those leading, working and participating in sport and exercise (across public, private, and voluntary sectors).

• Design Thinking in Sport Coaching: A Human-Centred Approach for Innovative Practice. Sydney Graper, Diane Culver, Siobhan Rourke and Rabia Ozturk-Kizilkaya

Background: Sport coaches operate in increasingly dynamic environments and navigate competing priorities of performance, wellbeing, and development, often within multiple constraints. Design Thinking (DT), a human-centred, solution-focused paradigm, offers an action-oriented approach to help coaches navigate this complexity by understanding end-users’ needs and inviting them to shape systems that directly impact them (Laursen & Tollestrup, 2017). Originally developed in design and engineering, DT is now widely applied across sectors such as business, healthcare, and education (Michi et al., 2021). Although interest in DT within sport coaching is growing, particularly for coach learning and development (Askew et al., 2024; Ozturk Kizilkaya et al., 2025), there is limited practical guidance on how coaches can apply DT to address relational, ethical, and performance challenges in contemporary coaching practice.

Aims: This workshop aims to (a) introduce the principles and processes of DT and their relevance to coaching practice and coach identity; (b) engage participants in a hands-on, team-based learning experience applying DT to a contemporary coaching challenge; (c) develop mindsets, skills, and behaviours that support creativity, collaboration, and iterative problem-solving. 

Methods: Participants will engage in an interactive workshop designed for coaches, coach developers, and scholars. The session will begin with an introduction to DT’s key principles, processes, and examples. Attendees then work through a shared coaching dilemma using Stanford’s 5-step DT model: Empathize, Ideate, Prototype, and Test (Brown, 2008). Activities include empathy mapping, problem framing, and low-fidelity prototyping, with ongoing attention to ethical implications. The workshop concludes with a guided debrief linking key DT competencies to everyday coaching practice and coach development.

Learning outcomes: Participants will learn innovative, practical approaches to enhance their problem-solving abilities. They will begin building competence and confidence in using DT to address coaching dilemmas while surfacing the often overlooked voices of their sport members (e.g., athletes, coaches).

Sydney Graper (she/her) is a PhD candidate in Human Kinetics at the University of Ottawa, Canada, under the supervision of Dr. Diane Culver. Her doctoral research examines how design thinking and sport psychology can enact innovation and meaningful change across sport systems. Her research topic is informed by her prior experience as a university-level basketball player and as a competitive girls’ basketball coach. Sydney has led design thinking workshops with diverse sport members, including coaches, across recreational, varsity, and high-performance contexts to address complex challenges related to mental health, mental performance, gender equity, disability inclusion, and coach education.

1130-1300 Registration

1300 Conference opening

1320 Introductory Keynote: Fae the Raploch to Elland Road: The Making of Billy Bremner

1430 Tea & coffee

1500 Parallel sessions 1 (PS1) *

1700 CRiC General Assembly meeting

1830 Social programme: Walk to Wallace Monument

* Parallel Sessions

0930 Parallel sessions #2 (PS2)

1100 Tea and coffee

1130 Beyond Boundaries keynote Prof. Kitrina Douglas

1245 Lunch

1330 Quickfire presentations (3 mins presentation, 3mins Q&A, move on)

This session will feature a series of quickfire three-minute presentations, each accompanied by a single slide or image. Running simultaneously, presentations will take place in an open-plan communal space with all conference delegates present. Each presentation is followed by up to three minutes of questions, creating a rapid share, move, and chat format designed to be both fun and inspiring. With around 40 presentations in total, this is an exciting and dynamic way to build and support critical sport coaching communities.

1500 Tea and coffee

1530 Parallel sessions #3 (PS3) including sportscotland coaching discussions

1730 Social programme: sculpture trail

1830 Social programme: Team Scotland Archive – Commonwealth Games Exhibition

1915 Procession to Gala Dinner

1930 Gala Dinner

0945 Parallel sessions #4 (PS4)

1115 Tea and coffee

1145 Bill Taylor Memorial keynote

1300 Lunch

1345 Parallel sessions #5 (PS5) including sportscotland coaching discussions

1515 Tea and coffee

1545 Professionalisation of the Coach Developer Workforce (UK Sport sponsored)

1730 Social programme: optional whisky tasting 

0900 Rising Star keynote

1015 Tea and coffee

1045 Parallel Sessions #6 (PS6)

1145 Conference prizes
Introducing: eCRiC

1215 Conference closing

1230 Lunch