Dr Katie Dray

I first joined CCCU in 2003 as an undergraduate student and completed my BSc in Sport & Exercise Science with Psychology and then a PHD here exploring post event cognition in athletes. After a brief couple of years completing teaching and researching contracts at the University of Kent, Kingston University and Brunel University, I returned as a full time member of staff in 2014 to begin teaching the new coaching degree. In 2020 I took over as the course director for the degree.

I'm an active netball coach in my spare time, coaching school groups, county academies and have had experience coaching within a super league franchise. I enjoy sharing my coaching experiences with students to give them a realistic picture of the complexities of coaching in practice.

My teaching focus is on modules specifically focused for the coaching students, including modules that explore contemporary discussions in coaching practice (like doping; emotional labour; and gender discrimination) as well as modules that look at building our coaching tool box like learning how to demonstrate or communicate effectively with different audiences.

I have also taught a number of other modules in the Sport & Exercise Sciences such as research methods and sport psychology at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. I have also supervised postgraduate research in the areas of mentoring in sport coaching and the role of social support in injury. I have acted as an external examiner for a number of institutions and am a senior fellow of the higher education academy. 

My research interest lie largely in the coach as a performer in their own right, including issues such as how they learn effectively and the emotional impact of coaching activities. I have also worked on a range of research projects that encompass a broad spectrum of psychological features of involvement in sport from both a athlete and coach perspective. 

I am currently a BASES accredited Sport & Exercise Scientist (pedagogy) and Chartered Psychologist with the BPS. I am also a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and much of my external activities are related to the development of learning and teaching practices to support coaches and students within the sport sciences more broadly.

I have sat on a number of internal and external groups including the faculty equity and inclusion group and the BASES steering group for the education and training special interest group. In my role I lead the school's work on gender equality as we work towards our Athena Swan submission. I also work closely with a number of local projects aimed at getting more women and girls into coaching.