Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences>Staff>Dr Neil Hennessy

Dr Neil Hennessy

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Lecturer, Campus Fellow (Cyncoed H​alls)

E-mail: nhennessy@cardiffmet.ac.uk

Neil is a Lecturer with the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol in the Cardiff School of Sport. He joined the School in 2006, having completed the MSc in Coaching Science. Neil became a full-time staff member in 2013 after gaining his doctorate. He contributes to the provision of UKCC coaching and WRU officiating courses. As Campus Fellow, Neil provides informal pastoral support to Freshers in Halls. Neil is the moderator for the HND Sport Coaching programme at Cardiff and Vale College. He is also the School of Sport Disability Coordinator.

As an elite referee, Neil works closely with the WRU's senior and age grade national squads, providing technical support and analysis. His research into holistic Rugby development has been incorporated into the WRU's coach education programme. ​​

Research / Publications

Main research interests include the holistic development of professional sport (playing, coaching, officiating and spectating), the development of referee education programmes and the performance review and selection processes of elite match officials.

Research / Publications

Hennessy, N.J. (2008). Team Competencies: Novel Training and Assessment Methods for Intermediate Schoolboy Rugby Players. VDM Publishing, Germany.

Peer-reviewed Conference Communications and Proceedings

Hennessy, N.J. & Jones, C.R. (2016). Cyfiawnder, Tegwch a Chyfrifoldeb: Dyfarnu'r Sgrym [Presentation]. Proceedings of the Sport Conference of the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol. Prifysgol Metropolitan Caerdydd, Cymru. 

Jones, C.R & Hennessy, N.J. (2016). Justice, Fairness and Responsibility: Officiating in Sport [Presentation]. Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport. The International Olympic Academy, Olympia, Greece. 

Jones, C.R & Hennessy, N.J. (2016). Justice, Fairness and Responsibility: Officiating the Scrum in Rugby Union. [Presentation]. Proceedings of the 13th Annual Conference of the British Philosophy of Sport Association. University of Brighton, Eastbourne, England. 

Hennessy, N.J. (2015). Phronesis fel dynodwr perfformiad allweddol o allu dyfarnu Rygbi [Poster]. Proceedings of the 8th Annual Conference of the Centre for Welsh Medium Higher Education. University of Wales National Conference Centre, Gregynog, UK.

Hennessy, N.J. (2009). Gwerthusiad Cymdeithasol-ddiwylliannol ac Athronyddol o Ddyfarnu Elitaidd [Presentation]. Proceedings of the 2nd Annual Conference of the Centre for Welsh Medium Higher Education. University of Wales National Conference Centre, Gregynog, Wales.

Hennessy, N.J. (2009). A Socio-cultural and Philosophical Evaluation of Elite Match Officiating: Conceptualization [Presentation]. Proceedings of the 6th Annual Conference of the British Philosophy of Sport Association. University of Abertay, Dundee, Scotland.

Hennessy, N. J., James, N. & Mellalieu, S. D. (2003). Team Competencies: Novel Training and Assessment Methods for Intermediate Schoolboy Rugby Players [Abstract]. Proceedings of the 2nd International Congress on Psychology Applied to Sport. Madrid, Spain.

Teaching and Supervision

I am the Module Leader for SSP4001 Applied Principles and Techniques in Professional Practice and SSP4917 Cyflwyniad i Hyfforddi Chwaraeon ac Addysg Gorfforol. Contributing to SSP4000 Introduction to the Research Process, SSP5000 Research Process, SSP5919 Hyfforddi Chwaraeon ac Addysg Gorfforol, SSP5032 Applied Principles and Techniques (Rugby) and SSP6010 Problem-based Learning for Coaching. Tutorship: Level 4, 5 & 6 Personal Tutor (Welsh medium students) and Level 4 Year Tutor. Supervision: Dissertation Tutor (SSP6950).

Qualifications and Awards

PhD Sport Officiating, Cardiff Metropolitan University
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
PgC Teaching in Higher Education, University of Wales Institute Cardiff
MSc Coaching Science, University of Wales Institute Cardiff
MPhil Sport Psychology, Swansea University
PgC in Education (Upper Primary & ICT), Homerton College, Cambridge University
BA (Hons) Cymraeg [Welsh], Swansea University
WRU Elite Match Official and WRU/RFU Level 3 Senior Coach
WRU/UKCC Coach and Referee Educator

External Links

As part of my Research and Enterprise activities, I am currently creating links with various NGBs in relation to providing officiating courses for CSS students and undertaking associated research projects. The four initial target sports are Rugby football (WRU), association football (FAW), hockey (WHA) and netball (WNA). The long-term aim is to establish a Centre for Sport Officiating within the School. I am a Member of the British Philosophy of Sport Association (BPSA) and the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport.

Sporting / Coaching Profile

Playing
Swansea University RFC (2 x BUCS Champions) 
Cambridge University RUFC (Blue, 1999) 
Wales U21; Wales’ Students (Captain); Welsh Universities (Captain); Welsh Exiles
Welsh Academicals, Crawshay’s Welsh RFC; Penguins International XV 
Swansea RFC, Aberavon RFC, Pontypridd RFC and Doncaster RUFC

Coaching & Management
Cardiff Met RFC
Cardiff Blues U18 
Cardiff Schools’ Rugby Union
Welsh Schools’ Rugby Union
Wales U16 & U16 ‘A’
WRU Women U19

Officiating
World Rugby Assistant Referee
World Rugby ‘A’, Tier 2 and Age Grade International Referee
EPCR Champions and Challenge Cups
Guinness PRO12, WRU Premiership and National Leagues