Lecturer in Athletics / Head of Performance Cardiff Metropolitan Athletics Club
Telephone number: 029
2020 5591
Email address: mwood@cardiffmet.ac.uk
Matthew is a Lecturer in Athletics and Sports Coaching in the Cardiff School of Sport. He is also Head of Performance working with the Cardiff Metropolitan Athletics Club. Matthew joined the School in December 2015 following 8 years in full time coaching within the FE and HE sectors. He is a level three qualified athletics coach with experience of working with athletes from grassroots to major championships and has been responsible for the fledgling careers of athletes across all the athletic disciplines. Matthew will bring his teaching and coaching experience to the School working as Athletics Activity Leader plus contributing to sports coaching modules.
Matthew is also currently a National Coach Mentor for Speed with England Athletics. His history of delivering and contributing to the design of coach education and development interventions and mentoring brings industry relevant experience to both Level 4 and 5 programmes.
Matthew is currently working with Professor Keith Davids (Sheffield Hallam University) on a research project investigating the experiential knowledge of expert coaches within athletics and the application of a nonlinear pedagogy to enhance the retention of young athlete's through the age group transitions in hurdles events.
Research / Publications
My research interests focus in the areas of experiential knowledge of coaches and the ecological approach to skill acquisition. I am particularly interested in how coaches manipulate task and environmental constraints to create learning environments for athletes to experience. I am keen to contribute to the growing knowledge and evidence base that an individual approach toward coaching is the most suitable long term strategy for coaching and producing successful athlete outcomes. I am currently in the early stages of my PhD working with Professor Keith Davids of Sheffield Hallam University. The aim is to investigate the experiential knowledge of expert hurdles coaches and apply these findings to the theoretical framework of ecological dynamics to create an opportunity to enhance coaching practice and athlete outcomes.
I have a personal interest in youth athlete development and the application of physical literacy and fundamental movement competency in coaching to establish athleticism and key movement skills. An area I am keen to understand further is the idea of self-regulated behaviour in athletes and ways a coach can develop these traits in young athletes therefore contributing to their adult success.
Teaching and Supervision
I currently deliver on modules in Athletics and am responsible for activity leadership in athletics. I also contribute to sports coaching modules and will supervise undergraduate research projects in areas of skill acquisition and coaching.
Current Modules
SSP4001 Introduction to applied Principles and Techniques in Professional Practice – Athletics
SSP5022 Applied Principles and Techniques in Professional practice – Athletics
SSP6068 Analysis and Application - Athletics
Qualifications and Awards
BSc Sports Science & Management
MA Youth & Community Work (Sport)
UKSCA Accredited Strength & Conditioning Coach
Level 3 UK Athletics Coach
Coaching Profile
Level 3 Speed and Hurdles coach as well as experienced Multi Events and Accredited Strength & Conditioning Coach.
Performance Hurdles and Speed Coach @ Cardiff Met Athletics Club
Hurdles Coach @ Cardiff Archers Athletics Club (U17/15)
Coaching History
National Coach Mentor for Speed with England Athletics (2012 – present)
Gateshead College Academy for Sport – Athletics Head Coach (2007-2015)
Northumbria University BUCS Athletics Programme Lead (2013-2015)
Personal Coach to numerous Durham University, Newcastle University and Sunderland University BUCS Athletes (2009-2015)
Speed Coach to Newcastle Falcons and Durham County Cricket (2012-2015)
Personal Coach Beijing Paralympic Games (2008)
