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Tania-CassidyDipPE, DipGrad, MPhEd (Otago) PhD (Deakin), DipTchg.
Tel +64 3 479 9070
Email tania.cassidy@otago.ac.nz

Background

Tania Cassidy is a Professor in the area of Sport Pedagogy, particularly sports coaching. Tania views sports coaching as a social and educational enterprise as well as one which is culturally bound. She is interested in coach and athlete development, as well as understanding the development of coaching practices which are ethical, inclusive of all ages, abilities and developmental levels. For the past six years Tania has been a Visiting Professor in the School of Education, College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences, University College Cork, Ireland.

Tania has presented at numerous international conferences and has published in scholarly and professional books and journals. She is the first author of two co-authored texts;

  • Understanding Sports Coaching: The Pedagogical, Social and Cultural Foundations of Sports Practice (2004, 2009, 2106; Routledge),
  • Understanding Strength and Conditioning as Sport Coaching: Bridging the Biophysical, Pedagogical and Sociocultural Foundations of Practice (in press, Routledge)

Tania provides international service by being on the editorial boards of several journals including International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching (UK) and International Sport Coaching Journal (USA). She serves her national and local communities by being a board member of the Otago Academy of Sport and Football South as well as being a member of Hockey New Zealand's Masters Advisory Group and New Zealand Football's Women's sub-committee. As a consequence of Tania's community activism she is the President of the Opoho Bowling Club. Tania is also an active hockey player and lawn bowler.

Teaching

Research

Tania's research interests are  informed by both interpretive and critical perspectives and include:

  • Pedagogy of sports coaching and coach education/development
  • Youth development and sports coaching
  • Politics and policies of coach development and education

Potential postgraduate students must be  interested in applying an interpretive and/or socially critical lens to above  aspects of sports coaching. Please consult the University  of Otago scholarships webpage to check eligibility for international  and domestic student scholarships.

Postgraduate Students

Current Students

  • Stuart Moffatt (PhD)
  • Emily Scott (PhD)
  • Gary Byrne (University College Cork, Ireland) (PhD)
  • Yoon Jin Kim (PhD)

Graduates

  • Anne-Marie Jackson (PhD) (with Dr Jim Williams; 2008–2011)
  • Laura Purdy (PhD) (with Professor Robyn Jones; 2001–2005)
  • Hussain Haleem (PhD) (committee member; 2001–2005)
  • Gaye McDowell (MPhEd) (with Associate Professor Anne-Marie Jackson 2012–2017)
  • Andrew Hewetson (MPhEd) (2011–2016)
  • Joan Merrilees (MPhEd) (2010–2014)
  • Murray Turner (MPhEd) (2004–2007)
  • Anne-Marie Jackson (MPhEd) (2004–2007)
  • Alex Calwell (MPhEd) (with Dr Paul Potrac; 2003–2004)
  • Neil Anderson (MPhEd) (with Dr Ralph Buck; 2002–2003)
  • Ryan Rosevear (BPhEd Honours ) (2017)
  • Kiera Pennell (BPhEd Honours) (2014)
  • Hamish Rogers (BPhEd Honours) (2011–2012)
  • Jeremy Newton (BPhEd Honours) (2011–2012)
  • Claire Brown (BPhEd Honours) (2010–2011)
  • Hannah Smeaton (BPhEd Honours) (2009–2010)
  • Jane Marshall (BPhEd Honours) (2008–2009)
  • Amie O'Brien (BPhEd Honours) (2006–2007)
  • Clare Goodwin (BPhEd Honours) (2006–2007)

Publications

Cassidy, T., & Byrne, G. (2024). It is leadership, but (maybe) not as you know it: Advocating for a diversity paradigm in sports leadership and beyond. Behavioral Sciences, 14, 860. doi: 10.3390/bs14100860 Journal - Research Article

Manu, D., Cassidy, T., & Hapeta, J. (2024). Tackling well-being in men's rugby: Investigating professional Pacific players' well-being. In Y. Kanemasu (Ed.), Towards a Pacific Island sociology of sport: Seeking new horizons. (pp. 225-240). Leeds, UK: Emerald. doi: 10.1108/S1476-285420240000022012 Chapter in Book - Research

Cassidy, T. (2024, April). Learning to become: Pedagogy and leadership. University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand. [Inaugural Professorial Lecture]. Other Research Output

Cassidy, T., Byrne, G., Mallett, C. J., & Bloom, G. A. (2024). Coach development curriculum. In S. B. Rynne & C. J. Mallett (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of coach development in sport. (pp. 208-221). New York, NY: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003160939-17 Chapter in Book - Research

Cassidy, T., & Hapeta, J. (2024). Coach development in a rugby union context (New Zealand). In S. B. Rynne & C. J. Mallett (Eds.), The Routledge handbook of coach development in sport. (pp. 252-270). New York, NY: Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003160939-20 Chapter in Book - Research

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