Lecturer in Sports Research
Tom has been involved in sport since the final year of his undergraduate degree and assisted in research with Premier League clubs before taking on an MSc in Sport & Exercise Psychology and a full-time role as a research assistant. He joined UCFB as a Graduate Teaching Assistant in 2015, assisting in the teaching of research methods, and lecturing on sport psychology topics surrounding elite player development. Tom then commenced a Part-Time PhD at Liverpool John Moores University investigating antecedents of adverse mental health in retired professional athletes. He was then subsequently promoted to a lecturing role in Sports Research.
Tom has also worked with professional football clubs at a variety of levels from The National League to the Premier League, including Hull City during their promotion to the top flight from the Championship. This work has looked at improving performance through analysing psychology and behavioural patterns in order to inform the coaching process and improve on pitch performance.
- Mental health in professional sport;
- Transitions;
- Identity;
- Coping strategies;
- Performance analysis;
- Elite player development;
- Elite level decision making;
- Qualitative research method.
- Transitions;
- Identity;
- Coping strategies;
- Mental health;
- Injuries in professional sport;
- Qualitative research methods.
- FHEA (Fellow of the Higher Education Academy);
- Graduate member of BPS.
- BSc (Hons) (2012) Sport Psychology, University of Central Lancashire;
- MSc (2013) Sport & Exercise Psychology, University of Central Lancashire;
- Currently undertaking a PhD investigating antecedents leading to adverse mental health in retired professional athletes, Liverpool John Moores University.
- Buck, T.A., Horrocks, D., Tonge, A. (2016) The Coaching Process, Performance Analysis, Football Psychology and the £150M Prize of Premier League Football, BPS DSEP Annual Conference, Cardiff, 13th December 2016.
- Buck., T.A. and Morris., R. (2018) “"Do me a favour and ask if you need some help": Understanding Antecedents Leading to Adverse Mental Health in Professional Sport, BPS DSEP Annual Conference, Belfast, 4th December 2018.
- Performance analyst and behavioural performance consultant working with Hull City, reporting directly to Mike Phelan in the first team. Worked with Hull during their promotion from the Championship and during their subsequent season in the Premier League.
- Performance analyst and behavioural performance consultant working Macclesfield Town.
