Dave Houlston

Dave HoulstonName: Dr Dave Houlston

Job Title: Director of Sport

Location: Lancaster

Email: david.houlston@cumbria.ac.uk

Phone: 01524 526536

Professional Profile

Dr. Dave Houlston is the Director of Sport in the University of Cumbria, a role he took over in 2010, having previously been an Associate Dean and Head of the School of Sport.

After failing to make the professional footballer and cricketer ranks, Dave completed his teacher training at the Carnegie School of Physical Education in Leeds, before gaining a student assistantship to undertake postgraduate studies at Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he gained his first experience of university teaching and coaching. On return to the UK after a four year absence, semi-professional football and cricket was combined with an academic career that encompassed posts at the University of Liverpool, Bradford and Ilkley College, University of Sunderland, and Northumbria University.

Having gained the Football Association/UEFA Advanced Coaching Licence many years ago, Dave coached the British Polytechnics football team for several years before accepting a role as the Centre of Excellence Director for Leeds United FC. This coincided with a spell outside of university life as Dave became the Head of Education and Training at the National Coaching Foundation (now Sportscoach UK).

Alongside the coaching and coach education experiences, Dave gained his PhD in Psychology from Northumbria University, is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS), and represents the Division of Sport and Exercise Psychology on two BPS Committees. In addition, he has undertaken audit and review work for the Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency, and been involved as an External Examiner and Advisor at several universities in the UK.

Having focused his post-graduate research in the realms of social psychology, he is currently involved in the investigation of career transitions in professional sport, and has a long-standing interest in decision-making processes in sport. Directing the development of Sport as it grows within the University of Cumbria takes up a large part of Dave’s time, though he continues to contribute to the teaching of skill acquisition and sport psychology modules, and supports the development of student dissertations wherever he can. The combination of his academic career experiences and sport coaching expertise has enabled Dave to provide sport psychology consultancy work to several professional sportspeople, agencies, and football clubs, and he is currently a Psychology Consultant to the Football Association, and has made significant contributions to the FA’s Level 2 and Level 3 Coaching Handbooks, and the England and Wales Cricket Board Level 2 Coaching Handbook. 

Having ‘hung up his boots’ a few years ago, apart from weekly 5-a-side, Dave is trying to reduce his golf handicap, whilst continuing to coach non-league football and conduct FA Coaching Awards. He also suffers a family affliction of supporting Wolverhampton Wanderers. Someone has to.

Specialisms (Teaching/ Research)

Sport and Exercise Psychology; Sport Coaching and Coach Education; Movement Skill Development; Career Transitions in Professional Sport

Publications

  • Houlston. D.R (2007) The FA Level 2 Coaching Handbook (3rd Edition). Leeds. Coachwise
  • Houlston D.R (2008) Learning and Coaching Styles. In Soper R (Ed) The FA Level 3 Coaching Handbook (3rd Edition), Chapter 3, 11-18. Leeds: Coachwise
  • Houlston D.R (2008) Match and Player Analysis. In Soper R (Ed) The FA Level 3 Coaching Handbook (3rd Edition), Chapter 7, 33-42. Leeds: Coachwise
  • Houlston D.R (2008) Mental Preparation for Football. In Soper R (Ed) The FA Level 3 Coaching Handbook (3rd Edition), Chapter 12, 83-94. Leeds: Coachwise

Current Research

  • Career Transitions in Professional Sport
  • Decision-making in Sport
  • Developmental Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia)