Professor Robyn Lloyd Jones

BSc, MA, PhD, FHEA, FAcSS

  • Professor of Sports Coaching

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Robyn Jones

Robyn is currently a Professor of Sports Coaching at Loughborough. This follows previous appointments at Cardiff Metropolitan University, Bath University, and the University of Otago (New Zealand). He has also been a Visiting Professor at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, and the University of Malaysia among others. During his time at Cardiff Met., Robyn also served as an Associate Dean of Research (2019-2023) being responsible for the research production and development of over 100 academic staff.

His professional vision places research at the heart of the scholarly endeavour. Research is thus considered as the critical component that constitutes the overall academic mission. This is because in addition to (1) growing (individual and institutional) reputation through the generation of insightful and relevant knowledge, research is also considered as (2) crucial to the delivery of cutting-edge student experiences (and, therefore, graduate outcomes), and (3) to any university’s civic mission.

During recent years, emphasising his international reputation, Robyn has served as an ‘expert panel’ member responsible for re-accreditation of the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Split (2021), and the University of Zagreb (2020), and as part of a group responsible for Reykjavik University’s (Iceland) six-yearly assessment of research activity (2021). In addition, he was an external reviewer and advisor for Manchester Metropolitan University, UCLan, and the University of Northumbria’s respective REF 2021 submissions.

Finally, Robyn holds the inaugural Presidency of CRiC (the Cluster of Research into Coaching), an organisation established to promote research for the benefit of sport coaches, National Governing Bodies, sport coaching scholars, and students, as well as being the General Editor of the Taylor and Francis journal ‘Sports Coaching Review’ (SCR). He was made a ‘Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences’ in 2017.

Broadly speaking, Robyn’s research area comprises a critical social analysis of sports pedagogy and coaching. The purpose is to generate insight into an increasingly important part of cultural life, namely that of sports participation, and how that experience is framed by coaches. It is also an outcome-focused investigative agenda, reflecting an awareness of the need to ensure social relevancy within research. This is particularly so in acting as a change agent to improve current understanding and practice. To this extent, every effort has been made to re-integrate the findings back into the teaching-learning process.

In doing so, Robyn has, to date, (co)authored 13 books, 42 book chapters and 85 peer reviewed publications, while being involved in projects garnering circa. £4,344,583 in total grant income, including approximately £1,169,583 to his respective home institution(s). Additionally, he has given over 60 keynote/invited presentations internationally, whilst also in 2015 being designated a ‘Routledge Sport: Featured Author’ (in recognition of someone who has made a significant contribution to the field of Sport and Exercise Sciences).

In line with his belief in the need to be ‘outward facing academics’, Robyn’s work has also been used in various practical coach education settings through the provision offered by NGBs and other sporting bodies. These include the WRU, British Gymnastics, Welsh Rowing, Sport Wales, the British Canoe Union, and the Football Association on a national (UK) basis. Internationally, meanwhile, his work has been utilised and cited by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique, Olympiatoppen [the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee], High Performance Sport New Zealand, and the Gaelic Athletic Association.

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