Mark Carroll

Mark Carroll is a Lecturer in Sport Coaching and Global Opportunities Coordinator at the University of Stirling's School of Health and Life Sciences. He holds a PhD from the same institution and is a member of the Young Academy of Scotland (YAS) under the Royal Society of Edinburgh (RSE). His research focuses on understanding the antecedents of coach behavior and motivational psychology in sport, emphasizing self-determination theory (SDT) while critically evaluating its applications. He also explores psychosocial aspects of coaching and curriculum design for youth athlete development through the 5Cs framework.

Education: PhD in Sport Coaching (University of Stirling, 2023), prior qualifications not specified.

Research Interests:

• Critical examination of coach behavior through SDT
• Arts-based methodologies (poetic representation, creative non-fiction)
• Coach education and support systems
• Psychosocial development in youth athletes

Collaborations: Active partnerships with St Mirren Football Club (evaluating psychosocial player development programs) and Scottish Football Association (SFA). His research often involves co-creation with sport organizations and coaches.

Public Engagement: Hosts the podcast Labours of Sport Coaching, disseminating research to non-academic audiences. Provides research consultancy through the Division of Sport, Exercise and Health.