John Kelley

Dr. John Kelley is a Research Fellow in the Academy of Sport and Physical Activity at Sheffield Hallam University, specializing in Applied Computing and Sports Analytics. He holds a Master’s in Mathematics from the University of Sheffield and a PhD in Sports Engineering from Sheffield Hallam University, sponsored by the International Tennis Federation. His research focuses on data-driven solutions for elite sports performance, with affiliations to the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre and Health Research Institute. He leads collaborations with the English Institute of Sport and International Tennis Federation, developing tools for Olympic/Paralympic teams and tennis ranking systems. He teaches Numerical Programming on the Sports Engineering MSc and supervises industry-linked projects.

Education:

• PhD in Sports Engineering, Sheffield Hallam University
• MMath (Master of Mathematics), University of Sheffield

Research Interests: Leveraging computing and analytics to enhance athletic performance, health applications of sports technology, and optimizing competition structures. His work spans tennis ranking models, athlete movement analysis, and equipment testing. Recent projects include designing event structures to promote mass participation in weightlifting and improving swimming race tracking.

Key Collaborations:

• English Institute of Sport (Performance Data)
• International Tennis Federation
• British Weight Lifting

Advising & Grants: Supervised seven PhD students in sports engineering and performance analysis. Projects include real-time diving feedback systems, hockey player tracking, and tennis racket impact modeling. His work integrates mobile apps, cloud storage, and Power BI analytics.

Labs/Teams: Member of the Sports Engineering Research Group and Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre, fostering interdisciplinary projects between elite sport and public health initiatives.