Philip Kearney

Philip Kearney is an Associate Professor in the Department of Physical Education & Sport Sciences at the University of Limerick, affiliated with the Health Research Institute, PEPAYS Ireland Research Centre, and the Sports and Human Performance Research Centre. His research focuses on human motor behavior, youth sport development in track and field athletics, and the interplay between maturation and athletic success. He also explores coaches' knowledge, practice design, and enhancing skill acquisition through evidence-based methods.

Research Interests:

1. Maturation and youth sport, including relative age effects and early specialization in athletics.
2. Coaches' perceptions and practices, such as visual exploratory activity in football and injury-risk mitigation.
3. Practice quality enhancement, including attentional focus in sports and self-regulatory skills in musicians.

Teaching Philosophy: Kearney emphasizes connecting with students, fostering partnership, tangible learning outcomes, and celebrating growth to inspire educators and sport scientists. He advocates applying skill acquisition knowledge to improve youth participation and development.

Labs/Teams: Active in research centers focusing on health, sport, and human performance, collaborating on projects related to Gaelic football talent development and adventure sport coaching.