Dr Kacey Neely

Lecturer

Sport Stirling

Dr Kacey Neely

Contact details

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https://www.stir.ac.uk/people/kaceyneely

About me

About me

From a competitive youth athlete playing soccer and basketball, to coaching youth sport, to becoming a sport psychologist, I have always been involved in sport in some capacity. I completed my undergraduate degree in Kinesiology and Physical Education at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada in 2008. I then moved west to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada where I completed my Master’s degree and PhD in sport psychology at the University of Alberta. My Master’s thesis focused on positive youth development, and I continued this line of research as a research assistant during my doctoral studies. My PhD dissertation focused on deselection in youth sport; how coaches manage the deselection process, and how athletes and their parents cope with being cut. I stayed in Edmonton for postdoctoral training in the School of Public Health in the area of school-based health promotion, before accepting a position as Lecturer at the University of Stirling and moving to Scotland in 2018.

My research area is psycho-social aspects of youth sport and physical activity. This includes looking at adversity and coping, and positive growth in young athletes, with a particularly interested in experiences of deselection/being released. I also examine positive youth development through sport which looks at the development and transfer of life skills. Lastly, I conduct research on parental involvement in youth sport. I use qualitative research methods to explore these different issues and understand athletes’ experiences.

I am a Chartered Psychologist with The British Psychological Society and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. I work as an applied sport psychology consultant with local, regional, and national sport teams, including the Canadian Women's Para Ice Hockey Team.

Research (2)

Research interests include psycho-social aspects of youth sport and physical activity; adversity, coping, and emotion; deselection/being released; positive youth development; positive growth; parenting in youth sport; mental health and wellbeing; qualitative research methods

Projects

Soccer PDP KTP
PI: Professor Angus Hunter
Funded by: Innovate UK and SoccerPDP Ltd
–

Parent Burnout in Youth Sport
PI: Dr Kacey Neely
Funded by: Tennis Scotland
–

Outputs (21)

Outputs

Article

". . . Exercise opportunities became very important": Scottish older adults' changes in physical activity during Covid19'

Tomaz SA, Ryde GC, Swales B, Neely KC, Andreis F, Coffee P, Connelly J, Kirkland A, McCabe L, Watchman K, Martin JG, Pina I & Whittaker AC (2022) ". . . Exercise opportunities became very important": Scottish older adults' changes in physical activity during Covid19'. European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, 19, Art. No.: 16. https://doi.org/10.1186/s11556-022-00295-z

Article

"Sleep is healthy for your body and brain." Use of student-centered photovoice to explore the translation of sleep promotion at school to sleep behavior at home

Bird M, McKernan C, Montemurro G, Brown C, Flynn J, Neely KC, Sobierajski F, Sulz L & Storey K (2021) "Sleep is healthy for your body and brain." Use of student-centered photovoice to explore the translation of sleep promotion at school to sleep behavior at home. Sleep Health, 7 (5), pp. 588-595. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleh.2021.05.006

Article

Loneliness, Wellbeing, and Social Activity in Scottish Older Adults Resulting from Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Tomaz SA, Coffee P, Ryde GC, Swales B, Neely KC, Connelly J, Kirkland A, McCabe L, Watchman K, Andreis F, Martin JG, Pina I & Whittaker AC (2021) Loneliness, Wellbeing, and Social Activity in Scottish Older Adults Resulting from Social Distancing during the COVID-19 Pandemic. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18 (9), Art. No.: 4517. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094517

Conference Paper (unpublished)

Loneliness, social support and wellbeing in Scottish older adults as a result of social distancing during the Covid19 pandemic

Whittaker AC, Tomaz SA, Ryde G, Connelly J, Coffee P, Kirkland A, McCabe L, Watchman K, Andreis F, Swales B, Martin JG, Pina I & Neely KC (2020) Loneliness, social support and wellbeing in Scottish older adults as a result of social distancing during the Covid19 pandemic. American Psychosomatic Society 2020 Virtual Meeting, Online, 03.12.2020-04.12.2020. https://psychosomatic.org/meetings/annual-meeting-2020/

Conference Paper (unpublished)

Impact of Covid19 social distancing on the social and mental health of Scottish older adults

Whittaker AC, Tomaz SA, Coffee P, Ryde G, Connelly J, Kirkland A, McCabe L, Watchman K, Andreis F, Neely KC, Swales B, Martin JG & Pina I (2020) Impact of Covid19 social distancing on the social and mental health of Scottish older adults. Scottish Physical Activity Research Connections 2020 Digital Conference, Online, 11.11.2020-18.11.2020. https://www.sparc.education.ed.ac.uk/conference-2020/

Conference Paper (unpublished)

The impact of Covid19 on Scottish older adults’ physical activity: Changes and associations with wellbeing

Tomaz SA, Ryde G, Connelly J, Swales B, Martin JG, Pina I, Neely KC, Coffee P, Kirkland A, Andreis F, McCabe L, Watchman K & Whittaker AC (2020) The impact of Covid19 on Scottish older adults’ physical activity: Changes and associations with wellbeing. Scottish Physical Activity Research Connections 2020 Digital Conference, Online, 11.11.2020-18.11.2020. https://www.sparc.education.ed.ac.uk/conference-2020/

Teaching

Teaching

Module Co-ordinator: SPSU8B4 - Psychology of Sport

BA Sport Studies: SPSU9RP - Major Research Project SPSU9B6 - PE, School Sport, and Youth Culture SPSU9D5 - The Development of Excellence in Sport SPSU711 - Introduction to Sport Studies I

MSc Psychology of Sport: SPSP010 - Dissertation SPSP040 - Applications of Sport Psychology SPSP041 - Research Methods in Sport and Exercise Psychology SPSP061 - Public Engagement in Sport and Exercise Psychology

MSc Coaching: SPSP056 - Independent Study

Research programmes

Research centres/groups

Research themes