James Rumbold

Dr James Rumbold BSc MSc PhD CPsychol. FHEA

Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Course Leader for MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology (BPS-Accredited)


Summary

I am a Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology, a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society (BPS) and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA). I am also one of the Postgraduate Research Tutors for Sport and Physical Activity within the Health Research Institute. With approximately 15 years’ experience of teaching in higher education, I teach across a range of undergraduate and postgraduate sport and exercise science modules, with a particular focus in the areas of sport and exercise psychology and research methods. My research focuses on understanding individual differences in how people optimise their stress, coping and well-being in different occupations.

About

I joined the College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences in 2013. Prior to this, I completed a BSc in Psychology with Sport Science at St. Mary's University in Twickenham. Following this, I spent seven years at Loughborough University as both a postgraduate student and a member of staff within the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences. During this time, I completed an MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology, and, a PhD in Sport and Organisational Psychology. In 2015, my PhD thesis entitled 'The Design and Delivery of Stress Management in Professional Sport' was awarded the Doctoral Dissertation Award by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). This award recognises the completion of an outstanding doctoral dissertation.

During my time at Sheffield Hallam, I have been proud to be the recipient of a College Inspirational Teacher of the Year award, and I am passionate in contributing towards the development of the next generation of sport and exercise scientists. In addition, between 2019 and 2022 I served as co-director on our BPS-accredited MSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology.   

As an applied researcher, I am known for publishing research in the areas of organisational/occupational stress, coping and burnout, and personality. While most of my research has been published in sport and exercise science journals, most of my research is examined through the lens of sport and organizational psychology theories and models. In these topic areas, I am passionate about supervising PhD students who have an interest in making innovative (e.g., methodological and applied) advancements, using a range of longitudinal and mixed method approaches.

 

 

Teaching

Academy of Sport and Physical Activity

College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences

I currently lead and teach on the following undergraduate and postgraduate modules:

BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science Level 4 - Foundations of Psychology in Sport and Exercise
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science Level 6 - Research Project in Sport and Exercise
MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology Level 7 - Psychology of Sport and Performance
MSc / PGDip Advanced Sport Coaching Practice - Advanced Psychology of Performance Coaching

In addition to these modules, I contribute to quantitative and qualitative research methods teaching on the following undergraduate and postgraduate programmes:

BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences
MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology
MSc Applied Sport and Exercise Science
MSc / PGDip - Advanced Sport Coaching Practice
College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences Doctoral School

Science Subject Group.

Health Research Institute - Doctoral Provision for Sport, Physical Activity and Health Students
MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology (BPS-Accredited)
BSc Sport and Exercise Science

Sport Psychology: Theory to Practice (MSc)
Research Methods (MSc)
Exercise Psychology (MSc)
Project (MSc)
Placement (BSc level 5)
Psychology of Sport and Exercise (BSc level 5)
Project in Sport (BSc level 6)

Research

Research lead for the Performance Psychology Theme, Sport and Human Performance Research Group, Sport and Physical Activity Research Centre.

Featured Research Projects

Euro 2020: is this ‘the greatest therapy session England ever had’?
Assessing post-game emotions in soccer teams: The role of distinct emotional dynamics
Dr James Rumbold - SPARC Seminar 2020
Has the Djokovic row exposed a COVID vaccine problem in sport?
From stress to sporting success

Research Collaborators
Professor John Sandars - Edge Hill University, UK
Professor Rock Braithwaite - Humboldt State University, USA
Dr Faye Didymus - Leeds Beckett University, UK
Dr Daniel Rhind - Loughborough University, UK
Dr David Fletcher - Loughborough University, UK
Professor John Dunn - University of Alberta, Canada
Professor Kevin Daniels - University of East Anglia
Professor Richard Thelwell - University of Portsmouth, UK
David Price - University of Portsmouth, UK
Dr Ray Randall - University of Sheffield, UK
Professor Andrew Hill - York St John University, UK
Dr Daniel Madigan - York St John University, UK

Publications

Rumbold, J., Newman, J., & Carr, S. (2023). Coaches' Experiences of Job Crafting Through Organizational Change in High-Performance Sport. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology. http://doi.org/10.1037/spy0000328

Higham, A., Rumbold, J., Newman, J., & Stone, J. (2023). Using video docuseries to explore male professional football head coaches’ well-being experiences throughout a season. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 69. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102488

O'Sullivan, M., Vaughan, J., Rumbold, J., & Davids, K. (2023). Utilising the learning in development research framework in a professional youth football club. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 5. http://doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1169531

Rhind, D.J.A., Hodson, E., Newman, J., & Rumbold, J. (2022). Transformational leadership: a qualitative analysis of effective leadership in women's soccer in England. Unisia: Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities, 40 (2), 257-276. http://doi.org/10.20885/unisia.vol40.iss2.art1

Rumbold, J., Dunn, J.G.H., & Olusoga, P. (2022). Examining the Predictive Validity of the Grit Scale-Short (Grit-S) Using Domain-General and Domain-Specific Approaches With Student-Athletes. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. http://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.837321

Dunn, J.G.H., Cormier, D.L., Kono, S., Causgrove Dunn, J., & Rumbold, J. (2021). Perfectionism and Grit in Competitive Sport. Journal of Sport Behavior, 44 (2). https://journalofsportbehavior.org/index.php/JSB/article/view/67

Higham, A., Newman, J., Stone, J., & Rumbold, J. (2021). Coaches’ Experiences of Morality in English Professional Football Environments: Recommendations for Creating a Moral Atmosphere. International Sport Coaching Journal. http://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2021-0026

Newman, J., Eccles, S., Rumbold, J., & Rhind, D. (2021). When it is no longer a bit of banter: Coaches’ perspectives of bullying in professional soccer. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. http://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2021.1987966

Sandars, J., Jenkins, L., Church, H., Patel, R., Rumbold, J., Maden, M., ... Brown, J. (2021). Applying Sport Psychology in Health Professions Education: A Systematic Review of Performance Mental Skills Training. Medical Teacher. http://doi.org/10.1080/0142159X.2021.1966403

O' Sullivan, M., Vaughan, J., Rumbold, J., & Davids, K. (2021). The Learning in Development Research Framework for Sports Organizations. Sport, Education and Society. http://doi.org/10.1080/13573322.2021.1966618

Rumbold, J., Newman, J., Foster, D., Rhind, D.J.A., Phoenix, J., & Hickey, L. (2021). Assessing Post-Game Emotions in Soccer Teams: The Role of Distinct Emotional Dynamics. European Journal of Sport Science. http://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.1916079

Rumbold, J., Madigan, D.J., Murtagh-Cox, A., & Jones, L. (2021). Examining Profiles of the Big Five and Sensation Seeking among Competitive Climbers. Psychology of Sport and Exercise. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2021.101951

Madigan, D.J., Rumbold, J., Gerber, M., & Nicholls, A.R. (2020). Coping tendencies and changes in athlete burnout over time. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 48, 101666. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2020.101666

Rumbold, J., Fletcher, D., & Daniels, K. (2020). An experience sampling study of organizational stress processes and future playing time in professional sport. Journal of Sports Sciences, 1-9. http://doi.org/10.1080/02640414.2020.1717302

Hattersley, C., Hembrough, D., Khan, K., Picken, A., Rumbold, J., & Maden-Wilkinson, T. (2019). Managing the transition into retirement for elite athletes. Professional strength & conditioning, (53), 11-16. https://www.uksca.org.uk/uksca-iq/article/journal-back-issues/1886/professional-strength-conditioning-issue-53-june-2019

Rothwell, M., Rumbold, J., & Stone, J. (2018). Exploring British adolescent rugby league players' experiences of professional academies and dropout. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology. http://doi.org/10.1080/1612197X.2018.1549579

Rumbold, J., Fletcher, D., & Daniels, K. (2017). Using a mixed method audit to inform organizational stress management interventions in sport. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 35, 27-38. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychsport.2017.10.010

Barnes, A., Rumbold, J., & Olusoga, P. (2017). Attitudes towards protective headgear in UK rugby union players. BMJ Open Sport & Exercise Medicine, 3 (1), e000255. http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2017-000255

Church, H., Rumbold, J., & Sandars, J. (2017). Applying sport psychology to improve clinical performance. Medical Teacher, 39 (12), 1205-1213. http://doi.org/10.1080/0142159x.2017.1359523

Rumbold, J., Fletcher, D., & Daniels, K. (2012). A systematic review of stress management interventions with sport performers. Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology, 1 (3), 173-193. http://doi.org/10.1037/a0026628

Fletcher, D., Rumbold, J., Tester, R., & Coombes, M. (2011). Sport psychologists’ experiences of organizational stressors. The Sport Psychologist, 25 (3), 363-381.

Conference papers

White, N., Rumbold, J., & Garner, I. (2022). A study into the perceptions of pre-registration nurses’ use of mental simulation for learning cardiac arrest skills [Abstract only]. International Journal of Healthcare Simulation, 2 (S1), A24-A25. http://doi.org/10.54531/DVYN3727

White, N., Garner, I., & Rumbold, J. (2022). Design of a functionally equivalent mental simulation protocol for learning cardiac arrest skills [Abstract only]. International Journal of Healthcare Simulation, 2 (S1), A28-A29. http://doi.org/10.54531/JODG4926

Farrokh, D., Rumbold, J., Stone, J., & Davids, K. (2022). An Ecological Dynamics Perspective on Flow in Sport. In 16th European Congress of Sport & Exercise Psychology.

Jones, G., Stone, J., Rothwell, M., Rumbold, J., Davids, K., & Otte, F. (2021). Providing augmented information for learning transitions in football: The transitional learning model for coaches [abstract only]. In Sport Sciences Congress 2021, University of Lisbon, 13 July 2023 - 21 July 2023 (pp. 80). Sports Sciences Congress: https://ssc2021.net/book-of-abstracts/

Book chapters

Rumbold, J., & Didymus, F.F. (2021). Organizational stress in competitive sport. In Zenko, Z., & Jones, L. (Eds.) Essentials of exercise and sport psychology: An open access textbook. (pp. 710-733). Society for the Transparency, Openness, and Replication in Kinesiology: http://doi.org/10.51224/B1000

Didymus, F., Rumbold, J., & Staff, H. (2018). Promoting and protecting coach psychological well-being and performance. In Thelwell, R., & Dicks, M. (Eds.) Professional Advances in Sports Coaching Research and Practice. Routledge: https://www.routledge.com/Professional-Advances-in-Sports-Coaching-Research-and-Practice/Thelwell-Dicks/p/book/9780815381228

Reports

Newman, J., & Rumbold, J. (2023). FIFA research scholarship final report: The co-design of an adult safeguarding education programme in football.

Hattersley, C., Hembrough, D., Khan, K., Maden-Wilkinson, T., & Rumbold, J. (2020). Managing the transition into retirement for elite athletes. UKSCA Professional Journal.

Media

Rumbold, J. (2023). Euro 2020: Is this ‘the greatest therapy session England ever had’? James Rumbold article written for the Conversation. [The conversation]. The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/euro-2020-is-this-the-greatest-therapy-session-england-ever-had-163840

Rumbold, J. (2023). Feature Interview with James Rumbold for BBC Radio Sheffield's Paulette Edwards show, to provide a commentary on what it is like to be a fan. [Radio]. BBC Radio Sheffield

Rumbold, J. (2023). Feature Interview with James Rumbold for BBC Radio Sheffield's Paulette Edwards show, to provide a commentary on what it is like to be a fan. [Radio]. BBC Radio Sheffield

Newman, J., & Rumbold, J. (2022). James Newman and James Rumbold's article for the Conversation “Is Gareth Southgate a successful manager? Two sports psychologists weigh in.”. The Conversation

Joyce, A., Gillott, R., & Apparicio, S. (2022). Feature Interview with James Rumbold, for Sky News' Daily Podcast, to provide a commentary on the psychological reasons for why some athletes have decided not to get vaccinated. [Podcast (Sky News Daily Podcast)].

Rumbold, J. (2021). Feature Television Interview with James Rumbold, with ITV Calendar (South and North) to provide a commentary on England Men's football team preparation for the Euro 2020 final. [Television (ITV)]. ITV Calendar

Rumbold, J. (2021). Feature Television Interview with James Rumbold, with ITV Calendar (South and North) to provide a commentary on England Men's football team preparation for the Euro 2020 final. [Television (ITV)]. ITV Calendar

Rumbold, J. (2021). Feature Radio Interview with James Rumbold, with BBC Radio Sheffield, to provide a commentary on England Men's football team preparation for the Euro 2020 final. [Radio]. BBC Radio Sheffield

Rumbold, J. (2021). Feature Radio Interview with James Rumbold, with BBC Radio Sheffield, to provide a commentary on England Men's football team preparation for the Euro 2020 final. [Radio]. BBC Radio Sheffield

Greene, M. (2020). From stress to sporting success - a Q & A with Dr James Rumbold. [Sheffield Hallam Internal Communications]. Sheffield Hallam University: https://blogs.shu.ac.uk/hwbstaffnews/2020/03/06/from-stress-to-sporting-success-a-qa-with-dr-james-rumbold/?doing_wp_cron=1583496554.3356790542602539062500

Presentations

Stone, J., Rumbold, J., & Rothwell, M. (2017). Top gun to rugby league drop-out. Presented at: Sport and Medicine conference

Other activities

External Examinership 

I am currently serving as an External Examiner for the following postgraduate and undergraduate courses at York St. John University (until September 2021): MSc Sport and Exercise Science, BSc Sport and Exercise Science BSc Sport Science and Injury Rehabilitation BSc Strength Conditioning. 

Editorial Board Member 

I currently serve as an Editorial Board member for the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology (since October 2017).  

Journal Reviewer 

I have served as a Journal Reviewer for a wide range of psychology journals, most recently the following: European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, Anxiety, Stress & Coping, International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Journal of Sports Sciences, Psychology of Sport and Exercise, European Journal of Sport Science, Frontiers in Psychology, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health

Postgraduate supervision

Doctoral Supervisions 

  • Nick White, part-time Ed.D. (Director of Studies; October 2016 to present) - A study into the experiences of pre-registration nurses’ use of mental simulation. Co-supervised by Professor Iain Garner (Department of Education, Childhood and Inclusion, Sheffield Hallam University).   
  • Mark O' Sullivan, part-time Ph.D. (Director of Studies; October 2017 to present) - Designing learning environments in contemporary youth football development programmes. Co-supervised by Professor Keith Davids (Sport and Human Performance Research Group, SPARC, Sheffield Hallam University).  
  • Tim Robinson, part-time Ph.D. (October 2018 to present) - The impact of different pedagogical approaches in age grade rugby union. Co-supervised by Professor Keith Davids and Dr Joe Stone (Sport and Human Performance Research Group, SPARC, Sheffield Hallam University). 
  • Andrew Higham, full-time Ph.D. (February 2021 to present) - English football talent development environments: An exploration of key stakeholders’ welfare. Co-supervised by Dr Joe Stone and Dr James Newman (Sport and Human Performance Research Group, SPARC, Sheffield Hallam University).  
  • Gérard Jones, part-time Ph.D. (April 2021 start) - Investigating how augmented feedback can be used to guide attentional search in football. Co-supervised by Professor Keith Davids and Dr Joe Stone (Sport and Human Performance Research Group, SPARC, Sheffield Hallam University).  
  • David Farrokh, full-time Ph.D. (October 2021 start) - An ecological dynamics perspective on flow in youth football. Co-supervised by Professor Keith Davids (Sport and Human Performance Research Group, SPARC, Sheffield Hallam University).

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