Dr. John Kelley MMath. PhD.
Research Fellow
Summary
I am a Research Fellow in the Academy of Sport and Physical Activity and I specialise in Applied Computing and Sports Analytics. I am a member of the Sports Engineering Research Group through which I apply my skills to a great passion of mine - elite sport. I lead a research partnership with the Performance Data department of the English Institute of Sport, working with many Olympic and Paralympic teams, and I also work with the International Tennis Federation. I am based at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre which allows me to transfer my work with elite sport to health and physical activity applications. My teaching focus is on the Sports Engineering MSc, leading the Numerical Programming module.
About
I am a Research Fellow in the in the Academy of Sport and Physical Activity and I specialise in Applied Computing and Sports Analytics. My love of numbers culminated in a Master’s Degree in Mathematics from the University of Sheffield. I combined that with my love of sport in a PhD at Sheffield Hallam University, sponsored by the International Tennis Federation, to develop a method to measure the spin rates of tennis balls during competitive play.
I am now a member of the Sports Engineering Research Group through which I apply my skills to elite sport. I lead a research partnership with the Performance Data department of the English Institute of Sport. I work with Olympic and Paralympic teams such as Swimming and Boccia, creating bespoke data and video collection, processing, storage, and analysis tools to improve performance analysis methods. These systems incorporate mobile apps, cloud data storage and 3rd party software integration and allow high level data analytics through platforms such as Power BI.
I have continued to work with the International Tennis Federation, designing their world ranking methods for the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King cup. I created a computer model of both competition structures and optimised the ranking systems based using those models. I have also continued to provide analysis tools for tennis equipment testing. I am based at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre which allows me to transfer my work with elite sport to health and physical activity applications. An example application is working with British Weight Lifting to design a new event structure to encourage mass participation and friendly competition between men and women of different abilities, strengths and weaknesses.
The focus is to increase engagement and promote the maintenance of strength as people age. My teaching focus is on the Sports Engineering MSc, leading the Numerical Programming module where students use MATLAB software as a research tool and a tool to solve sports engineering problems. I also supervise students during their Industry Linked Project, for example investigating the ball properties of the latest Mitre football prototypes.
Teaching
Academy of Sport and Physical Activity
College of Health, Wellbeing and Life Sciences
Sport
MSc Sports Engineering:
- Numerical Programming in Sports Engineering (module leader)
Research
- English Institute of Sport
- International Tennis Federation
Publications
Journal articles
Kelley, J. (2024). Using simulations to compare the current Davis Cup ranking system to Elo. PLoS One, 19 (2). http://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0298188
Fitzpatrick, A., Stone, J., Choppin, S., & Kelley, J. (2024). How are elite tennis matches won at Wimbledon? A comparison of close and one-sided contests. European Journal of Sport Science. http://doi.org/10.1002/ejsc.12063
Fitzpatrick, A., Stone, J., Choppin, S., & Kelley, J. (2023). Analysing Hawk-Eye ball-tracking data to explore successful serving and returning strategies at Wimbledon. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport. http://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2023.2291238
Fitzpatrick, A., Stone, J., Choppin, S., & Kelley, J. (2021). Investigating the most important aspect of grass court tennis: short points. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching. http://doi.org/10.1177/1747954121999593
Dunn, M., Chiu, C.-.Y., Kelley, J., & Haake, S. (2020). Technologies to Aid Public Understanding in Running Performance. Proceedings, 49 (1), e26. http://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2020049026
Fowler Davis, S., Barnett, D., Kelley, J., & Curtis, D. (2019). Potential for digital monitoring to enhance wellbeing at home for people with mild dementia and their family carers. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. http://doi.org/10.3233/JAD-190844
Fitzpatrick, A., Stone, J., Choppin, S., & Kelley, J. (2019). Important performance characteristics in elite clay and grass court tennis match-play. International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport. http://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2019.1685804
Shafizadeh, M., Wheat, J., Kelley, J., & Nourian, R. (2019). Stroke survivors exhibit stronger lower extremity synergies in more challenging walking conditions. Experimental Brain Research. http://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-019-05560-9
Fitzpatrick, A., Stone, J., Choppin, S., & Kelley, J. (2019). A simple new method for identifying performance characteristics associated with success in elite tennis. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 14 (1), 43-50. http://doi.org/10.1177/1747954118809089
Driscoll, H., Hudson, C., Dunn, M., & Kelley, J. (2018). Image based stroke-rate detection system for swim race analysis. Proceedings, 2 (6), 286-292. http://doi.org/10.3390/proceedings2060286
Goff, J., Kelley, J., Hobson, C., Seo, K., Asai, T., & Choppin, S. (2017). Creating drag and lift curves from soccer trajectories. European Journal of Physics, 38 (4). http://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6404/aa6fcd
Hext, A., Heller, B., Kelley, J., & Goodwill, S. (2017). Relay exchanges in elite short track speed skating. European Journal of Sport Science, 17 (5), 503-510. http://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2016.1276219
Reed, H., Stanton, A., Wheat, J., Kelley, J., Davis, L., Rao, W., ... Francese, S. (2015). The Reed-Stanton press rig for the generation of reproducible fingermarks : towards a standardised methodology for fingermark research. Science & justice, 56 (1), 9-17. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.scijus.2015.10.001
Driscoll, H., Kelley, J., Kirk, B., Koerger, H., & Haake, S. (2015). Measurement of studded shoe–surface interaction metrics during in situ performance analysis. Sports Engineering, 18 (2), 105-113. http://doi.org/10.1007/s12283-014-0163-1
Nicolaides, A., Elliott, N., Kelley, J., Pinaffo, M., & Allen, T. (2013). Effect of string bed pattern on ball spin generation from a tennis racket. Sports Engineering, 16 (3), 181-188. http://doi.org/10.1007/s12283-013-0118-y
Conference papers
Ali, K., Shafizadeh, M., Nasr, N., Balchin, T., Hart, J., & Kelley, J. (2024). Older stroke survivors and rehabilitation therapists views on home-based resistance exercise for upper limbs. Age and Ageing, 53 (Supp 1). http://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afad246.128
Shafizadeh, M., Wheat, J., Kelley, J., & Davids, K. (2017). Effects of different walking constraints on motor synergy in people with chronic stroke [abstract only]. In European Society of Biomechanics Conference, Seville, Spain, 3 July 2017 - 5 July 2017. https://esbiomech.org/conference/archive/2017seville/papers/1307-5106-1-PB.pdf
Hext, A., Heller, B., Kelley, J., & Goodwill, S. (2016). Measuring straight time in elite short track speed skating relays. Procedia Engineering, 147, 622-626. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.06.258
Higham, D., Kelley, J., Hudson, C., & Goodwill, S. (2016). Finding the optimal background subtraction algorithm for EuroHockey 2015 video. Procedia Engineering, 147, 637-642. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2016.06.261
Dunn, M., & Kelley, J. (2015). Non-invasive, spatio-temporal gait analysis for sprint running using a single camera. Procedia Engineering, 112, 528-533. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2015.07.237
Goodwill, S., Spurr, J., Kelley, J., & Haake, S. (2014). Measuring the inertial properties of a tennis racket. Procedia Engineering, 72, 569-574. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2014.06.098
Kelley, J. (2014). A camera calibration method for a hammer throw analysis tool. Procedia Engineering, 72 (72), 74-79. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2014.06.002
Wiart, N., Kelley, J., James, D., & Allen, T. (2011). Effect of temperature on the dynamic properties of soccer balls. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology, 225 (4), 189-198. http://doi.org/10.1177/1754337111411644
Choppin, S.B., & Kelley, J. (2010). Generating football Cd profiles without a wind tunnel. Procedia engineering, 2 (2), 2449-2454. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2010.04.014
Kelley, J., Choppin, S.B., Goodwill, S.R., & Haake, S. (2010). Validation of a live, automatic ball velocity and spin rate finder in tennis. Procedia engineering, 2 (2), 2967-2972. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeng.2010.04.096
Kelley, J., Goodwill, S., Capel-Davies, J., & Haake, S. (2008). Ball spin generation at the 2007 Wimbledon qualifying tournament. The engineering of sport 7, 571-578. http://doi.org/10.1007/978-2-287-99054-0_67
Kelley, J., Goodwill, S., Capel-Davies, J., & Haake, S. Ball Spin Generation at the 2007 Wimbledon Qualifying Tournament (P110). In The Engineering of Sport 7, (pp. 571-578). Springer Paris: http://doi.org/10.1007/978-2-287-09411-8_67
Book chapters
Kelley, J., Higham, D., & Wheat, J. (2016). Technology for studying interpersonal coordination in social collectives. In Passos, P., Davids, K., & Chow, J.Y. (Eds.) Interpersonal Coordination and Performance in Social Systems. (pp. 305-322). Routledge
Theses / Dissertations
Fitzpatrick, A. (2021). Important performance characteristics in elite grass court tennis: implications for practice. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Kelley, J. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00381
Karditsas, H.E. (2020). Large-Scale Method for Identifying the Relationships between Racket Properties and Playing Characteristics. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Goodwill, S., Choppin, S., & Kelley, J. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00359
Sotheran, A.W. (2020). Real-time analysis and feedback of performance indicators in elite diving. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Goodwill, S., & Kelley, J. http://doi.org/10.7190/shu-thesis-00397
Hext, A. (2019). Measuring relay exchange kinematics in short-track speed skating using a multi-camera network. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Goodwill, S.
Higham, D.W. (2018). Extracting field hockey player coordinates using a single wide-angle camera. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Goodwill, S., Kelley, J., & Hudson, C.
Kelley, J. (2011). Measuring ball spin rates in match play tennis. (Doctoral thesis). Supervised by Haake, S., & Goodwill, S.
Media
Mcinerney, C., & Kelley, J. (2016). Simone Biles: defying the laws of physics? Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Millennium Mathematics Project, University of Cambridge: https://plus.maths.org/content/simone-biles
Presentations
Hext, A., Heller, B., Kelley, J., & Goodwill, S. (2016). Measuring straight time in elite short track speed skating relays. Presented at: The Engineering of Sport 11, Delft, The Netherlands, 2016
Postgraduate supervision
Completed supervised PhD students:
- Anna Fitzpatrick - Important performance characteristics in elite grass court tennis: implications for practice.
- Andy Hext - Measuring Two-dimensional Short-track Speed Skating Kinematics using a Multi-camera Network.
- Helen Karditsas - Large-scale method for identifying the relationships between racket properties and playing characteristics.
- Adam Sotheran - Real-time Analysis and Feedback of Performance Indicators in Elite Diving.
- Chris Hudson - Automated tracking of swimmers in the clean swimming phase of a race.
- David Higham - Extracting Field Hockey Player Coordinates using a Single Wide-Angle Camera.
- James Spurr - Statistically modelling tennis racket impacts with six degrees of freedom.