Esports 🎮
Sport
Matt has worked across a range of sports from grassroots to the elite level:
British Athletics
Aston Villa Football Club
Leicestershire County Cricket Club
Youth Talent Programme Hockey
His roles have involved being responsible for the design and delivery of sport psychology programmes, curriculum and training session designs, 1-1 player support, team and parental education, and coach development initiatives and interventions.
Esports
Matt is the lead psychologist for Guild Esports academy and professional teams since 2021 where he has embedded the first sport psychology programme within an esports academy based on elite sport standards 👉
He has worked across eight game titles to help players, coaches and wider support staff develop psychological excellence as part of their pursuit towards high-performance and sustainable mental health.
Matt has also supported several additional top-tier European esports organisations such as G2 Esports and Team Solary to develop their coaches and players and has worked previously with the International Federation of Esports Coaches (2021-2023) to create several of their coach development courses.
Teaching 🧑🏫
Motivated to draw on his research and real-world experience to progress the scientific field of sport psychology and esports, Matt has lectured on the BSc's in Esports and Sport Psychology at the University of Northampton and delivered talks and presentations on the important role of sport psychology support in esports, namely at Dreamhack Summer, at the IFOEC Esports Coaching and Performance Summit and at the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) Division Day.
Research 👨🔬
Matt conducts research in sport and exercise psychology to strengthen the link between science and practice.
Several research papers in the areas of esports, effective sport psychology practice, pluralistic practice and supervision are in preparation for 2025.
Qualifications 🏆
Qualification in Sport & Exercise Psychology Stage 2; British Psychological Society - 2020-2023.
Personal Autogenic Training for Professionals (PATP); British Autogenic Society - 2021.
Level 3 in Counselling Studies; Maple Leaf Counselling Service - 2020.
MSc Sport and Exercise Psychology; Loughborough University - 2017-2018.
PgDip Psychology; Birmingham City University - 2016-2017.
BSc Sport and Exercise Science; University of Wolverhampton - 2013-2016.
Level 2 in Counselling Skills; Birmingham Metropolitan College - 2011-2012.
Certificates 📓
Motivational Interviewing: Introductory and Refresher 2-Day Workshop; MICardiff -2023.
Spotlight Personality Tool Accredited Practitioner; Mindflick - 2021.
Character Strengths Interventions 8-Week Course; VIA Institute on Character - 2021.
Motivational Interviewing and Beyond; SDS Seminars - 2021.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Four Days Skills Intensive; Mindfulness Training - 2020.
FAA Level 3 Award in Supervising First Aid for Mental Health; Nuco Training - 2020.
Journey 👣
In this video I talk about my journey to becoming a Sport and Exercise Psychologist, touching on my academic and professional journey up to now (November 2024).