The University of Western Australia

Professor Sandy Gordon

Professor
Exercise, Health and Sport Psychology

Contact details

Address

Exercise, Health and Sport Psychology
The University of Western Australia (M408)
35 Stirling Highway
CRAWLEY WA 6009
Australia

Phone

6488 2375

Fax

6488 1039

Email

Sandy.Gordon@uwa.edu.au

Qualifications

MA PhD Alta., DipPE Glas., DipEd MEd Aberd., FAPS

Biography

Sandy is a Professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology at UWA. He is a Registered Sport Psychologist (WA), Fellow member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), Member of the APS College of Sport and Exercise Psychologists (CoSEP) and APS Interest Group in Coaching Psychology (IGCP). Accreditation also includes Advanced and Professional Development Executive Coaching certificates from the Institute of Coaching and Consulting Psychology (U. Sydney). He is accredited in Cultural Transformation Tools , Extended DISC, Health Coaching (HCA), Hogan, MBTI, and CAPP Realise2 assessment tools, and is a facilitator in Appreciative Inquiry and Open Space Technology.

Key research

Coaching Psychology

Applied Sport Psychology

Positive Psychology

Publications

Gordon, S. (in press). Creating an effective organisational culture. In F. Pyke (Ed.) Advanced sport coaching. Adelaide: Human Kinetics.

Gordon, S. & Gucciardi, D. (in press). Mental toughness in sport. In J. Adams (ed.) Sport psychology: Theory and practice. Edinburgh Gate, UK: Pearson Education Ltd.

Day, D., Gordon, S., & Fink, C. (2012). The Sporting Life: Exploring organizations through the Lens of Sport. The Academy of Management Annals, 1-37.

Gordon, S., & Gucciardi, D. (Eds.) (2011). Mental Toughness in Sport: Developments in Theory and Research. Oxon, UK: Routledge. ISBN: 978-0-415-57298-9

Gordon, S., & Gucciardi, D. F. (2011). Strengths-based approach to coaching mental toughness. Journal of Sport Psychology in Action, 2, 143-155.

Gordon, S., & Gucciardi, D. F. (2011). An introduction to mental toughness in sport: Developments in research and theory. In D. F. Gucciardi & S. Gordon (Eds.) Mental toughness in sport: Developments in theory and rsearch ( pp. 3-6). Oxon, UK: Routledge.

Gordon, S. & Lavallee, D. (2011). Career Transitions in Competitive Sport. In T. Morris & P. Terry (Eds.) The New Sport and Exercise Psychology Companion. (pp. 567-581) Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology.

Mankad, A., & Gordon, S. (2010). Psycho-linguistic changes in athletes’ response to
injury after written emotional disclosure. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation 19, 328-342.

Gucciardi, D.F., & Gordon, S. (2009). Development and preliminary validation of the Cricket Mental Toughness Inventory. Journal of Sports Sciences, 27, 1293-1310.

Gucciardi, D.F., & Gordon, S., (2009). Revisiting the performance profile technique: Theoretical underpinnings and application. The Sport Psychologist. 23, 93-117.

Gucciardi, D.F., & Gordon, S., (2009). Construing the athlete and exerciser: Research and applied perspectives from personal construct psychology. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology. 21(Supp. 1), S17-S33.

Mankad, A., Gordon, S., & Wallman, K. (2009). Perceptions of emotional climate among injured athletes. Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 3, 1-14.

Wood, B., & Gordon, S. (2009). Linking MBA learning and leadership coaching. International Coaching Psychology Review, 4, 87-104.

Gordon, S. (2008). Appreciative Inquiry coaching. International Coaching Psychology Review. 3(1), 17-29.

Roles, responsibilities and expertise

Sandy was elected National Chair of the APS College of Sport Psychologists 1998 – 2002 (two terms) and was WACoSP Section Chair 1996-2002. He continues as a National Executive Committee member. He was also a Committee member of the WA branch of APS 1994-2003 and member of the Organising Committee for the 2003 Annual APS Conference held in Perth. Sandy was a Foundation National Executive Committee Member of the APS Interest Group in Coaching Psychology (IGCP) (2002-2004) and served on the WA IGCP Committee (2002 – 2004). He was an Organising Committee Member for the International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP) 11th World Congress of Sport Psychology (August 2005) held in Sydney. This marked Australia’s second ever World Psychology Congress, and Sandy was CoSP National Chair at the time our bid was successful.

Sandy has demonstrated considerable expertise and scholarship in the area of Exercise and Sport Psychology. Specifically, he has authored or co-authored three co-edited books, several book chapters, numerous articles for publication in refereed and non-refereed/professional journals, major book reviews, conference publications, conference presentations and invited keynote addresses. In addition, he has authored/co-authored several funded (10) and unfunded (15) grant proposals and is a regular reviewer for 11 periodicals and serves on Editorial Boards of two others.

He has contributed to coach education programs in over ten different countries and also consulted with the Cricket Boards and national teams of Australia, India, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. He has facilitated strategic planning initiatives with Hampshire (England) and Western Australian Cricket Associations and similar involvement with Australian Football League (AFL and WAFL) teams and the Australian Professional Golfers Association (PGA) is ongoing. He has also coached performing artists, and clients have included opera singers, rock bands, and a contemporary dance company.

At UWA he serves on the Academic Council.

Future research

His future research interests lie in areas where he can apply principles of positive psychology specifically, mental toughness, resilience, emotional labour, psychology of injury, applied sport psychology and coaching psychology interventions.

Funding received

Since 1990 he has received over $500k in small grant funding.

Industrial relevance

In business settings both overseas and in Australia Sandy’s engagements have included facilitation of emotional intelligence, mental toughness and resilience programs (Banks, Business Consulting Groups, Call Centres), creating high performance leadership cultures (Banks, Real Estate firms), high performance team work (Mining firms, Call Centres), decision-making skills (energy firm) and strategic planning (small businesses). Executive Coaching experience includes CEO/CFO level individuals in both public (ABC, ATO, DoIR, DSR) and private sectors (Accountants, Banks, Builders, Financiers, Lawyers).

Memberships

Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP)Certified Consultant (1992) Certificate # 047
Australian Psychological Society (APS)
APS Member (March, 1994) # 20040; elected to APS Fellowship (2004)
Invited Member of the Membership Recruitment and Retention Advisory Group (2009)
Member of APS College of Sport Psychologists (CoSP) (July, 1994) CoSP National Chair (1998 - 2002)
Member of APS Interest Group in Coaching Psychology (IGCP) Foundation National Committee member (2004-2005). WA IGCP Committee Member (2004-2005).
International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA) - Charter Member (2008)
Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA) Australia Honorary Partner Member (1988 – present)
Registered Sport Psychologist with The Psychologists Board of WA (March, 1996) Registration # 1595
Sports Medicine Australia (1992 – present)

Honours and awards

1981-1982 Coaching Association of Canada Scholarship for University Study (CDN$2,500).
1985 PhD Dissertation Fellowship (CDN$11,500). Faculty of Physical Education and Recreation, University of Alberta.
2004 Elected to APS Fellowship.
2008 Australian Psychological Society (APS) Colleges Award of Distinction.
2011 Association of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) Distinguished International Scholar Award.

Previous positions

1972 - 1974 Senior High School Physical Education Teacher Hazlehead Academy, Aberdeen, Scotland.
1974 - 1980 Senior Assistant in Physical Education, University of Aberdeen, Scotland.
1980 - 1986 Graduate Assistant, University of Alberta, Canada.
1986 - 1987 Post-Doctoral Student, University of Alberta, Canada.
1987 – 1994 Lecturer, School of Human Movement & Exercise Science, UWA.
1994 – 2009 Senior Lecturer, School of Sport Science, Exercise & Health, UWA.
2010 - present Professor, School of Sport Science, Exercise and Health, UWA.

Teaching

At The University of Western Australia, since 1987, Sandy has taught nine under-graduate and three post-graduate classes in exercise and sport psychology and has been actively involved in fostering the research of Honours (16), Masters (17) and Doctoral (13) students. Lectures and Tutorials in the following undergraduate courses:
HM100/101 Behavioural Basis of Human Movement & Exercise Science
HM110 Introduction to Professional Aspects of Human Movement
HM245/230 Soccer
HM275/1/2 Sport & Exercise Psychology
HM337/3338 Outdoor Education – Canoeing, Bush Walking, Sailing
HM375 Psychology of Sport
HM376 Sociology of Sport (1987-2002)
HMES3376 Coaching Psychology
Lectures and Tutorials in the following postgraduate courses:
HM605 Research Methods
HM663 Applied Sport Psychology
HMES7664 Exercise and Health Psychology

New and noteworthy

Invited keynote presentations:
Gordon, S. (2012). Strengths-based approaches to developing mental toughness: Individual and team. British Psychological Society, April, London.

Gordon, S. (2011). Strengths approaches in applied sport psychology: Example of mental toughness. Distinguished International Scholar Address, Association for Applied Sport Psychology. 20-24 September, Hawaii.

Current projects

Sandy is currently coordinating a transitions project funded by the DSR on 'Developing Champions'.

Research profile

Research profile and publications