Teesside welcomes a sporting Professor

Dr Kevin Thompson was the first person in the UK to receive the title of World Class Guaranteed Sport Scientist. Kevin is also Regional Manager for the North-East and North-West English Institute of Sport (EIS), based in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. In addition, he has joined the University of Teesside as a Visiting Professor, where he will initiate new research collaborations between the EIS and the University.

Kevin, 39, from Shadforth, Durham, comes to the University with an impressive record in competitive sports, coaching, sport science support and management.

In 2003 he was the first UK recipient of the World Class Guaranteed Sport Scientist professional award. This award is the highest level of accreditation and enables Kevin to work with elite level athletes who are training for the Olympics and other world championships. Kevin has worked with a range of athletes, including swimmer Mark Foster and athlete Colin Jackson. He is also Chair of the Sport and Performance Division of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences.

The EIS was established in 2002 through lottery funding. There are nine regional EIS Centres, supporting over 1,300 athletes who are on lottery funded, world-class programmes. Kevin said: “None of the other regional EIS centres have established formal research links with other Universities. We’re the first to do so. It’s a ground-breaking relationship and one we wish to continue and build upon.

“We’re going to share knowledge, expertise and resources between the Institute’s staff and the University’s staff. By pooling resources we aim to find some of the answers that we need to improve athletes’ performance. For example, the University’s Olympia Building has a very sophisticated bio-mechanics system which complements the equipment in our Gateshead centre. I went to Huntcliffe School in Saltburn and Prior Pursglove College in Guisborough, so it’s very much a homecoming to be linked to the University of Teesside.” A pair of PhD research studentships has been set up between the EIS and the University and more research opportunities will be explored in the area of high performance sport. Kevin will also deliver lectures to the University’s Sport Science students.

Liz Barnes, Dean of the School of Social Sciences & Law at the University added: “Kevin’s appointment as a Visiting Professor is fantastic for the University. He is working closely with our staff developing and enhancing our research profile and he can talk to the students with first-hand knowledge of how to work with and develop elite sports performers. Kevin improves the profile and credibility of our faculty contributing to our work with elite athletes and acts as a superb role model for the students.”

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