Promoting Organisational Resilience in Professional Sport

Abstract

This portfolio provides an insight into the development of a trainee sport and exercise psychologist from September 2020 to June 2025 as part of the professional doctorate program in sport and exercise psychology at the University of Portsmouth. The portfolio demonstrates, through an integration of professional practice, research, and reflective practice the trainee’s successful completion of the competencies outlined by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) for approved programmes in Sport and Exercise Psychology. The two empirical papers and professional practice article highlight the trainee’s focus on an organisation’s resilience, in doing so, bridging the gap between research and applied practice. Here, I explored the processes underpinning an organisation’s resilience, how the role of a sporting director influenced the resilience capabilities of a professional football club, and in terms of practical implications, offered practitioners guidance to help those working in and with elite sport organisations to promote an organisation’s resilience. The three applied case studies evidence my development as a practitioner, in alignment with the increasing systematisation of elite level sport, illustrate how his applied practice has evolved from 1:1 psychological skills training to a systems-led approach to practice. The reflective practice diary provides insight into his personal and professional development by highlighting key experiences and critical events, as well as providing reflections on how his development has evolved over the course of his professional doctorate journey. Finally, in the Appendix, a comprehensive professional practice log provides a record of the trainee’s professional practice and developmental experiences over the course of my doctoral registration.

Date of Award	3 Nov 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Portsmouth
Supervisor	Daniel Brown (Supervisor) & Chris Wagstaff (Supervisor)