Mark McGuigan

Dr Mark McGuigan is a Lecturer for the BSc Sport Coaching (Hons) at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). He is a researcher in the areas of athletic talent development and sport coaching with a broad interest in research topics including athlete transitions through the various stages of their career, the development of psychological coping skills in youth athletes, and the evolution of the role of performance analysis in sport. He completed his Ph.D. in July 2025 following a three-year match funded studentship with UWS and Celtic Football Club, and thereafter worked with the men's first team as a Fitness and Conditioning Coach prior to joining UWS. He aims to expand on his early publications and to collaborate with colleagues at academic institutions and across clubs and governing bodies in sport.

I am currently in the process of publishing the final chapters of my Ph.D. which relate to elite youth player transition to first team football. One study is an examination of the perceptions of an elite level first team manager and four first team players. The other is a longitiudinal study which triangulates the experiences of youth player transition between players, coaches, and support staff over the course of a competitive season. I also aim to extend my research to the following areas:

The Loan Market in Scottish Football: Fit For Purpose?
- How the loan market in professional football in Scotland is currently utilised to enhance holistic youth player development as part of a modern approach to first team transition.

Understanding the Role, Demands, and Expectations of Part-Time Coaches in Professional Sport
- The economic reality of professional football in Scotland is such that of the 42 teams who participate in the top 4 tiers of professional football, 18 are part-time. Therefore, I would like to investigate the realities of the role of part-time management, coaching, and players to understand the demands and expectations of performing and competing against their full-time professional counterparts. 

Athlete to Coach: A Typical Transition?
- Many current coaches in elite and professional sport are ex-athletes and have used their experiences in training and competition to shape their coaching philosophy and style. Understanding the dynamics and challenges of the transition to coaching could provide a novel insight to this research area. 

I am keen to collaborate with researchers, postgraduate students, and applied practitioners in sport who share my interest in the areas of sports coaching, sport psychology and talent development with a particular focus on developing frameworks and models to enhance current practice.

I am interested in collaborating with professional sports clubs, organisations, national governing bodies, and current athletes and coaching practitioners to develop our understanding of early adult talent development and to enhance effective coaching practice. I would also like to work with organisations and clubs to assist in the evaluation of current strategic methodologies pertaining to the development of psychological coping skills and youth athlete transition to senior level.