Alf Dinnie is a Lecturer in Performance Analysis in Cardiff School of Sport & Health Sciences and Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. He is also the Head Coach of the Ladies 1st XI Hockey squad and BUCS Hockey Lead, playing a key role in the operation and strategic direction of the Hockey club. Alf joined the school in 2018, following undergraduate and postgraduate study at Cardiff Met, assuming his current lecturing role in 2020.
Along his journey to this lecturing position, Alf has undertaken roles within the Student Union as the Sport Kit & Equipment Officer, and in the CSSHS as Sport Performance Analysis Associate Tutor and interim Senior Technician. Alf gained invaluable experience teaching and assessing Sport Performance Analysis, Research Methods, BTEC Sport and Coaching at Levels 3, 4 & 5 to our Higher Education Partner Colleges: Bridgend College and Cardiff & Vale College (CAVC).
Alf's main interests lie in performance sport and data analytics. This has stemmed from his involvements in applied sport performance analysis and current status as a member of the Wales Senior Men's Hockey squad, having competed at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, European Championships and World Series competitions.
More recently Alf has published a journal article into the Journal of Sports Analytics, and undertaken a PgCTAP, which includes pedagogical interventions focused around the use of Virtual Learning Environments and Technology Enhanced Learning for Sport Performance Analysis students, with the objective of informing subsequent curriculum design and practices. He intends to progress towards achieving a PhD, NGB Coach Education qualification and to conduct further research for publication.
Alf's primary research interests are based around sports performance analytics and technical aspects of elite sporting performance which influence tactical and strategic decision making in team and individual sports. These interests extend to performance profiling, match characteristic studies on the influence of 'situational factors' and statistical analysis & forecasting.
Academic Journal Articles:
Dinnie, A., & O'Donoghue, P. (2020). Strategic target setting in the heptathlon. Journal of Sports Analytics, 6(2), 129-145.
Conference Presentations:
O'Donoghue, P. and Dinnie, A. (2018). Strategic target setting in the heptathlon,
China Performance Training Summit Forum. Wuhan Sports University, China. June 2018.
O'Donoghue, P. and Dinnie, A. (2018). Strategic target setting in the heptathlon,
Royal Statistical Society International Conference. Cardiff, Wales, UK. September 2018.
Teaching and Supervision:
Alf currently teaches across Levels 4-6 on the Undergraduate Performance Analysis programme, including being Module Leader on SSP5113 Data Analysis & Visualisation in Sport and SSP6114 Sports Data Analytics. Alf is the Year Tutor for Level 4, alongside being a Level 4 Personal Tutor for Sport Performance Analysis students. He also has an active role in the supervision and mentorship of students undertaking work-based learning internally through Cardiff Met Sport & the Hockey club. Alf supervises Undergraduate and Masters Dissertation projects in a range of SPA and Sport Analytics topic areas.
Alf has previously fulfilled roles module leading, teaching and assessing Sport Performance Analysis, Research Methods, BTEC Sport and Coaching at Levels 3, 4 & 5 to our Higher Education Partner Colleges: Bridgend College and Cardiff & Vale College (CAVC).
Fellowship – Higher Education Academy (2022)
PgCTAP – Cardiff Metropolitan University (2022)
MSc Sport Performance Analysis (Analytics) – Cardiff Metropolitan University (2018)
BSc Sport and Exercise Science – Cardiff Metropolitan University (2016)
Professional Qualifications & CPD:
- UKCC Level 2 Coaching in Hockey
- Emergency First Aid and Safeguarding & Child Protection
- EIS Skills 4 Performance – Elite Sports Performance Practitioner
Awards:
- MSc Dissertation shortlisted for the Non Thomas Memorial Award for the Best Overall Postgraduate Profile Mark in the Year for the CSSHS.
- Youth Sport Trust "Young Person Contribution to Sport & PE in the Community" National Award
- Shortlisted for Cardiff Met SU Sports Awards – The Frank Cartmell Trophy 'Best Student Administrator', The Sportec Trophy 'Coach of the Year', 'Team of the Year' – Ladies Hockey 1st XI and The Stuart Griffiths 'Club of the Year' – Hockey. Nominated for Cardiff Met Student Led Teaching Award (SLTA) for Personal Tutor Award.
External Links:
I am linked with a number of external organisations through sporting performance, professional practice, enterprise activities and learning, teaching & research supervision. These include:
Hockey Wales, Sport Wales, English Institute of Sport, Great Britain Hockey, USA Rugby Union, Rowing New Zealand, England Rugby, Derby County FC, Manchester City FC, Glamorgan County CC.
