Professor David Morley

Professor David Morley is currently the Carnegie Professor of Physical Education at Leeds Beckett University and Adjunct Professor of Sport Coaching at La Trobe University, Melbourne. He leads local, regional, national and global projects concerned with improving children’s health, wellbeing, physical activity, movement and physical literacy on behalf of national and international physical education and sport organisations.

Dave completed his BEd (Hons) degree in Secondary PE teaching, Masters in PE and PhD in talent development in PE at Leeds Metropolitan and Leeds Beckett Universities. He has held professorial positions at Liverpool John Moores University as Associate Dean for Research, Sheffield Hallam University as Dean of the Academy of Sport and Physical Activity and La Trobe University (Melbourne) as Professor of Sport Coaching.

Dave has been responsible for designing and evaluating programs reaching thousands of children and young people, teachers and coaches. He has also led on the creation of national strategies, such as ‘talent matters’ that was used to improve talent identification and development in schools PE. He has worked with numerous professional clubs and national governing bodies in youth talent development, appreciating an understanding of practitioner and player perspectives on systems and approaches. He is currently lead advisor for Nike and the Youth Sport Trust developing and evaluating a games-based, movement assessment intervention involving 25 million children across over 20 countries.

Dave is also, more recently, co-director of the Centre for Child & Adolescent Physical Literacy (CAPL) that aims to promote healthier and happier children and adolescents, whilst supporting others involved with their development as well. 

• Level 5 Research Methods