Effect of practice on skill learning, retention and transfer in sport

Career overview

Professor Matt Bridge holds a PhD in Sport and Exercise Sciences and a BSc in Sport and Exercise Sciences. He is currently the Deputy Head of the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Birmingham, where he has worked for over twenty years. His research focuses on coaching and applied sports science, particularly the development of sporting skill in practical settings and pathways to expertise in athletes. Professor Bridge leads the School’s International Strategy and has been instrumental in developing partnerships with leading global institutions. Prior to his current role, he served as Head of Education and has contributed significantly to degree programme leadership. Throughout his career, Professor Bridge has engaged with both professional and amateur sports teams, coaches, and athletes in various coaching and consultancy roles. He is also the Chair of British Universities and Colleges Golf. His teaching contributions span undergraduate, postgraduate, and research degree programmes, with a focus on applied sports science and coaching, covering topics such as skill development, professional practice in sport, athlete development, and movement analysis. In terms of research supervision, Professor Bridge oversees PhD and Doctoral students on various projects, including the developmental pathways of elite dancers, the effect of practice constraints on football skill development, the role of proprioceptive acuity in skill acquisition, and the use of isolated practice in elite football academies. His research interests include understanding optimal skill development and the multifactorial processes that lead to elite performance and lifelong participation in sport and exercise. In addition to his academic responsibilities, Professor Bridge has consulted for the British Olympic Association, the European Tour, and various sports teams, including golf, cycling, and triathlon. He is the Director of Golf for University Birmingham Sport and chairs the Golf Sports Advisory Group for British Universities and Colleges Sport. Professor Bridge is a member of several professional organisations, including the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences, the European College of Sports Science, and the World Scientific Congress of Golf.

Research interests

Professor Matt Bridge''s research focuses on coaching and applied sports science, particularly the development of sporting skill in applied settings and pathways to expertise in athletes. His interests include understanding optimal skill development, examining the effects of practice structure on learning and retention of sporting skills in both controlled and real-world coaching environments. He also investigates athlete development processes and pathways that contribute to elite performance and lifelong participation in sport, considering multifactorial influences such as physiology, psychology, and sociology. Current PhD projects supervised by him include the developmental pathways of elite dancers, the effect of practice constraints on football skill development, the role of proprioceptive acuity in skill acquisition, and the use of isolated practice in elite football academies.