School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure

Dr Gerald Griggs

Name Dr Gerald Griggs
Job Title Senior Lecturer in Physical Education and Sports Studies
School School of Sport, Performing Arts and Leisure
Tel 01902 32 3324
Email g.griggs@wlv.ac.uk

 

Biographical summary Dr Gerald Griggs

Dr Gerald Griggs is a Senior Lecturer in Physical Education and Sports Studies at the University of Wolverhampton.

Gerald initially trained as a primary teacher with a specialism in Physical Education at Edge Hill College, before teaching for five years in primary schools in Suffolk and West Sussex.

Keen to also follow an academic interest in the Sociology of Sport developed as an undergraduate, he gained the National Grid scholarship at the University of Warwick and left primary teaching to study full time for an MA in Sport, Politics and Society.

Upon completion Gerald entered Higher Education and taught for four years at Newman University College, Birmingham where his time was split between lecturing Physical Education and the Sociology of Sport and supervising trainee teachers in schools.

Gerald has been at the University of Wolverhampton since 2006 during which time he has completed his PhD in Sociological Research at the University of Leicester and has published in a wide range of International peer reviewed journals.

Teaching responsibilities

Gerald lecturers on undergraduate modules on both the Physical Education (non QTS) and Sports Studies courses. He supervises students undertaking both Mphil/PhD and undergraduate dissertations.

Non teaching responsibilities

  • Member of the School Research and Student Management boards
  • Co-Chair of the Sport Culture and Physical Education research group

Research Interests

  • Contemporary Issues in Primary Physical Education
  • Alternative Sports Cultures

 

Qualifications

  • PhD, Sociological Research, University of Leicester
  • MA, Sport, Politics and Society, University of Warwick
  • BA (Hons) QTS Physical Education, Edge Hill College

 

Employment History

  • (2006 – present) Senior Lecturer in Physical Education and Sports Studies - University of Wolverhampton
  • (2002 – 2006) Lecturer in Physical Education and Sports Studies - Newman University College, Birmingham
  • (1999 – 2001) Class Teacher and PE co-ordinator -  Balcombe CE Primary School, Balcombe, West Sussex
  • (1996 – 1999) Class Teacher and PE co-ordinator -  Halifax County Primary School, Ipswich, Suffolk

 

Selected Publications

  • Griggs, G., Leflay, K. & Groves, M. (2012) ‘Just watching it again now still gives me goose bumps!’: Understanding moments of private nostalgia as a sport spectator. Sociology of Sport Journal. ifirst.
  • Griggs, G., Knight, P., Freeman, I.A. and O'Reilly, N. (2012) A vision of London in the 21st Century or just terrifying monsters: A semiotic analysis of the official mascots for the London 2012 Olympic Games. Leisure Studies. ifirst.
  • Griggs, G. (2012) Why have alternative sports grown in popularity in the UK? Annals of Leisure Research. ifirst.
  • Griggs, G. & Ward, G. (2012) Physical Education in the UK: Disconnections and Reconnections, Curriculum Journal. ifirst.
  • Griggs, G. (2012) Explaining the development of sports coaching in primary schools with the aid of complexity theory. Education 3 – 13. ifirst.
  • Biscomb, K. & Griggs, G. (2012) “A Splendid Effort!” – Print Media Reporting of England’s Women’s Performance in the 2009 World Cup Cricket. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, ifirst.
  • Groves, M., Griggs, G., & Leflay, K. (2012) Student initiation ceremonies – A review, Sport in Society, 15, 1, 117 – 131.
  • Griggs, G. (2012) Carlsberg don’t make football teams but if they did... The utopian reporting of FC St Pauli in the British media. Soccer in Society, 13, 1, 73 – 82.
  • Griggs, G. & McGregor, D. (2011) Scaffolding creativity: Reflecting on practice in order to develop the teaching of undergraduate gymnastics. Journal of further and Higher Education, ifirst.
  • Griggs, G. (2011) Ethnography study of alternative sports by alternative means. List Mining as a method of data collection. Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics, 6,2, 85 - 91
  • Griggs, G. (2011) This must be the only sport in the world where most of the players don’t know the rules’: Operationalising Self refereeing in UK Ultimate Frisbee, Sport in Society, 14, 1, 97 -110.
  • Ward, G. & Griggs, G. (2011) Principles of Play: a proposed framework towards a holistic overview of games in primary Physical Education, Education 3 – 13, 39, 5, 499 – 516.
  • Griggs, G. & Biscomb, K. (2010) Theresa Bennett is 42 ...but what’s new?. Soccer in Society, 11, 5, 668-676
  • O’Leary, N. & Griggs, G. (2010) Researching the pieces of a puzzle: The use of a jigsaw learning approach in the delivery of undergraduate gymnastics. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 34, 1, 73 – 81.
  • Griggs, G. (2010) For Sale – Primary Physical Education. £20 per hour or nearest offer, Education 3 – 13, 38, 1, 39 – 46.
  • Griggs, G. (2009) When a ball dreams, it dreams it’s a Frisbee’: The emergence of aesthetic appreciation within Ultimate Frisbee. Sport in society. 12, 10, 1317 – 1326.
  • Griggs, G. (2009) ‘Just a sport made up in a car park’: The soft landscape of ultimate Frisbee. Social and Cultural Geography. 10, 7, 757 – 770.
  • Griggs, G. (2009) ‘The Origins and Development of Ultimate Frisbee in the UK: From creation to recognition’. The Sport Journal, 12, 3.
  • Griggs, G. & Wheeler, K. (2007) ‘Play up, play up and play the game’: the implications of every child matters within physical education and school sport. Education 3 – 13. 35, 3, pp. 273 – 282.
  • Griggs, G. (2007) Physical Education: Primary Matters, Secondary Importance. Education 3 –13, 35, 1, pp. 59 – 69.
  • Griggs, G. (2006) Calypso to Collapso: The decline of the West Indies as a cricketting super power. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 30, 3, pp. 306 – 314.
  • Griggs, G. (2004) Soccer hooliganism in England between the wars. The Sport Journal. 7, 3, pp. 1-5.

 

Books

  • Griggs, G. (2007) Physical Education: The essential toolkit for primary school teachers. Blackburn: Educational Print Services Ltd.
  • Griggs,G (ed) (2012) Physical Education in the Primary School: An Introduction. London: Routledge.

 

Book chapters

  • Thomas, L. & Griggs, G., (2011) Reflective practice: its place within the ‘new professionalism’, In D. McGregor (ed) Reflective Practice. Buckingham: OU Press.
  • Griggs, G. & Stidder, G. (2012) Healthism and the obesity discourse: Approaches to inclusive health education through Alternative Physical Education, In G. Stidder & S. Hayes, Equity and Inclusion in Physical Education (2nd Edition). London: Routledge.

 

Professional papers

  • Griggs, G. & O’Leary, N. (2010) Come together: The journeys of second career researchers. Research Intelligence, 109, 9.
  • Ward, G. & Griggs, G. (2010) Cogs in the machine – Primary Link Teachers, Primary Physical Education Matters, 5, 1, 3-4.
  • Smith, E. & Griggs, G. (2010) ‘Good Vibrations’: The effectiveness of teaching rebound therapy to children with profound and multiple learning difficulties, Qualitative Research in Sport Studies.
  • Griggs, G. (2010) Response to the editor. ‘Ten reasons why we should not take our ball in just yet’ or a perspective on the Rose Review, Physical Education Matters.
  • O’Leary, N. & Griggs, G. (2009) Teaching pace judgement. Physical Education Matters.
  • Griggs, G. (2008) Outsiders Inside: The Use of sports coaches in primary schools in the West Midlands. Physical Education Matters, 3, 2, 33 – 36.
  • Griggs, G. (2008) PE & Sport Yesterday - Babe Didrikson. PE & Sport Today.
  • Griffiths, J. & Griggs, G. (2008) ‘Miss! This is way better than what we’ve done before’: Exploring an alternative curriculum for girls’ Physical education. PE & Sport Today.
  • Griggs, G. (2008) PE & Sport Yesterday - Dr. Brookes & The Wenlock Olympian Games. PE & Sport Today.
  • Farooq, S. & Griggs,G. (2008) ‘Behind every Asian woman is a whole community telling her she’s wrong’: Experiences of South Asian female participation in physical activity in the UK. PE & Sport Today.
  • Griggs, G. (2007) Review of the 3rd annual primary Physical Education Conference, Roehampton University. Primary PE Matters.
  • Griggs, G. (2007) Maximising creativity in primary Physical Education. Physical Education Matters, 2,4, primary ii – iii.
  • Griggs, G. (2007) Looking on from the sidelines’: Inclusion in primary physical education, Physical Education Matters, primary vii.
  • Biscomb, K., McCarthy, P., Groves, M., & Griggs, G. (2006) Can inclusion be anything other an illusion in sport. The Sport and Exercise Scientist. December, Issue 10, pp.18-19.
  • Griggs, G. (2006) PE & Sport Yesterday – ‘Fanny Blankers - Koen’ . PE & Sport Today, 22
  • Griggs, G. (2006) Essential Toolkit – Striking and Fielding Games. PE & Sport Today. 21.
  • Griggs, G. (2006) ‘Cricket’s search for street cred’: Introducing tapeball . PE & Sport Today, 21.
  • Griggs, G. (2006) PE & Sport Yesterday – ‘The White Horse Cup Final’ . PE & Sport Today, 21.
  • Griggs, G. (2005) Getting into deep water: The state of swimming in primary schools. Bulletin of Physical Education (BAALPE Celebration edition), pp. 9 –15.
  • Griggs, G. & Wheeler, K. (2005) Mind the gap! : The implications for undergraduates studying sports-related degrees and gaining places on PE PGCE courses. British Journal of Teaching PE, 36, 4, pp. 6 – 10.
  • Griggs, G. (2005) ‘Flying the Flag’: An alternative games experience. British Journal of Teaching PE, 36, 3, Primary PE Focus pp. 6.
  • Adams, P. & Griggs, G. (2005) Cross-curricular or cross-purposes? An exploration of the relationship between Citizenship Education and Physical Education. Bulletin of Physical Education. Vol 41, No. 1, pp. 23 - 42.
  • Griggs, G. (2005) PE & Sport Yesterday – CB Fry. PE & Sport Today, 20, pp. 50 – 51..
  • Griggs, G. (2005) Essential Toolkit – Invasion Games. PE & Sport Today. 20, pp. 28 –35.
  • Griggs, G. (2005) Essential Toolkit – Dance. PE & Sport Today. 19, pp. 27 – 35.
  • Griggs, G. (2005) Anyone for Tennis?. PE & Sport Today. 19, pp. 16 - 17.
  • Griggs,G. & E. Marsden (2005) One jump ahead. Junior Education. October. Pp. 19 – 20.
  • Griggs, G. (2005) The Essential Toolkit – Net/Wall Games. PE & Sport Today. 18, pp. 28 – 35.
  • Griggs, G. (2005) Sent to Coventry: The International Children’s Games 2005. PE & Sport Today. 18, pp. 44 – 45.
  • Griggs, G. (2005) ‘Passing the baton’ – What does the future hold for British Athletics? PE & Sport Today. 17, pp. 25.
  • Griggs, G. (2005) The Essential Toolkit – Athletics. PE & Sport Today. 17, pp. 27 – 35.
  • Griggs, G. (2005) A balancing act. Teaching and Learning, 13, pp. 28 – 29.
  • Griggs, G. (2004) A beginners guide to Ultimate Frisbee. The British Journal of Teaching Physical Education. 35, 2, pp. 13-14.
  • Griggs, G. (2004) The Essential Toolkit – Outdoor and Adventurous Activities. PE & Sport Today. 16, pp. 27-35.
  • Griggs, G. (2004) Spinners and Losers. PE & Sport Today. 16, pp. 19-20.
  • Griggs, G. (2004) The ultimate answer. PE & Sport Today. 14, pp. 34-5.
  • Griggs, G. (2004) Football 'falling foul'. PE & Sport Today. 15, pp. 46-7.
  • Griggs, G. (2004) Are boys just ‘hogging’ the ball?': An examination of the factors that influence primary school girls’ participation in football. London: Bulletin of Physical Education. 40, 2, pp. 161 – 177.

 

Membership of Professional Organisations

  • Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (FRSA)
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
  • British Educational Research Association
  • British Sociological Association
  • Association for Physical Education
  • Association for Primary Education

 

Research income

2009: Funding from the Centre for Learning and Teaching for a collaborative project developing jigsaw learning in Physical Education(£3000)

Review Boards

  • 2004–Present: Academic reviewer for British Educational Research Journal, Leisure Studies, Learning and Individual Differences journal, Sport in Society, Education 3 -13, International Journal of Sport Politics and Policy, Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, Physical Education Matters
  • External Examiner at the University of Edinburgh 2011– present (B.Ed. Primary – Health and Well Being)
  • External Examiner at the University of Cumbria 2010 – present (B.Ed. Primary Physical Education)
  • External Examiner at the University of Edinburgh 2007 – 2010 (B.Ed. Primary Physical Education)

 

Awards Received

2002: National Grid scholarship at the University of Warwick

 

Links to professional bodies

  • Organising committee member for the British Educational Research Association, Special Interest Group for PE, 2009 – 2011
  • Member of Association for Physical Education’s International Policy Group2007 – 2009 ·
  • International news co-ordinator for ‘Physical Education Matters’ journal 2007 - 2009
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