Dr Laura Purdy joined the Sports Business degree programme team at Liverpool John Moores University in January 2024. She holds a PhD from the University of Otago (New Zealand), a MSc (Leisure Studies) from the University of Illinois (USA), and a Bachelor of Recreation and Leisure Studies (Hons.) from Brock University (Canada). Her recent scholarly activity has focused on issues in the sport industry that relate to relationships between organisations and sports workers (i.e., athletes, coaches, general managers, and agents). For example, she has explored contract development, welfare and safeguarding, advocacy and voice, and the impact of technology on employment sustainability and precarity in sport. Her research showcases ‘best practice’, informing policy for national organisations and the education of sports workers globally, including Swiss Olympic, UK Coaching, Coaching Ireland, the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), the Basketball Federations of Kosovo, Estonia, and Bulgaria, the British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI), and the Lithuanian Federation of Sport Climbing.
Laura holds several senior positions internationally. She is an Associate Editor and Scholarly Development Associate Editor for the Taylor and Francis journal, Sports Coaching Review. She is a member of the editorial board of Pedigogika (a Baltic-based journal in education), a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Educational Research (ETI) at Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania, and a member of the International Sociology of Sport Association.
Degrees
University of Otago, New Zealand, PhD (School of Physical Education)
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States, MSc (Department of Leisure Studies)
Brock University, Canada, Bachelor of Recreation and Leisure Studies (Hons)
Certifications
National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland, Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
Academic appointments
Senior Researcher, Institute of Educational Research (ETI), Vytautas Magnus University, 2021 - present
Senior Lecturer (Sports Coaching), Department of Sport and Physical Activity, Edge Hill University, 2013 - 2024
Highlighted publications
Kohe GZ, Purdy LG. 2024. Conceptualising the notion of the ‘sport worker’ and ’sport/s work’: A commentary Sport in Society, :1-15 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Purdy LG, Lang M. 2023. Raibuliavimas (making ripples): student-athletes action safe sport in Lithuania Sport, Education and Society, DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Barker-Ruchti N, Purdy LG. 2023. Education for Sustainable Development: teaching deliberation and ethical decision-making in university coach education Sports Coaching Review, 12 :125-144 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Journal article
Kohe GZ, Purdy LG. 2024. Conceptualising the notion of the ‘sport worker’ and ’sport/s work’: A commentary Sport in Society, :1-15 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Purdy LG, Lang M. 2023. Raibuliavimas (making ripples): student-athletes action safe sport in Lithuania Sport, Education and Society, DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Barker-Ruchti N, Purdy LG. 2023. Education for Sustainable Development: teaching deliberation and ethical decision-making in university coach education Sports Coaching Review, 12 :125-144 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Linghede E, Purdy L, Barker-Ruchti N. 2022. Glitching trans* athletes: possibilities for research and practice in sports coaching Sports Coaching Review, 11 :64-86 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Purdy LG, Kohe GZ, Paulauskas R. 2021. Professional sports work in times of geopolitical crises: experiences in men’s basketball in Ukraine Managing Sport and Leisure, 28 :344-359 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Hughes C, Kohe GZ, Purdy L. 2019. Playing Nostalgic Language Games in Sport Research: Conceptual Considerations and Methodological Musings Quest, 71 :517-532 DOI Publisher Url
Kohe GZ, Purdy LG. 2019. Analytical attractions and the techno-continuum: Conceptualising data obsessions and consequences in elite sport Sport, Education and Society, 24 :742-755 DOI Publisher Url
Purdy LG, Kohe GZ, Paulauskas R. 2019. Coaches as sport workers: professional agency within the employment context of elite European basketball Sport, Education and Society, 24 :195-207 DOI Publisher Url
Purdy LG, Kohe GZ, Paulauskas R. 2018. Changing it up: implications of mid-season coach change on basketball players’ career and professional identities Sport in Society, 21 :1880-1896 DOI Publisher Url
Purdy LG, Potrac P. 2016. Am I just not good enough? The creation, development and questioning of a high performance coaching identity Sport, Education and Society, 21 :778-795 DOI Publisher Url
Kohe GZ, Purdy LG. 2016. In Protection of Whose “Wellbeing?” Considerations of “Clauses and A/Effects” in Athlete Contracts Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 40 :218-236 DOI Publisher Url
Purdy L, Jones R. 2013. Changing personas and evolving identities: The contestation and renegotiation of researcher roles in fieldwork Sport, Education and Society, 18 :292-310 DOI Publisher Url
Bertz S, Purdy L. 2011. Coach Education in Ireland: Observations and Considerations for High Performance Journal of Coaching Education, 4 :29-43 DOI Publisher Url
Purdy L, Bertz S, Keegan G. 2011. Inside the Call Room: Developing High-Performance Coaches in Ireland: A Commentary Journal of Coaching Education, 4 :30-39 DOI Publisher Url
Purdy LG, Jones RL. 2011. Choppy waters: Elite rowers' perceptions of coaching Sociology of Sport Journal, 28 :329-346 DOI Publisher Url
Purdy L, Jones R, Cassidy T. 2009. Negotiation and capital: Athletes' use of power in an elite men's rowing program Sport, Education and Society, 14 :321-338 DOI Publisher Url
Purdy L, Potrac P, Jones R. 2008. Power, consent and resistance: An autoethnography of competitive rowing Sport, Education and Society, 13 :319-336 DOI Publisher Url
Purdy L, Lang M. Imagining Sport in Lithuania: Young Athletes’ views of Safe Sport European Journal for Sport and Society, DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Purdy L, Kohe GZ. Kosovo basketball plays for a sustainable sporting future Sport in Society, Public Url
Purdy L, Kohe GZ, Barker-Ruchti N. Possibilities for an internationalised, inclusive pedagogy for transnational sport education: The case of a safe sport education programme in Lithuania Sport, Education and Society, Public Url
Purdy L, Kohe GZ. “I'm not a warrior, I'm a basketball player”: A narrative on professional sport in troubled times International Review for the Sociology of Sport, Public Url
Chapters
Lang M, Purdy LG. 2022. Child's Play? Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport Routledge Handbook of Coaching Children in Sport :195-203 Routledge DOI Publisher Url
Kohe GZ, Purdy LG, Litou A. 2021. Athlete welfare, stakeholder responsibility and ethics of care in elite sport: An examination of Para-sport organization approaches in France Campbell N, Brady A, Tincknell-Smith A. Developing and Supporting Athlete Wellbeing Person First, Athlete Second :211-224 Routledge 9781000442908 DOI Publisher Url
Barker-Ruchti N, Purdy L, Doudeniene L. 2021. It’s on BOYS! University coach educators and the production, maintenance and disruption of gender structures Norman L. Improving Gender Equity in Sports Coaching :104-120 Routledge 9781000426588
Kohe GZ, Purdy LG. 2020. 3 Organisational obligations toward athlete transitions: Confronting the bureaucratisation of athlete welfare with an ethics of care Routledge Handbook of Athlete Welfare :33-42
Purdy LG, Kohe GZ, Paulauskas R. 2020. 21 Examinations of sports workers' welfare in spaces of geopolitical conflict: 'The country is under threat, but the game goes on' Routledge Handbook of Athlete Welfare :242-250
Purdy LG, Kohe GZ, Paulauskas R. 2019. “It doesn’t matter how old you are, what matters is the condition you’re in.” Aging in professional sport: A case of a basketball player Barker-Ruchti N. Athlete Learning in Elite Sport A Cultural Framework :113-125 Routledge 9781351617802
Purdy LG, Purdy J, Potrac P. 2016. Going the distance: A tale of energy, commitment and collaboration. Drew Ferguson, Canada’s Para soccer coach High Performance Disability Sport Coaching :7-23 Routledge 9781317507154
Purdy L, Potrac P, Paulauskas R. 2016. Nel Noddings: Caring, moral learning and coaching Learning in Sports Coaching: Theory and Application :215-226 DOI Publisher Url
Molnar G, Purdy LG. 2016. Ethnographies in Sport and Exercise Research Introduction ETHNOGRAPHIES IN SPORT AND EXERCISE RESEARCH :1-10 978-1-138-01528-9
Purdy LG. 2015. Considering micropolitical (under)'currents': Reflections on fieldwork within an elite men's rowing programme Ethnographies in Sport and Exercise Research :126-140
Molnar G, Purdy LG. 2015. Introduction Molnar G, Purdy L. Ethnographies in Sport and Exercise Research :1-10 Routledge 9781138015289
Purdy LG. 2014. Interviews Nelson L, Groom R, Potrac P. Research Methods in Sports Coaching :161-170 Routledge 9781135093105
Purdy L, Molnar G, Griffiths L, Castle P. 2014. Ilona: ‘Tweeting’ through cultural adjustments Pedagogical Cases in Physical Education and Youth Sport 9780203795927 :222-234
Morgan K, Jones RL, Gilbourne D, Llewellyn D. 2013. Innovative approaches in coach education pedagogy Routledge Handbook of Sports Coaching :486-496 DOI Publisher Url
Potrac P, Jones RL, Purdy L, Nelson L, Marshall P. 2013. Towards an emotional understanding of coaching practice: A suggested research agenda Potrac P, GIlbert W, Denison J. Routledge Handbook of Sports Coaching :235-246 Routledge 9780415782227 DOI
Purdy L, Potrac P, Nelson L. 2013. Exploring trust and distrust in coaching: A suggested research agenda Potrac P, Gilbert W, Denison J. Routledge Handbook of Sports Coaching :309-320 Routledge 9780415782227 DOI
Purdy L. 2010. Anthony Giddens: Acknowledging structure and individuality within coaching The Sociology of Sports Coaching :67-78 DOI
Potrac P, Purdy L. 2004. Graham Taylor Jones RL, Armour K, Potrac P. Sports Coaching Cultures From Practice to Theory :21-30 Psychology Press 9780415328517
Editorial/letter to the editor
Barker-Ruchti N, Purdy L. 2022. New possibilities: extending research and practice in sports coaching Sports Coaching Review, 11 :1-4 DOI Publisher Url
Books (authored)
Purdy L. 2017. Sports Coaching: The Basics Routledge 9781317487609
Public engagement:
Public talk or lecture, athletes, coaches and administrators associated with sport climbing in Lithuanian, Invited speaker, online, Fostering a safe sport (climbing) environment, An online workshop for the Lithuanian Sport Climbing federation as part of their annual professional development., https://www.facebook.com/events/458941866955673. 2024
External PGR examinations performed:
Örebro University, Mid-way review of PhD, After #gymnastalliance: An ethnographic field study exploring gymnasts’ experiences of change. 2024
Univeristy of Hull, MRes, Candidate L Oldridge. 2024
Vytautas Magnus University, PhD, Teacher leadership in educational interaction with learners in performer training. 2024
Vytautas Magnus University, PhD, Candidate T Ponomarenko. 2022
Cardiff Metropolitan University, PhD, Candidate J Fonseca. 2021
Loughborough University, PhD, Candidate S Heimler. 2020
Cardiff Metropolitan University, PhD, Candidate S. Figueiredo Marques dos Santos. 2017
University of Stellenbosch, PhD, Candidate B Thomas. 2011
Industrial connections:
Basketball Federations of Kosovo, Estonia and Bulgaria, Consultant for project entitled: Safeguarding our Future. 2024
Other invited event:
International Summer School on Qualitative Research, Vytautas Magnus University, A three-hour workshop for postgraduates, post docs and academics on an introduction to ethnography.. 2024
International Summer School on Qualitative Research, Vytautas Magnus Universtiy, A one-hour lecture delivered to postgraduates, post docs and academics on "The endangered ethnography: Causes and Consequences". 2024
Sports workers’ welfare in European men’s basketball: Context, experiences, concerns and possibilities., Vilnius, Lithuania, Keynote presentation. 2024
Equality and Diversity in Research Design, Edge Hill University, A two-hour session on EDI in Research Design for postgraduate students and staff.. 2023
What is it like to be...? An exploration of sports work, online for the German Sport University, Presentation to the Sociology of Sport Research Group. 2023
Fostering sustain’abilities’ in an undergraduate sports coaching degree, online, Presentation delivered to the Critical Pedagogies in Sport network. 2023
International Summer School on Qualitative Research 2023, online, A full-day session introducing ethnography to a European audience of postgraduate students and academics.. 2023
Sporto Reemimo Fondas, online, Developed three virtual sessions on safe sport available to 20,000 Lithuanian PE teachers.. 2022
Confronting the bureaucratization of athlete welfare with an ethics of care, online for the launch of the Routledge Handbook of Athlete Welfare, Presentation about the book chapter for the Routledge Handbook of Athlete Welfare. 2020
The career experiences of professional basketball players, Gothenburg, Sweden, Presentation to the Sociology of Sport Research Interest Group. 2015
Considering the climate of elite/professional sporting environments, Lithuanian Sports University, Presentation delivered to faculty and students at this institution.. 2015
the European Colleges of Sport Science Sport Sciences: Nature, Nurture and Culture, Oslo, Norway, Invited speaker. 2009
Editorial boards:
Sports Coaching Review, Associate Editor. 2022
Pedigogika, Board. 2022
Graduate Journal of Sport, Exercise and Physical Education Research, Associate Editor. 2012
Research Grants Awarded:
Institute of Social Responsibility; Edge Hill University, (Re)imagining sport in Lithuania: Young people’s promotion of safe sporting spaces, Dr Melanie Lang and Dr Rutenis Paulauksas, Grant value (£): 4842.85, Duration of research project: 12 months. 2022
UK Athletics, Safeguarding Education Evaluation Project, Dr Mike Hartill (Edge Hill University), Dr Axel Koehne (Edge Hill University), Dr Tom Simcock, Dr Laura Purdy, Dr Michelle Jones, Dr Julie Feather, Dr Fiona Johnson and Dr Melanie Lang, Grant value (£): £38,663, Duration of research project: 18 months. 2019
Research Council of Lithuania, Internship, Lithuanian Sports University, Grant value (£): £1873.50, Duration of research project: 1 week. 2018
Conference presentation:
How to be well with pens in hand: A collaborative project in understanding, International Conference on the mental health and wellbeing of PGRs, Oral presentation. 2022
Fostering sustain‘abilities’: Scribing sustainability thinking in an undergraduate sports coaching degree, the 14th biennial Australian and New Zealand Association for Leisure Studies conference, Queenstown, New Zealand, Oral presentation. 2019
Career welfare, employment progression and duties of care in elite sport: A European regional examination of sport organisation initiatives and worker issues, International Sociology of Sport Association, Taipai, Taiwan, Oral presentation. 2017
“What about me?” Sporting professionals’ representation, advocacy and voice in uncertain times., International Sociology of Sport Association, Paris, Oral presentation. 2015
Am I just not good enough? The creation, development and questioning of a coaching identity, the 3rd International Qualitative Conference in Sport and Exercise, Roehampton, UK, Poster presentation. 2009
High performance coaches: Roles, perspectives, pathways and prospects in the Irish context, the 3rd International Qualitative Conference in Sport and Exercise, Roehampton, Oral presentation. 2009
External collaboration:
Vytautas Magnus University, Institute of Educational Research (ETI), Education Academy, Lithuania. 2021
https://sites.edgehill.ac.uk/cpss/, Edge Hill University, Centre for Child Protection and Safeguarding in Sport. 2019
Membership of professional bodies:
General member, International Sociology of Sport Association. 2011
Teaching qualification:
Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. 2008