Dave Collins

Dave heads the Institute of Coaching and Performance (ICaP) which focuses on a broad spectrum of human challenge. The majority of this work is in high level sport, encompassing training and preparation, expertise in coaching and support science disciplines, skill development and refinement, and talent development. He also addresses policy in these areas, together with broader elements of performance and coaching in business, military/emergency services and adventure education.

In addition to his University post, Dave is also Director of Grey Matters Performance Ltd. He holds a BEd in PE and Maths from Borough Road College (1978), an MS in Sport Psychology from Pennsylvania State University and a PhD in Psychology from the University of Surrey (1990). Dave is also a Chartered Psychologist, registered supervisor (RAPS) and Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, a registered practitioner with the HPC and a Chartered Scientist. He is a Fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences and holds a High Performance Sport accreditation as a Sport Scientist. Dave was also elected a founding fellow of the Society of Martial Arts.

As an academic, Dave has over 350 peer-review publications and over 60 books and book chapters. To date, he has attracted over £2.5M in external funding to his various University posts and has served on Government Committees at regional and national level. Dave has supervised over 50 postgraduate research degrees, and currently directs studies for another nine PhD and 18 Professional Doctoral students.

Dave has worked in various roles within high performance sport since 1985, attending ten Olympic and over 40 World Championships with various sports. Previously, as Performance Director of UK Athletics, he directed the programme which progressed the team from 24th to 4th (World then Olympic) 21st to 3rd (World Indoors) and 12th to 1st (European Team).

Dave has worked with over 70 World or Olympic medallists plus professional sports teams, dancers, musicians, and executives in business and public service.

Dave is currently a performance consultant with a variety of professional sports organisations, including Snowsports New Zealand Ski and Snowboard, the Chelsea FC Academy and Motor Sports Team UK. He has consulted around the world, including Australia, Fiji, Japan and Singapore, Canada and the USA, and various national sports bodies in Europe. Dave has coached rugby to national level, including visiting coaching posts in the USA and Japan.