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Michael Ayres

Senior Lecturer - Chelsea FC Football Foundation Coaching and Development

Michael Ayres

About Research

Email: michael.ayres@stmarys.ac.uk
Tel: 020 8240 4051

Biography

Michael joined St Mary's in January 2008 and lecturers on the Physical and Sport Education BA. 

He is responsible for the sports pedagogy modules on the programme and also teaches across other research and physical education modules. In addition to his lecturing, Michael has established the Centre for Coaching. The centre provides innovative and unique professional development opportunities for sports coaches and teachers. In addition, he has also established a Teaching games for Understanding (TGfU) Community of Practice for students, coaches and teachers. As a result of this collaborative approach to TGfU five groups of staff, teachers and coaches presented their research at the 5th Teaching Games for Understanding International conference.

Previously, Michael worked in a variety of Project management roles in inner London local authorities developing sport and physical activity opportunities for young people. During this time he successfully gained the PRINCE2, Project Management qualification.

He has also coached at a leading professional football club academy and currently works as a conditioning coach there. In 2009, he successfully completed his MSc in Applied Sport Science. On the sporting field Michael has represented his country, England, at football and played in the 2009 UEFA Regions Cup in Italy.

Consultancy:

  • Technical coach - Football Icon, Sky One. Chelsea Football Club. 2008 and 2009
  • Technical and Talent Development Advisor - Football’s Next Star, Sky One. Inter Milan. 2011 
  • Talent Development Advisor - Footballs Next Star, RTE. Celtic FC. 2012

Projects:

  • Major’s Legacy Skills Fund - Sport Coaching 
  • Olympic Legacy - Establishment of after school multi-sport clubs in local primary schools 
  • Teaching Games for Understanding Community of Practice

Research

Research profile

Symposiums:

  • Ayres, M. An Action Research Approach to the Implementation of Teaching Games for Understanding among participant coaches. 5th International Teaching Games for Understanding Conference. (2012)
  • Ayres, M. Ezzeldin, K and Pearson, J. (2012). Development of a Teaching Games for Understanding Community of Practice. 5th International Teaching Games for Understanding Conference.
  • Almond, L, Ayres, M and Ezzeldin, K. (2013). Developing a Collaborative Network of University Centres to Promote Innovation and Sustainable Change in the Teaching of Games - Stimulating Teachers to enegage in practice related research. AISEP Physical Education and Sport Conference: Challenging the Future. Warsaw
  • Ayres, M and Page, S. (2014). The role of the student voice in developing fundamental movement skills. 1st International Congress on Children's Physical Activity and Sport. Leige
  • Almond, L, Pot, N., Ezzeldin, K and Ayres, M. (2014). An alternative pedagogical framework to FMS. 1st International Congress on Children's Physical Activity and Sport. Leige
  • Ayres, M and Page, S. (2015). The role of the student voice in developing fundamental movement skills. 1st International Congress on Children's Physical Activity and Sport. Leige
  • Almond, L., Pot, N., Ezzeldin, K and Ayres, M. (2015). An alternative Pedagogical Framework to developing FMS. 1st International Congress on Children's Physical Activity and Sport. Leige

Oral Presentations:

  • Ayres, M. (2012) An Action Research Approach to the Implementation of Teaching Games for Understanding among participant coaches. 5th International Teaching Games for Understanding Conference.
  • Sports Pedagogy in the 21st Century Coimbra University 'Developing the Concept of Thinking Games" February 2013
  • Ayres, M and Page, S. (2015). 'Weaker, one strong' - pedagogical considerations of developing an elite players non-dominant foot through a game centred approach. 8th World Congress on Science and Football. Copenhagen.
  • Ayres, M and Page, S. (2015). The Role of Student Voice when engaging with a GCA. Transforming a Games Curriculum (as part of the Symposium on contemporary issues surrounding the implementation of Game-Centered Approaches to teaching and coaching games). Madrid.
  • Ayres, M (2015). HE Coaching Hotspot Consortium. An HE perspective. BUCS Student Conference, Sheffield.
  • Ayres, M., Almond, L. and Page, S. (2015). Understanding Game Centred Approaches. Sports Coach UK Conference, Cardiff.

Written Publications:

  • Almond, L and Ayres, M (2013). An Exploration of the meaning of Understanding in Physical Education: Taking the First Steps. Physical Education Matters, 8, 3 p26 – 31.
  • Ayres, M and Almond, L. (2014). Understanding in the Teaching of Games and its Significance for Physical Education. Physical Education Matters, 9, 1, p15 – 17.

Media enquiries

For media enquiries, please contact our Press Office Team by emailing press.office@stmarys.ac.uk.