Sport Leadership and Management

A selection of current research projects:

• National Sport Club Survey (Mel Johnston)
• Leadership in Sport Governance (Lesley Ferkins)
• NZOC Wāhine Toa Leadership Development Program (Lesley Ferkins)
• Translating Pacific Health Research to improve Pacific Housing (Dion Enari)
• Leadership in nonprofit sport boards (Lesley Ferkins)
• Gender Equality Playbook (Mel Johnston)
• Leadership Research Directions in Sport Management: Synergising the Locker Room and the Boardroom (Lesley Ferkins)
• Looking for the ‘ah ha’ moments in action research understanding (Lesley Ferkins)
• The Wellbeing of Work-integrated Learning students (Jenny Fleming)
• WILspace – global conversations for WIL practitioners (Patricia Lucas)
• Quality frameworks for reflective practice (Patricia Lucas)
• Moving Manuwera Programme Evaluation (Sport NZ) (Mel Johnston, Simon Walters)
• “A crisis like no other”: assessing the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on sport event entrepreneurship and venues in Aotearoa-New Zealand, England and Japan (Richard Wright)
• Glory Days: Sports Reminiscence & Recreational Therapy Research in Aotearoa New Zealand (Richard Wright)
• Diversity and Inclusion on Sport Boards (Lesley Ferkins)
• Avenues 2 Independence: Codesigning rehabilitation and well-being resources for NZ contemporary veterans (Richard Wright)

PhD candidates

• Emmnauel Aboagye
  Topic: Gender Dynamism in football,
  Supervisors: Richard Wright, Melody Johnston
• Hafsa Ali
  Topic: Pakistan sport: The Impact and implications of a decade of international disconnect
  Supervisors: Richard Wright, Geoff Dickson, Simon Walters
• Chantal Bakersmith
  Topic: How can Kaupapa Māori approaches enhance leadership within sport governance?
  Supervisors: Lesley Ferkins, Catherine Mitchell
• Tammy Bezuidenhoudt
  Topic: The impact of women's sport leadership programmes
  Supervisors: Melody Johnston, Lesley Ferkins
• Tristan Brotherton
  Topic: Exploring Stakeholder Experiences of a Plus-Sport Programme: A Case Study
  Supervisors Kirsten Spencer, Simon Walters, Patricia Lucas
• Gaye Bryham
  Topic: Cultivating leadership capability in sport organisations: A Study of Rugby in New Zealand
  Supervisors: Lesley Ferkins, Sierra Keung
• Rina Honda
  Topic: Exploring the role of sport organisations in building resilience in communities impacted by natural disasters
  Supervisors: Melody Johnston, Kat Hore, Lesley Ferkins (mentor)
• Julie Hood
  Topic: Development governance capability of sport organisation Chief Executive Officers (CEOs): Selected case studies within Aotearoa New Zealand
  Supervisors: Lesley Ferkins, Tracy Molloy
• Kelly McCallum
  Topic: Inclusive leadership practices in sport boards through an emotional and cultural intelligence lens
  Supervisors: Lesley Ferkins, Charlotte Jelleyman
• Linden Moore
  Topic: Marketing women's basketball in New Zealand
  Supervisors: Michael Naylor, Melody Johnston
• Sriharan Srianganathan
  Topic: Adolescent physical activity and mental well-being in Sri Lanka and New Zealand: A comparative study
  Supervisors: Kath Godber, Richard Wright, Denise Atkins
• Yukun (Sean) Wang
  Topic: The relationship between sports involvement in the Olympic Esports Series on fan engagement in the Olympic Games: the role of intrinsic motivation and perceived value
  Supervisors: Melody Johnston, Lesley Ferkins

Master's students

• Mark Atkins
  Topic: Explicit development of life skills within the New Zealand football junior framework
  Supervisors: Melody Johnston, Kirsten Spencer
• Amber Campbell
  Topic: Leveraging Major Event Legacy: establishing the expectations of community sport clubs in Aotearoa New Zealand
  Supervisors: Richard Wright, Melody Johnson
• Jude Campbell
  Topic: Te Ao Māori Framework for supporting Māori tertiary students in Te Tai Tokerau: A Case Study Approach.
  Supervisors: Denise Wilson, Lesley Ferkins
• Aarshin Deshmukh
  Topic: Collective leadership: Influence on Super Rugby Pacific leaders.
  Superviosr: Dion Enari, Tracy Molloy
• Yuval Eyal
  Topic: The role of secondary school sport academies  in New Zealand
  Supervisors: Patricia Lucas, Simon Walters
• Donna-Lee Harris
  Topic: Sport Participation and Wellbeing Among Māori Women in Western and Traditionally Māori Sport
  Supervisors: Dion Enari, Charlotte Jelleyman
• Tita Leaupepe
  Topic: Cultural Rhythms in Aotearoa, New Zealand: Assessing the Impact of Traditional Pacific Movement Activities on the Wellbeing of Pacific Youth.
  Supervisors: Sierra Keung, Dion Enari
• Felicity Li
  Topic: Embracing self-leadership: An autoethnography of my Les Mills journey
  Supervisors: Richard Wright, Dion Enari
• Kenna Lowe
  Topic: The effectiveness and process of coaching life skills to youth through the vehicle of sport.
  Supervisors: Melody Johnston,
• Tom Lowe
  Topic: Segmented Race Analysis of medaling times for Pool Rescue Events at Lifesaving World Championships 2022
  Supervisors: Kirsten Spencer, Gaye Bryham
• Aaron Jefferson
  Topic: Civic Engagement at 2023 Football World Cup
  Supervisors: Richard Wright, Melody Johnston
• Warren Ji
  Topic: The Impact of Cancelling New Zealand Badminton Open: a stakeholder analysis
  Supervisors: Richard Wright,Tracy Molloy
• Pawan Marhas
  Topic: Pasifika Youth, Sport, and the COVID-19 Pandemic in Aotearoa New Zealand
  Supervisors: Denise Atkins, Michael Naylor
• Manish Nand
  Topic: “Winners are grinners”: a deep dive into the multiple stressors affecting a Super Rugby players’ ability to perform in training.
  Supervisors: Dion Enari, Richard Wright, Kirsten Spencer
• Gurpreet Singh
  Topic: Recruitment philosophies in talent identification in Australian Rugby League pathways systems.
  Supervisors: Dion Enari, Richard Wright, Kirsten Spencer
• Kangzhe Xiong
  Topic: Ultimate Frisbee: The impact of the 'Spirit of the Game' concept
  Supervisors: Tracy Molloy, Richard Wright

PhD students

• Olivia Baudinet (Graduated 2023)
  Topic: Exploring the influence of sport participation on the wellbeing of people with limb deficiency
  Supervisor: Lesley Ferkins, Katie Rowe
• Tracy Molloy (Graduated 2023)
  Topic: The emergence of the board nomination committee as a governance feature of New Zealand national sport organisations
  Supervisors: Lesley Ferkins, Geoff Dickson
• Javeed Ali (Graduated 2022)
  Topic: Blowing the whistle: Exploring the experiences of early-career rugby referees in New Zealand
  Supervisors: Michael Naylor, Lesley Ferkins
• Dwayne Wooliams (Graduated 2022)
  Topic: Dyadic Relationships in the Leadership of Sport Organisations
  Supervisors: Simon Walters, Kirsten Spencer, Lesley Ferkins
• Katharine Hoskyn (Graduated 2021)
  Topic: Increasing club membership in golf and lawn bowls: An action research approach
  Supervisors: Geoff Dickson, Michael Naylor
• Richard Ajiee (Graduated 2021)
  Topic: The Contribution of Community Sport Programmes to Immigrants Inclusion and Integration
  Supervisors: Richard Wright, Geoff Dickson
• Shima Beynoosh (Graduated 2018)
  Topic: Celebrity athlete endorsement and social marketing: Promoting participation in sport and physical activity
  Supervisors: Michael Naylor, Geoff Dickson

Master's students

• Caron Orelowitz (Graduated 2023)
  Topic: “If You Can Run a Marathon…”; the Pandemic Inspired Autoethnography of a Problem-Solving Podiatrist
  Supervisors: Richard Wright, Kath Godber
• Max Henderson (Graduated 2023)
  Topic: Identifying Unique Brand Associations for a Women’s Major Sporting Event
  Supervisors: Michael Naylor, Melody Johnston
• Nathan Thompson (Graduated 2023)
  Topic: Understanding the objectives, fit, and leveraging of Touch New Zealand’s sponsors
  Supervisors: Michael Naylor, Melody Johnston
• Brooke Pryor (Graduated 2022)
  Topic: Understanding the sport participation organisational environment: Squash in New South Wales
  Supervisors: Melody Johnston, Michael Naylor
• Braityn Callaghan (Graduated 2022)
  Topic: Coach Knowledge and Attitudes Towards Sport Injury Prevention in Youth Basketball
  Supervisors: Chris Whatman, Patricia Lucas
• Daniel Capeto (Graduated 2022)
  Topic: The Motivational Profile of Older Sport Participants
  Supervisors: Michael Naylor, Melody Johnston
• Daniel Martin (Graduated 2022)
  Topic: Community Club Perceptions of High Performance Sport Pathways
  Supervisors: Melody Johnston, Michael Naylor
• Jayson Jooste (Graduated 2022)
  Topic: Factors influencing competitive sport withdrawal in youth athletes
  Supervisors: Michael Naylor, Adrian Farnham
• Liam Hunt (Graduated 2022)
  Topic: Organisational Change: The future of community football club capability within the Northern Region
  Supervisors: Richard Wright, Gaye Bryham
• Susana Sututu (Graduated 2022)
  Topic: Pasi-strong: The makings of a meaningful sporting experience for young Pasifika girls in rugby
  Supervisors: Gaye Bryham, Lesley Ferkins
• Teigan Palmer (Graduated 2022)
  Topic: Women in Sport Governance: Perceptions of Inclusion in Cricket in New Zealand
  Supervisors: Melody Johnston, Lesley Ferkins
• Chris Barron (Graduated 2021)
  Topic: Selling the City of Sails: Destination branding through the 2021 America's Cup
  Supervisor: Richard Wright
• Karyne Ross (Graduated 2021)
  Topic: How is culture perceived, understood and experienced by members of a community sports organisation
  Supervisor: Michael Naylor
• Mark Cameron (Graduated 2021)
  Topic: Mixed ownership in sport – the case of Super Rugby in New Zealand
  Supervisor: Lesley Ferkins, Trevor Meiklejohn
• Sabio Chai-Udom (Graduated 2021)
  Topic: New Zealanders attitudes and perceptions towards sports event tourism in Thailand
  Supervisors Richard Wright, Sally Rae
• Ying Zhu (Graduated 2021)
  Topic: Turning international students into active sport tourists
  Supervisors: Richard Wright, Richard Ajiee
• Gary Putt (Graduated 2020)
  Topic: Fun playing rugby! Exploring the meaning of fun in youth sport
  Supervisor: Lesley Ferkins, Michael Naylor
• Zerui Chen (Graduated 2020)
  Perceptions about the 2022 Winter Olympics in China
  Supervisors: Richard Wright, Kath Godber
• Fiolla Jashari (Graduated 2019)
  Topic: The influence of stadium sponsorship on consumer behaviour. A case study of Eden Park, Auckland
  Supervisor: Richard Wright
• Siona Fernandes (2017)
  Topic: When culture speaks: Exploring Indian migrant PA and sedentary behaviour in Australia (and New Zealand)
  Supervisors: Erica Hinckson, Lesley Ferkins

Our team are experts in a number of areas and can supervise students in these fields:

Tricia Lucas

Work Integrated Learning and Cooperative Education, Learning and Teaching, Reflective Practice, Physical Activity and Health

Mel Johnston

Events, Marketing, Clubs, Women in Sport, Sport Development

Gaye Bryham

Leadership, Diversity and Inclusion, Athlete Life Management, Sport Development

Richard Wright

Active Ageing, Serious Leisure, Events, Tourism, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, Facilities, Creative Analytical Practice

Lesley Ferkins

Leadership, Management, Governance, Action Research, Sport Development

Michael Naylor

Marketing, Management, Consumer Behaviour, Sponsorship Participants, Fans and Clubs

Jenny Fleming

Cooperative Education, Work Integrated Learning

Dion Enari

Leadership, Management, Mental Health, Pacific Studies, Indigenous Studies, Trans-nationalism