Dr Vicky Gottwald
Lecturer in Sport & Exercise Science
Room 302 School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, George Building
Tel: +44(0)1248 382824
Email: v.m.gottwald@bangor.ac.uk
Bio: I am a lecturer in the field of skill acquisition. My research interests are well aligned with my love of coaching. Current projects investigate talent pathways across a number of high performance sports including UK Sport, Weightlifting Wales, England Athletics and UK Deaf Sport.
Qualifications
- PhD: Focus of attention, execution of form, anxious performance and consideration in imagery application
Bangor University, 2011 - Other: M Level Postgraduate Certificate of Education Secondary Physical Education
University of Southampton, 2007 - BSc: BSc Sports Science
University of Wales, Bangor, 2006
Overview
Dr. Vicky Gottwald
School of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences, Institute for Psychology of Elite Performance, Bangor University, George Building, Holyhead Road, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2PZ
Tel: +44 (0)1248 382824
Email: v.m.gottwald@bangor.ac.uk
As an elite coach and member of the Institute for Psychology of Elite Performance (IPEP), Vicky’s outside interests and research aspirations are well aligned. Her research activities are currently centred around skill acquisition; more specifically, the utilisation of verbal instructions in directing attention effectively and the processes underlying human movement to improve motor performance. She is currently an active researcher in the following areas; focus of attention, practice with anxiety, talent development and physical literacy. Alongside this, Vicky is Head Coach of the Wales U13 Girls Programme and currently completing her UKCC Level 4 in Elite Coaching Practice.
Postgraduate Project Opportunities
I am willing to supervise PhD candidates.
Publications
2019
- PublishedAn internal focus of attention is optimal when congruent with afferent proprioceptive task information
Gottwald, V., Owen, R., Lawrence, G. & McNevin, N., 26 Nov 2019, In : Psychology of Sport and Exercise. 47, 101634.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article - PublishedPreliminary Validation of the Athlete Development Formulation Survey (ADFS)
Dunn, E., Anderson, D., Langham-Walsh, E., Lowery, M., Hardy, L., Lawrence, G., Woodman, T., Gottwald, V., Hardy, J., Roberts, R. & Oliver, S., 18 Oct 2019.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster - PublishedRelative Age Effect? No "Flipping" Way! Exploring the Relative Age Effect in Women's Artistic Gymnastics.
Langham-Walsh, E., Gottwald, V. & Hardy, J., 18 Oct 2019, p. 204.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster - PublishedRepresentational Momentum in the Expertise Context: Support for the Theory of Event Coding as an Explanation for Action Anticipation
Anderson, D. N., Gottwald, V. M. & Lawrence, G. P., 14 Aug 2019, In : Frontiers in Psychology. 10, 1838.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article - E-pub ahead of printLets go Surfing now, everybody's learning how; attentional strategies on expert and novice surfing performance under both practice and competition conditions
Lawrence, G. P., Virian, J., Oliver, S. J. & Gottwald, V. M., 31 May 2019, In : European Journal of Sport Science. p. 1-25 25 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
2018
- PublishedGoing against the grain: Performance when relevant proprioceptive afferent information is congruent with focus of attention
Gottwald, V., Lawrence, G. & Owen, R., 21 Oct 2018, Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport: SCAPPS refereed abstracts repository. s1 ed. Vol. 50. p. 27
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution - PublishedIdentifying talent holistically: Using machine learning to capture the dynamic development of expertise in Olympic weightlifting. a preliminary analysis
Anderson, D., Gottwald, V. & Lawrence, G., 21 Oct 2018, Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport : SCAPPS refereed abstracts repository. 1 ed. Vol. 50. p. 4
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution - PublishedPressure enhances online control when 'I' don't know I need to correct, but reduces it when 'I' do: Motor control strategies and state anxiety
Owen, R., Gottwald, V. & Lawrence, G., 21 Oct 2018, Journal of Exercise, Movement, and Sport: SCAPPS refereed abstracts repository. 1 ed. Vol. 50. p. 54
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution - UnpublishedA Prospective Study of The Developmental Biographies of Great British Pathway Athletes: Pathway to Podium
Dunn, E., Langham-Walsh, E., Lowery, M., Hardy, L., Lawrence, G., Gottwald, V., Hardy, J., Oliver, S. & Roberts, R., 8 Jun 2018, (Unpublished).
Research output: Contribution to conference › Poster
2015
- PublishedRepresentational Momentum reveals visual anticipation differences in the upper and lower visual fields.
Gottwald, V. M., Lawrence, G. P., Hayes, A. E. & Khan, M. A., 1 May 2015, In : Experimental Brain Research.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article - PublishedSystematically increasing contextual interference is beneficial for learning, but how long for?
Mandzuk, A. A., Mandzuk, A., Lawrence, G. P. & Gottwald, V. M., 29 Apr 2015.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper
2013
- PublishedPractice with anxiety improves performance, but only when anxious: evidence for the specificity of practice hypothesis
Lawrence, G. P., Cassell, V. E., Beattie, S. J., Woodman, T., Khan, M. A., Hardy, L. J. & Gottwald, V. M., 27 Oct 2013, In : Psychological Research. 78, 5
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article - PublishedBreaking down the One Target Advantage: The role of pressure
Lawrence, G. P., Khan, M. A., Mottram, T. M. & Gottwald, V. M., 17 Oct 2013.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper - PublishedSkill acquisition for coaches.
Lawrence, G. P., Kingston, K., Gottwald, V. M. & Jones, R. L. (ed.), 4 Mar 2013, An Introduction to Sports Coaching: Connecting Theory to Practice: 2nd edition. Routledge, p. 31-48
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter - PublishedInternal and External Focus of Attention in a Novice Form Sport
Lawrence, G. P., Gottwald, V. M., Hardy, J. & Khan, M. A., Jan 2013, In : Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport. 82, 3, p. 431-441
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
2012
- PublishedThe movement kinematics and learning strategies associated with adopting different foci of attention during both acquisition and anxious performance
Lawrence, G. P., Gottwald, V., Khan, M. A. & Kramer, R., 2 Nov 2012, In : Frontiers in Pschology. 3, 468
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article - PublishedPractice with anxiety improves performance, but only when anxious: Evidence for the specificity of practice hypothesis
Lawrence, G., Beattie, S., Woodman, T., Khan, M. A., Hardy, L., Gottwald, V. M. & Cassell, V. E., 20 Jun 2012, Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology. s1 ed. Vol. 34. p. S101
Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution - PublishedPractice with anxiety improves performance, but only when anxious: Evidence for the specificity of practice hypothesis
Hardy, L. J., Lawrence, G. P., Beattie, S., Woodman, T., Gottwald, V. M., Khan, M. A., Hardy, L. & Cassell, V., 7 Jun 2012.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Paper - PublishedDifferent Cues of Personality and Health from the Face and Gait of Women
Kramer, R. S. S., Gottwald, V. M., Dixon, T. A. M. & Ward, R., 1 Apr 2012, In : Evolutionary Psychology. 10, 2, p. 271-295
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
2010
- PublishedCan learning under an external focus of attention counteract the negative effects of choking under pressure?
Gottwald, V. M., Lawrence, G. P. & Khan, M. A., Jun 2010, p. S82-S82.
Research output: Contribution to conference › Abstract
Activities
2019
- Canoe Slalom Pathway to Podium Project Quarter 2 Feedback
Presentation of findings from the second quarter of the Pathway to Podium project.
29 Jul 2019
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker) - Examining the Relative Age Effect in Elite, Female Gymnastics
13 May 2019
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker) - Canoe Sprint Pathway to Podium Project Quarter 1 Feedback
Presentation of findings from first quarter of the Pathway to Podium project.
10 May 2019
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker) - Canoe Slalom Pathway to Podium Project Quarter 1 Feedback Session
Presentation of findings from first quarter of the Pathway to Podium project.
10 Apr 2019
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
2017
- British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Sport Advisory Group
Sport Advisory Group Basketball
Sep 2017 – Jul 2018
Activity: Consultancy (Consultant) - The dynamic and multifaceted development of expertise: Expertise development in practice
Expertise devlopment in practice
25 May 2017
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Nancy McNevin
Research collaboration underlying mechanisms of human movement
20 Apr 2017 – 29 Apr 2017
Activity: Hosting an academic visitor (Host) - Physical Literacy Programme for Schools National Action Research Group
Investigating teachers’ and teaching assistants’ responses to CPD in Health, Well-being and Physical Literacy
27 Feb 2017
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker)
2016
- Symposium Presentation. Sports policy in Wales - priorities for funding, facilities and improving participation
The impact of the Physical Literacy Framework so far and opportunities to expand physical education in the new National Curriculum
17 Nov 2016
Activity: Invited talk (Speaker) - Sport Wales (External organisation)
National Action Research Group Physical Literacy for Schools
1 Apr 2016 – 31 Mar 2017
Activity: Membership of committee (Chair)
2015
- Conference Presentation. Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology
When vision is impaired, what should athletes focus on?
14 Oct 2015
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker) - 6th Annual Meeting of Expertise and Skill Acquisition Network (ESAN) in association with BASES
Invited Discussant. Instruction and Feedback: Does yours help or hinder?
30 Apr 2015
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
2014
- Psychology of Sports Coaching Conference
Systematically increasing contextual interference is beneficial for learning, but how long for?
23 Oct 2014
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
2011
- Expertise Skill Acquisition Network (ESAN) (External organisation)
Expertise Skill Acquisition Network
15 Sep 2011
Activity: Membership of network (Chair)
2010
- NASPSPA (North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity) Conference
Can learning under an external focus of attention counteract negative effects of choking under pressure?
10 Jun 2010 – 12 Jun 2010
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
2009
- 12th World Congress of Sport Psychology Conference
Examining an internal and external focus of attention in a novice form sport
Jun 2009
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
2008
- Canadian Society for Psychomotor Learning and Sport Psychology
The Use of the Specificity of Learning Principle to Reduce Choking Under Pressure
Nov 2008
Activity: Oral presentation (Speaker)
Projects
-
Physical Literacy Programme for Schools
01/04/2016 – 30/04/2017 (Finished)
Personal
My personal interests include anything sport related, mindfulness and dedicating time to being the best coach I can be...