Dr John Francis

Dr John Francis dressed in sports attire smiling at camera

Course Leader for MSc Sport (Applied Performance Analysis) and Senior Lecturer in Performance Analysis

School of Sport and Exercise Science

Academics

Contact Details

email: j.francis@worc.ac.uk
tel: 01905 855590

John Francis is a senior lecturer in Performance Analysis, course leader for the MSc Sport (Applied Performance Analysis) course and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

John continues to keep up his applied performance analysis alongside his academic responsibilities. He has been overseeing the performance analysis provisions for the seven Para-Football teams for the English FA since 2017, supporting the England Blind Football Team and England Powerchair during European and World Championships. His expertise in disability performance analysis, which he currently imparts to the Para-Football teams, is based on his knowledge and experiences gained from leading the performance analysis provision for the British Wheelchair Basketball teams throughout the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic Games Cycle and previous roles in rugby union with Worcester Warriors and England Women’s Rugby Union teams.

John continues to lead and support several research initiatives with colleagues from various UK universities and performance analysts employed by professional sports teams, with the goal of advancing knowledge and practice regarding the analysts’ role and optimising feedback to support the decision-making processes by coaches and athletes to help improve the delivery of the sports science discipline. Since 2020, he has been the Performance Analysis Research Group’s lead, supporting students, staff, and external collaborators in creating impactful and thought-provoking knowledge in the discipline to advance practice. John submitted an Impact Case study for the Research Excellence Framework in 2021 that demonstrated the impact of research on a range of athletes, coaches, analysts, national governing bodies, and international governing bodies regarding the use of performance analysis in disability sports on a national and international level.

John is passionate about enhancing the learning and employability opportunities for all students, making use of all these different applied and research experiences and skills to engage students in performance analysis and foster the growth of future performance analysts.

Qualifications:

  • PhD in Performance Analysis, ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë (2019)
  • PGCert Research Methods, ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë (2016)
  • PGCert Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë (2016)
  • MSc Sports Coaching, ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë (2014)
  • BSc (Hons) Sports Coaching Science, ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë (2012)
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)

Teaching & Research

Teaching Interests:

  • Performance Analysis
  • Sports Coaching Science
  • Disability Sport

Research Interests:

  • Performance Analysis (Performance Profiling and Prediction)
  • Performance Analysis (Coaches' and Players' Perceptions)
  • Sports Coaching Science
  • Disability Sport

Professional Bodies

  • International Society of Performance Analysis in Sport – Applied Performance Analyst Level 4 & Research Performance Analysts Level 3
  • British Association of Sport and Exercise Science – Professional
  • Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Publications

Journal Articles:

Andersen, L. W., Francis, J. W. and Bateman, M. (2022). . International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 22(1), 149–173. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2021.2012040

Smith, J., Rands, S., Bateman, M. and Francis, J.W. (2022). . Sports Innovation Journal, 3, 61–81. https://doi.org/10.18060/26317

De Martin Silva, L. and Francis, J. W. (2021). . International Sport Coaching Journal, 8(2), 183–196. https://doi.org/10.1123/iscj.2019-0101

Francis, J. W., Owen, A. J. and Peters, D. M. (2021). . PLOS ONE, 16(1), e0244257. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0244257

Loo, J. K., Francis, J. W. and Bateman, M. (2020). International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 00(00), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/24748668.2020.1820174

Francis, J., Owen, A. and Peters, D. M. (2019) ‘A New Reliable Performance Analysis Template for Quantifying Action Variables in Elite Men’s Wheelchair Basketball’, Frontiers in Psychology, 10, pp. 1–16. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00016.

Francis, J. W., Owen, A. and Peters, D. M. (2019) ‘Making every “point” count: Identifying the key determinants of team success in elite men’s wheelchair basketball’, Frontiers in Psychology, 10, pp. 1-16. doi: 10.3389/FPSYG.2019.01431.

Francis, J. and Jones, G. (2014) International Journal of Performance Analysis in Sport, 14 (1). pp. 188-207.

Book Section:

Francis, J., Sims, D., Bendall, A., Kelly, A. and Wood, A. (2023) . In: Talent Identification and Development in Youth Soccer: A Guide for Researchers and Practitioners. Routledge.

Francis, J. W. (2021). (pp. 321–331). Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003081456-35/HOME-ADVANTAGE-PARA-SPORT-JOHN-FRANCIS

Francis, J. and Jones, G. (2013) In: Performance Analysis of Sport IX. Routledge, Abingdon, Oxon, pp. 107-113.

Conferences or Workshop Items:

Francis, J.W., Smith, J., Rands, S. and Bateman, M. (2022) . In: PAC22 Catapult Conference, 29/11/2022, London.

Francis, J. (2022) . In: Birmingham City Academy Performance Analysis and Data CPD Event, 20 April 2022, Birmingham.

Francis, J. and Peters, D.M. (2021) . In: International Paralympic Committee’s VISTA21: Application to the podium – translating research and development to athlete performance, 16/12/2021, Virtual Conference.

Francis, J. (2019 in ‘TEL’ Me More Showcase. Worcester: ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë.

De Martin Silva, L. and Francis, J. (2019) , in UK Coaching Applied Coaching Research Conference 2019: Shaping the Future of Coaching. Derby.

Francis, J., Molnar, G., Owen, A. and Peters, D.M. (2017) In: ICCE Global Coaching Conference 2017, 31st July-2nd August 2017, Liverpool John Moores University.

Francis, J. (2017) In: Institute of Sport and Exercise Science Research Seminar, 19th May 2017, ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë.

Francis, J., Owen, A., Molnar, G. and Peters, D.M. (2017) In: Vista 2017: Opportunities, Challenges in Paralympic Sport Science & Sport Medicine Support, 20-23 September 2017, Toronto, Canada.

Francis, J., Molnar, G., Owen, A. and Peters, D.M. (2017) In: UK Paralympic Performance Conference 2017, 29th-30th March 2017, St George's Park, Burton upon Trent.

Francis, J., Owen, A., Molnar, G. and Peters, D.M. (2016) In: BASES 2016 Conference, 29-30 November 2016, East Midlands Conference Centre, Nottingham.

Francis, J., Molnar, G., Donovan, M. and Peters, D.M. (2015) In: BASES Conference 2015, 1-2 December 2015, St. Georges Park, Burton upon Trent.

Francis, J., Molnar, G., Donovan, M. and Peters, D.M. (2015) In: BASES Conference 2015, 1-2 December 2015, St. Georges Park, Burton upon Trent.

Nagata, A. and Francis, J. (2014) In: Optimal Management of the Paralympic Shoulder, English Institute of Sport, 23rd October 2014, Quorn Grange Hotel, Loughborough.

Garrett, C., Beeching, K. and Francis, J. (2013) In: 4th International Society of Performance Analysis in Sport Performance Analysis Workshop, 2nd - 5th April 2013, University of Alicante, Spain.

Beeching, K., Williams, S. and Francis, J. (2013) In: 4th International Society of Performance Analysis in Sport Performance Analysis Workshop, 2nd - 5th April 2013, University of Alicante, Spain.

Francis, J., Beeching, K. and Jones, G. (2013) In: 4th International Society of Performance Analysis in Sport Performance Analysis Workshop, 2nd - 5th April 2013, University of Alicante, Spain.

Francis, J. (2012) In: Careers in Sport, 25th October 2012, ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë.

Francis, J. (2012) In: Worcestershire County Cricket Coaches Development Day, 20th October 2012, ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë.

Francis, J. (2012) In: The 2012 Herefordshire and Worcestershire Coaching Summit: From Grassroots to Greatness: The coach, the athlete, the legacy, 22nd April 2012, ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë.

Francis, J. and Jones, G. (2012) In: World Congress of Performance Analysis of Sport IX, 25th - 28th July 2012, ¾ÞÈéÎÞÂë.

 

External Responsibilities

  • Reviewer for Graduate Journal of Sport, Exercise and Physical Education Research
  • Reviewer for Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health
  • Reviewer for Frontiers in Psychology
  • Reviewer for Human Movement