I led for the MSc in Strength and Conditioning at the University of Hartpury for the last two years and now lecture the following modules:

Skill Acquisition for Strength and Conditioning

Contemporary Issues in Strength and Conditioning (Lead)

Applied Practice in Strength and Conditioning (Lead)

Performance Profiling and Testing for athletes (Lead)

Planning and Monitoring for Athletic Training (Lead)

The Research Process

Postgraduate Industry Placement

Professional Development Portfolio

High Performance Environments

Postgraduate Dissertation

I am the Lead and responsible for mobilising, overseeing, and facilitating research regarding the departments research priority of “Coach Development and Pedagogy in Sport and Physical Education”.  

I led and lectured at the following modules at Undergraduate level:

Recovery and Monitoring, BSc in Strength and Conditioning (Lead, Hartpury University)

Coaching Special Populations, BSc in Sports Coaching (Lead, University of Winchester)

Qualitative Research Methods, MRes in Sport and Exercise (Lead, University of Winchester)

Building Effective Relationships with Clients, BSc in Sports Coaching (University of Winchester)

Group Dynamics, BSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology (University of Winchester)

Qualitative Research in Sport and Exercise Psychology, BSc in Sport and Exercise Psychology (University of Winchester)

I have taught the following subjects across serval national (i.e., University of Chichester, University of Winchester, Sheffield Hallam University, Solent University, Coventry University) and International Universities (e.g., Cape Breton University, Canada):

Constructivist Learning Strategies in Coach Development and Coach Education

Effective Psychosocial Skills in Coaching

Critical Reflection

Developing Effective Relationships

Qualitative Research Methods

Coaching Special Populations

Skill Acquisition

I tutor and assess the following modules for the UKSCA as well as consult the curricula development:

Applied Coaching Science

Plyometric, Speed, and Agility

Planning Effective Programmes

Weightlifting for Sports Performance

Foundation of Strength and Conditioning

S&C Trainer Certification (External verifier to ensure assessments meet CIMSPA policy)

I am also an experienced realist evaluator having been involved in various projects and successfully finished the ‘10th Annual CARES Summer School for Realist Methodology Training”. (https://realistmethodology-cares.org/)

Under Review 

Szedlak, C., Harris, K., Smith, M., & Ryan L. (2025). Stories of Change: A realist informed documentary about social change promoting physical activity in a deprived area. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health. (under second review)

Draft 

Szedlak, C., & Harris, K. (2025). Examining the value of co-production in realist evaluation on stakeholder’s learning, evaluative thinking, and practical application. Annuals of Leisure Research. (draft)

Smith, M., Batten, J., Young, J., Szedlak, C., and McHale, L. (2025). Acquired brain injury in sport: Using ‘letters to your former self’ to understand the experiences of family members of an athlete who has suffered with post-concussion syndrome. Qualitative Health Research. (draft stage)

2022 - PhD supervisor, Matt Ellis - Exploring Contexts and characteristics of a sport friendly university to support dual career athletes

2023 - PhD director of study, Jack Harris. Positioning a realist informed qualitative stories of change framework for place based systemic working in physical activity.

2023 - PhD supervisor, Emily Brady Young. Systemic change: Realist immersive analysis of how qualitative approaches promote change in WSA to effectively evidence impact of physical activity interventions.

07/2007-12/2021    Sport Performance Lead and Research Fellow, University of Southampton

09/2020-12/2021    Associate Lecturer, University of Winchester

01/2021-09/2021    Associate Researcher, Oxford Brookes University

03/2016-01/2018    GB Goalball (Men), Lead S&C & Assistant Coach

05/2017-06/2017    Volvo Ocean Race (TurnTheTideOnPlastic), Sport Science Support

03/2017-08/2017    Hintsa & Altis Coach Reflection Project, Sports Psychology Consultant

07/2016-08/2017    Artemis Vendee 2020 Challenge, Sport Science Lead

12/2015-09/2016    UKSCA Applied Coaching Workshop Project, Sport Psychology Consultant

07/2013-07/2016    Artemis Offshore Academy, Sport Science Lead

09/2010-11/2011    English Cricket Board, S&C Coach

Reviewer for the Strength and Conditioning Journal, International Sport Coaching Journal, Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, International Review of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Journal of Applied Sports Psychology, International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, Professional Strength and Conditioning Journal, Psychology of Sport & Exercise, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health

Member of the UKSCA Equality, Diversity & Inclusion advisory group

CriC Executive Board Member: Ethics Officer

Szedlak, C (Principle-Investigator); Shearn, K (Co-investigator); Harris, K (Co-investigator) (2024). Stories of Change in evaluation: Developing a framework including using hindsight to explore the leaning process of implementing a place-based approach to tackle physical inactivity. National Evaluation and Learning Partnership. (External Collaborators) Sport England. Requested (UK): £20,000. Funded £20,000

Shearn, K (Principal Investigator); Harris, K (Co-investigator); Vincent, R (Co-investigator); Ryan, L (Co-investigator); Murray-Evans, A (Co-investigator); Wingfield, H (Co-investigator); Storey, R (Co-investigator); Armour, S (Co-investigator); Szedlak, C (Co-investigator) (2024). National Evaluation and Learning Partnership for Place. (External Collaborators) Sport England. Requested (UK): £3.4m. Funded £3.4m

Szedlak, C. (Principle-Investigator), and Harris, K (Co-investigator). (External Collaborators); Active Essex (2024). Developing a video resource to disseminate Stories of Change within a realist evaluation. Hartpury University Internal Research and Knowledge Exchange Funding. RKE, Requested (UK): £2,115. Funded £2,115

Szedlak, C. (Principle-Investigator), and Callary, B., & Gearity, B. T. (External Collaborators); National Strength and Conditioning Association (2024). Developing online earning modules for psychosocial coaching competencies. Hartpury University Internal Research and Knowledge Exchange Funding. RKE. Requested (UK): £2,996. Funded £2,986

Szedlak, C. (Principle-Investigator), and Callary, B., & Gearity, B. T. (External Collaborators); UK Strength & Conditioning Association Ltd. (Partner Organization) (2023). Implementing psychosocial coach development in a strength and conditioning association. Hartpury University Internal Research and Knowledge Exchange Funding: Participatory Research. Requested (UK): £4,950. Funded £4,950

Henry, G. (Principle-Investigator), Szedlak, C., Drury, B., Davies, H., & Hearn, A. (Co-Investigator) (2023). Developing guidelines for effective internship within strength and conditioning. Hartpury University Internal Research and Knowledge Exchange Funding: Participatory Research. Requested (UK): £1,974. Funded £1,974.  

Harris, K (Principle-Investigator), Ryan, L (Co-investigator – lead evaluator), Szedlak, C (Co-investigator – evaluator), Smith, E (Co-investigator - evaluator), Hannah-Russell (Co-investigator – evaluator); Active Essex (Partner Organization) (2023). Realist ripple effect mapping. Active Essex. Requested (UK): £76,643. Funded £76,643

Harris, K. (Principle-Investigator), Szedlak, C. (Co-investigator), Ryan, L. (Co-investigator), Alex, K. (Quality assurance), Shearn, K & Lindsey, I. (Co-investigator). Active Essex (Partner Organization) (2023). The Evaluation consortium leading the evaluation of Active Essex Local Delivery Pilot. Requested (UK): £70,000. Funded £70,00

Szedlak, C. (Principle-Investigator), and Callary, B., & Gearity, B. T. (External Collaborators); UK Strength & Conditioning Association Ltd. (Partner Organization) (2023). Developing an E-Learning course to teach psychosocial coaching competencies. Hartpury University Internal Research and Knowledge Exchange Funding: Participatory Research. Requested (UK): £4,730. Funded £4,730

Callary, B. (Principle-Investigator), Szedlak, C. (Co-Principle Investigator), & Gearity, B. T. (External Collaborators); UK Strength & Conditioning Association Ltd. (Partner Organization) (2020-2022). Psychosocial coach development gaps in a strength and conditioning association. Social Science and Humanities Council of Canada, Partner Engage Grants. Requested (CA): $19,720. Funded $19,720.