During my PhD so far, I have been lucky enough to publish the research from my MSc dissertation in the Sport, Education and Society journal titled; “Crossing the line: conceptualising and rationalising bullying and banter in male adolescent community football” .
Through the publishing experience I have come to understand what level of criticality and structure disseminatable research requires and I have since been asked to conduct two journal article reviews which have only enhanced my skill set.
As an early career researcher, this has provided me with an insight into the timescales and expectations involved in considering a long-term career in research as well as the sense of achievement which comes with hard work and persistence.
My goal is to move onto either a post-doctorate or lecturer position at a university.
This will allow me to pursue my research interests more broadly around safeguarding in sport, while continuing to contribute to the passing on of knowledge to the student community.
My advice to prospective students is to pick a subject you are truly interested in. A PhD can be both a hobby and a profession if you are careful enough when picking your research area.