Kevin Watson

Teaching Fellow in Applied Sport Science and Strength and Conditioning, Co-Programme Director and Academic Cohort Lead for the MSc in Strength and Conditioning

  • Human Performance Science Research Group
  • Moray House School of Education and Sport

Contact details

Address

Street

Room 4.14 St Leonards Land
Institute for Sport, Physical Education & Health Sciences
The University of Edinburgh

City
Edinburgh
Post code
EH8 8AQ

Availability

  • Monday to Friday 9am-5pm.

Biography

Background

Experienced high performance practitioner, manager and educator in the field of strength and conditioning/physical preparation. Helped develop over 45 Commonwealth athletes across 5 sports (hockey, gymnastics, swimming badminton and athletics) and 4 Olympians (one silver medal and 6 representations across 4 Olympic cycles and 3 sports (badminton, hockey and swimming)). Supported over 1200 Scottish representations in elite youth athletes. Former International rower for Scotland and GB. Silver medalist at the Commonwealth Rowing Championships in 1999. Four time British Champion (junior) and senior bronze medalist.

CV

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Qualifications

  • 2025 - CIMSPA – Chartered Manager Member (MCIMSA (Chartered))                                                                                                          
  • 2025 - International Universities Strength & Conditioning Association  - IQF Level 8 Master International Strength &  Conditioning Practitioner (mISCP)                            
  • 2025 - International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry – Level One Anthropometrist                                           
  • 2025 - Harberry Training – Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work (QCF)
  • 2022 - Glasgow Clyde College – SCQF Level 9 Professional Development Award in Teaching in Scotland’s Colleges 
  • 2022 - National Strength and Conditioning Association – Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach with Emeritus
  • 2020 - University of the West of Scotland – MSc in Sports Coaching (Specialising in Strength and Conditioning)
  • 2018 - Sport Scotland – SCQF Level 7 Professional Development Award in Sports Education Tutoring
  • 2017 - British Weight Lifting – Level 2 Certificate in Coaching Weight Lifting
  • 2016 - Proactive Training – Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage (ITEC)
  • 2105 - Training4U – Level 3 Award in Education and Training (QCF)
  • 2012 - Glasgow Clyde College – SCQF Level 7 in Conducting Internal Quality Assurance of the Assessment Process (V1)
  • 2010 - Glasgow Clyde College – SCQF Level 7 in Assessing Candidates Using a Range of Methods (A1)
  • 2008 - UK Strength and Conditioning Association – Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach (ASCC)
  • 2008 - University of Edinburgh – Post Graduate Diploma in Strength and Conditioning
  • 2005 - National Strength and Conditioning Association – Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach
  • 2002 - University of Strathclyde – First Class BSc (Hons) in Sport and Exercise Science

Responsibilities & affiliations

Responsibilities

  • Co-progamme Director for the MSc in Strength and Conditioning
  • Academic Cohort Lead for the MSc in Strength and Conditioning

Affiliations

  • Chartered Manager Member with CIMSPA (MCIMSPA (Chartered))
  • Level 8 Master International Strength and Conditioning Practitioner (mISCP) member with the IUSCA
  • Accredited Strength and Conditioning Coach (ASCC) member with the USKCA
  • Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach with Emeritus (RSCC*E) with the NSCA
  • Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach (CSCS) member with the NSCA
  • CPD panel member and auditor with the UKSCA (since 2015)
  • Co-programme Director for the MSc in Strength and Conditioning
  • Academic Cohort Lead for the MSc in Strength and Conditioning
  • Previous Board Member for Scotland for the Association of First Aiders

 

Undergraduate teaching

Teaching Fellow in Applied Sport Science and  atnd Conditioning  on the BSc (Hons) in Applied Sport Science programme contributing to:

  • Applying Sport Science 3
  • 3rd Year Mini-projects
  • 4th Year Dissertation Supervision
  • Research Attachment 4
  • Workplace Attachment
  • Physiology and Skill Acquisition 1A

Postgraduate teaching

Teaching Fellow in Applied Sport Science and Strength and Conditioning on the MSc in Strength and Conditioning programme contributing to:

  • Professional Development for Strength and Conditoning
  • Applied Practice in Strength and Conditioning
  • Research Process
  • Dissertation Supervision
  • Course Organiser for Dissertation Course

Areas of interest for supervision

Undergraduate and postgraduate supervision opportunities are available for the following:

  • The use of autonomy-supportive coaching practices in strength and conditioning     
    • Potential scoping review of the existing autonomy-supportive literature/practices of strength and conditioning coaches
    • Potential survey, interview or mixed methods study design around the autonomy-supportive practices of strength and conditioning coaches
    • Intervention study around the use of autonomy-supportive versus traditional instructional coaching approaches in strength and conditioning
  • Validation of a novel technical model to teach the clean in strength and conditioning
  • Validation of a novel model to teach the split jerk in strength and conditioning
  • A review of existing approaches and development of a novel model to teach the snatch in strength and conditioning
  • Open to any feasible project on the athletic development of (elite) youth athletes or the use of athletic development/physical preparation/strength and conditioning in a school setting/curriculum e.g., impact of S&C interventions on health-related fitness and/or academic outcomes
  • Impact of sports massage on perceived recovery and subsequent strength and conditioning performance outcomes
  • Open to any feasible project in the generic area of applied strength and conditioning coaching e.g.,
    • Minimal dose S&C interventions
    • Impact of S&C on sport-specific performance outcomes
    • Impact of S&C scheduling on sport-specific and strength and conditioning performance outcomes

Current PhD students supervised

Not available for 2025-26 academic year.

Past PhD students supervised

  • The Influence of Anthropometric Characteristics on Deadlift Style Preference in Competitive Powerlifters
  • Physical and Cognitive Differences Observed During Load Carriage Efforts Performed in Normoxia and Acute Normobaric Hypoxia
  • Injury trends among national to professional level female netballers in the UK through self-reported survey data: Is there an association between positional demands and injury patterns?

  • A systematic review of the models to teach the Clean: a review of existing approaches and development of a novel model to teach the clean in S&C

  • A Review of Existing Approaches and Development of a Novel Model to Teach the Split Jerk in Strength and Conditioning

  • A systematic review of the models to teach the snatch: a review of existing approaches and development of a novel model to teach the snatch in S&C

  • A Survey Approach Investigating the Perceived Benefits of Strength Training for Club Level Middle Distance Runners, Coaches and Strength and Conditioning Coaches

  • A systematic review of the impact of static stretching on delayed onset of muscle soreness

  • Comparative Effects of Ballistic and Traditional Squat Training on Lower-Body Power in Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

  • Effects of Explosive vs. Traditional Strength Training on Power Output in Powerlifters: A Systematic Review

Research summary

My research interests are around the area of autonomy-supportive coaching in strength and conditioning, autoregulation of training prescription and the use of Olympic lifting in strength and conditioning.

Current research interests

Teaching models for weightlifting movements in strength and conditioning.

Past research interests

Physical preparation of elite youth athletes in an academy setting (previously Head of Strength and Conditioning at the Glasgow School of Sport)

Knowledge exchange

Conference Proceedings:

  • Watson, K., McEwan, J., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2016). The role of S&C in the development of elite youth athletes in a National Centre of Excellence. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Gibbon, K., Watson, K., McKenna, M. (2015). A two-year case study of injury prevention in elite youth badminton players. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Maxwell, M., Loch, J., Watson, K., Gibbon, K, Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2015). The efficacy of a short-term strength-agility complex training protocol on strength, power, and agility measures in female soccer players. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., McEwan, J., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2015). A 4-stage technical model for teaching the split jerk to youth athletes. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., Brown, J., Alexander, S. (2015). The Athlete Performance Programme (APP): A model for integrating S&C support services with education and leisure. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Gemmill, A., Watson, K., McKenna, M. (2014). Coaching approaches in a Strength and Conditioning unit at a school of sport: A case study. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., Gibbon, K., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2014). A 6-stage model for teaching the (squat) clean in strength and conditioning. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Gemmill, A., Watson, K., McKenna, M. (2013). Skill development in strength and conditioning at a school of sport: A case study. BASES Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., Gibbon, K., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2013). A 6-stage model for teaching the (squat) snatch in strength and conditioning. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., Gibbon, K., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2012). Functional movement screening in elite youth athletes. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., Gibbon, K., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2011). The development of elite youth badminton players: a S&C perspective. UKSCA Annual Conference.

Affiliated research centres

Conference details

I have previously support the USKCA annual conferences as an accredited member. Future conference attendance will likely involve attending the IUSCA annual conference.

Participant

UKSCA annual conference from 2010-2016.

Papers delivered

  • Watson, K., McEwan, J., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2016). The role of S&C in the development of elite youth athletes in a National Centre of Excellence. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Gibbon, K., Watson, K., McKenna, M. (2015). A two-year case study of injury prevention in elite youth badminton players. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Maxwell, M., Loch, J., Watson, K., Gibbon, K, Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2015). The efficacy of a short-term strength-agility complex training protocol on strength, power, and agility measures in female soccer players. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., McEwan, J., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2015). A 4-stage technical model for teaching the split jerk to youth athletes. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., Brown, J., Alexander, S. (2015). The Athlete Performance Programme (APP): A model for integrating S&C support services with education and leisure. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Gemmill, A., Watson, K., McKenna, M. (2014). Coaching approaches in a Strength and Conditioning unit at a school of sport: A case study. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., Gibbon, K., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2014). A 6-stage model for teaching the (squat) clean in strength and conditioning. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Gemmill, A., Watson, K., McKenna, M. (2013). Skill development in strength and conditioning at a school of sport: A case study. BASES Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., Gibbon, K., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2013). A 6-stage model for teaching the (squat) snatch in strength and conditioning. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., Gibbon, K., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2012). Functional movement screening in elite youth athletes. UKSCA Annual Conference.
  • Watson, K., Gibbon, K., Walton, G., McKenna, M. (2011). The development of elite youth badminton players: a S&C perspective. UKSCA Annual Conference.
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