Dr David Hendry

My research interests are related to the psychology of expert perforamnce and athlete devlopment in sport. I am interested in exploring the perecptual-motor-cognitive factors associated with expert decision making in sport, as well as investigating how non-congtive factors such as practice, motivation and grit contribute to the development of sports expertise. 

• Please visit the Pure Research Information Portal for further information
• Derby Kisses: Investigating the relationship between ADHD traits, concussion, and wellbeing in Roller Derby players, Wilson, A., Hendry, D., Thornton, C., Greer, J. 23 Jun 2026, In: Cogent Social Sciences
• “Doing creative things at the right times”: Football academy practitioners’ conceptions of creativity and its development, de Sá Fardilha, F., Hendry, D., Allen, J. 1 Feb 2026, In: Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology
• Not Your Average Baller: Exploring the Macro- and Microstructure of Creative Practice in Interactive Team Sports, Hendry, D., de Sá Fardilha, F., Allen, J. 15 May 2026, The Palgrave Handbook of Creativity in Sport, Cham, Switzerland, Palgrave Macmillan
• Grit subcomponents are differentially associated with practice trajectories underlying expertise development, Cocic, D., DeCouto, B., Fawver, B., Cowan, R., Hendry, D., Williams, A., Bilalic, M. 29 Oct 2025, In: Scientific Reports
• How Small Differences Grow over Time – The Snowball Effect of Grit on Practice in Sport, Cocic, D., Larkin, P., Hendry, D., Williams, A., O’Connor, D., Bilalic, M. 29 Jul 2025, In: International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology
• Gritting One’s Way to Success – Grit Explains Skill in Elite Youth Soccer Players Beyond (Deliberate) Practice, Larkin, P., Cocic, D., Hendry, D., Williams, A., O’Connor, D., Bilalic, M. 1 Jan 2023, In: Psychology of Sport and Exercise
• A scoping review on developmental activities of girls and women's sports, Peters, C., Hendry, D., Hodges, N. 23 Sep 2022, In: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
• Developmental activities and perceptions of challenge for National and Varsity women soccer players in Canada, Hendry, D., Williams, A., Ford, P., Hodges, N. 1 Jul 2019, In: Psychology of Sport and Exercise
• Optimal Development of Youth Athletes Toward Elite Athletic Performance: How to Coach Their Motivation, Plan Exercise Training, and Pace the Race, Menting, S., Hendry, D., Schiphof-Godart, L., Elferink-Gemser, M., Hettinga, F. 20 Aug 2019, In: Frontiers in Sports and Active Living
• Pathways to Expert Performance in Soccer, Hendry, D., Hodges, N. Mar 2019, In: Journal of Expertise

• Caroline Ames Motivation and Psychological Needs in Female Youth Football: An Investigation Across the Development Pathway Start Date: 01/10/2025
• Leila Benyahia ??Competing with the boys: The technical, tactical and physical demands of same and mixed sex competition in elite youth U12 and U14 girls’ football Start Date: 01/10/2023