Hayley Fitzgerald
Biographic Data
| ID | 3746424 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Hayley Fitzgerald |
| GIVEN NAMES | Hayley |
| FAMILY NAME | Fitzgerald |
| SIGNATURE | FITZGERALD H |
| AFFILIATIONS | Leeds Beckett University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-3678-2924 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 22 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 112 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 21 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2005 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 6 |
Dabbling, daubing and discovering
Basketball shorts, plantation food, and ponytail weaves: Black teachers’ experiences of becoming and being a Physical Education teacher
Background Despite increases in the ethnic diversity of the student population within English schools, there remains a distinct lack of Black and minority ethnic representation within the teaching profession. Research has explored the reasons behind this lacuna within education more broadly, highlighting discrimination, verbal abuse, lack of management support, and racial inequalities in pay and promotional opportunities contributing to Black and…
‘There’s nothing wrong with me’: Experiencing Physical Education at the intersections of disability, ethnicity and gender
Background: School populations in England continue to diversify, particularly in relation to ethnicity, language, and Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Yet research demonstrates that Physical Education (PE) often remains structured, organised and delivered in ways that privilege White, male, cisgender, heterosexual, non-disabled students. Whilst the experiences of those students marginalised within PE have been explored, a single-i…
The power of belonging: Reframing Notions of Inclusion in Sport
Working within the Centre for Social Justice in Sport and Society (CSJ) at Leeds Beckett University, UK, has provided opportunities for the authorship team to work with sports organisations on issues of equity, diversity and inclusion. What has become increasingly apparent is the need to conceive inclusion in ways that move beyond issues of access and participation, a policy or targeted programme. What emerges across our research projects is the …
Introduction to the special issue ‘intersectionality: Exploring the Possibilities and Challenges for Intersectional Research in Physical Education and Sport
The seeds of this special issue, focusing on intersectionality, began to germinate over two years ago because of a conversation Annette found herself engaged in with two colleagues over a meal. The
The culture of special schools: Perceptions of the nature, purpose and value of physical education
Educational “inclusion” has led to a debate about the appropriateness of special and mainstream schools. This paper adds to this debate by drawing on the concept of cultural hegemony to analyse the nature, purpose and value of special school physical education (PE). Eighteen individual interviews explored the perceptions of PE teachers, senior leaders and learning support assistants. The findings suggest that common sense cultural norms in specia…
The transformative potential of trans*-inclusive PE: The experiences of PE teachers
Transgender inclusion has become a prominent issue on the agendas of policy makers in education and sport in recent years. Despite this, teachers face continued challenges in providing inclusive experiences for transgender young people. This is particularly apparent in PE, which is a unique subject in its potential to perpetuate gender norms. There is a growing body of literature exploring LGBTQ+ issues in PE. However, there is a need to consider…
I'm a Referee, Not a Female Referee: The Experiences of Women Involved in Football as Coaches and Referees
The development of the Women's Super League (WSL) in English football, increased media coverage of the game, and an expansion of grassroots opportunities indicate a bright future for women and girls who want to play. Yet this vision must be tempered against compelling evidence of deep rooted and enduring gender inequalities within the game. This is the case for both players, and women who undertake non-playing roles, which is reflected in the rel…
Misguided and Modest: Reflections of Our Youth Voice Research
In recent years, Physical Education (PE) has seen a growth in the commitment to youth voice research. This approach foregrounds the practice of researching with young people, rather than conducting research on or about them. Whilst we are cognisant of the many possibilities youth voice research offers, we are also concerned that there is a tendency to overlook the challenges of supporting youth voice activities. This paper draws on our collective…
Messy methods: Making sense of participatory research with young people in PE and sport
Participatory research with young people has become an approach increasingly adopted by researchers within PE and sport. In this paper, we draw on our research diaries to collectively reflect on our experiences of attempting to work in participatory ways. Although we each work with different young people and have adopted differing participatory approaches, there are similarities in our research experiences. This includes recurring accounts of ‘mu…
Factors influencing the culture of special school physical education: A Gramscian critique
Physical education (PE) research has largely been preoccupied with mainstream (regular) schools. This article reports on part of a larger research project that centralises special school PE. In particular, Gramsci’s conceptualisations of hegemony, power and ideology are utilised to help shed light on the key factors that shape the culture of special school PE. A number of key themes were constructed from twelve interviews with special school seni…
It's not about disability, I want to win as many medals as possible: The social construction of disability in high-performance coaching
This article draws on the theoretical concepts of Pierre Bourdieu to provide a critical analysis of the social construction of disability in high-performance sport coaching. Data were generated using a qualitative cross-case comparative methodology, comprising 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork in high-performance disability sport, and interviews with coaches and athletes from a cross-section of Paralympic sports. We discuss how in both cases 'd…
Gender, physical education and active lifestyles: Contemporary challenges and new directions
The idea for this Special Issue, ‘Gender, Physical Education and Active Lifestyles: Contemporary Challenges and New Directions’ developed from the interest generated by a one day conference held at Leeds Beckett University in September 2017. The conference marked 25 years since the publication of Sheila Scraton’s ground breaking, feminist analysis of Physical Education. As a pivotal text that has contributed to the growth of gender research withi…
Last goal wins’: Re/engaging women of a ‘forgotten’ age through football
This paper explores the physical activity experiences of a group of women based in England, and who are over the age of 30. This particular age group represent a ‘forgotten’ age, that is, they are largely ignored in academic scholarship, policy and physical activity provision. The paper explores how this group of women ‘re/engaged’ in physical activity after a sustained period of inactivity. The study is situated in a weekly football initiative (…
Narratives from the road to social justice in Pete: Teacher educator perspectives
Developing teacher education programmes founded upon principles of critical pedagogy and social justice has become increasingly difficult in the current neoliberal climate of higher education. In this article, we adopt a narrative approach to illuminate some of the dilemmas which advocates of education for social justice face and to reflect upon how pedagogy for inclusion in the field of physical education (PE) teacher education (PETE) is defined…
Introducing the physical education and sport pedagogy 2012 scholar lecture
This commentary introduces David Kirk's paper entitled ‘Making a career in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy in the corporatized university: Reflections on hegemony, resistance, collegiality and scholarship’, which was presented in the 2012 Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy (PESP) ‘scholar lecture’ at the British Educational Research Association (BERA) conference. We briefly describe the origins of the scholar lecture and its link to the …
Girls with learning disabilities and ‘football on the brain’
In this article, we explore the footballing experiences of girls with learning disabilities. We situate our article within an after‐school football initiative that sought to forge a partnership between Bryant Park Special School and Liberty High Specialist Sports College, both based in different suburbs within one city in the north of England. We ask the following question: How are after‐school football initiatives, designed to enhance football o…
Drawing’ on disabled students’ experiences of physical education and stakeholder responses
Within education generally and more specifically physical education inclusion has become a central concern of legislation, policy and programming. Set within an environment where there is much talk of inclusion this paper seeks to interrogate adult stakeholders’ understandings of inclusion by exploring their responses to the drawings and commentary of young disabled students’ experiences of mainstream physical education. By engaging in this resea…
Disability and Youth Sport
1. Bringing disability into youth sport Hayley Fitzgerald 2. Disability Sport: Historical Context Karen DePauw 3. Disability and Inclusion Policy Towards Physical Education and Youth Sport Andy Smith 4. Disability, Physical Education and sport: Some Critical Observations and Questions Len Barton 5. The Voices of Students with Disabilities: Are They Informing Inclusive Physical Education Practice? Donna Goodwin 6.`We Want to Play Football' - Girls…
Identity work: Young disabled people, family and sport
It has long been recognised that family is an important arena in which sporting tastes and interests are nurtured. Indeed, for many young people the family introduces them to and then provides ongoing support for engaging in sport. Research has also indicated that the family has a significant position in the lives of young disabled people. In this paper we explore the interrelationships between sport, family and disability. Like a number of write…
The challenges of intersectionality: Researching difference in physical education
Researching the intersection of class, race, gender, sexuality and disability raises many issues for educational research. Indeed, Maynard (2002 Maynard, M. 2002. Studying age, ‘race’ and gender: Translating a research proposal into a project. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 5: 31–40. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar], 33) has recently argued that ‘difference is one of the most significant, yet unresolved, issues …
Still feeling like a spare piece of luggage? Embodied experiences of (dis)ability in physical education and school sport
This paper addresses an increasing concern within physical education and sports research to engage with young people to find out more about their experiences of physical education and school sport. In particular, I centre my concerns on the experiences of five young disabled pupils. I use the conceptual tools offered by Bourdieu to extend understandings of disability beyond those typically associated with medical and social model perceptives and …
The challenges of intersectionality: Researching difference in physical education
Researching the intersection of class, race, gender, sexuality and disability raises many issues for educational research. Indeed, Maynard (2002 Maynard, M. 2002. Studying age, ‘race’ and gender: Translating a research proposal into a project. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 5: 31–40. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar], 33) has recently argued that ‘difference is one of the most significant, yet unresolved, issues …
Messy methods: Making sense of participatory research with young people in PE and sport
Participatory research with young people has become an approach increasingly adopted by researchers within PE and sport. In this paper, we draw on our research diaries to collectively reflect on our experiences of attempting to work in participatory ways. Although we each work with different young people and have adopted differing participatory approaches, there are similarities in our research experiences. This includes recurring accounts of ‘mu…
Drawing’ on disabled students’ experiences of physical education and stakeholder responses
Within education generally and more specifically physical education inclusion has become a central concern of legislation, policy and programming. Set within an environment where there is much talk of inclusion this paper seeks to interrogate adult stakeholders’ understandings of inclusion by exploring their responses to the drawings and commentary of young disabled students’ experiences of mainstream physical education. By engaging in this resea…
I'm a Referee, Not a Female Referee: The Experiences of Women Involved in Football as Coaches and Referees
The development of the Women's Super League (WSL) in English football, increased media coverage of the game, and an expansion of grassroots opportunities indicate a bright future for women and girls who want to play. Yet this vision must be tempered against compelling evidence of deep rooted and enduring gender inequalities within the game. This is the case for both players, and women who undertake non-playing roles, which is reflected in the rel…
The transformative potential of trans*-inclusive PE: The experiences of PE teachers
Transgender inclusion has become a prominent issue on the agendas of policy makers in education and sport in recent years. Despite this, teachers face continued challenges in providing inclusive experiences for transgender young people. This is particularly apparent in PE, which is a unique subject in its potential to perpetuate gender norms. There is a growing body of literature exploring LGBTQ+ issues in PE. However, there is a need to consider…
Last goal wins’: Re/engaging women of a ‘forgotten’ age through football
This paper explores the physical activity experiences of a group of women based in England, and who are over the age of 30. This particular age group represent a ‘forgotten’ age, that is, they are largely ignored in academic scholarship, policy and physical activity provision. The paper explores how this group of women ‘re/engaged’ in physical activity after a sustained period of inactivity. The study is situated in a weekly football initiative (…
Misguided and Modest: Reflections of Our Youth Voice Research
In recent years, Physical Education (PE) has seen a growth in the commitment to youth voice research. This approach foregrounds the practice of researching with young people, rather than conducting research on or about them. Whilst we are cognisant of the many possibilities youth voice research offers, we are also concerned that there is a tendency to overlook the challenges of supporting youth voice activities. This paper draws on our collective…
Identity work: Young disabled people, family and sport
It has long been recognised that family is an important arena in which sporting tastes and interests are nurtured. Indeed, for many young people the family introduces them to and then provides ongoing support for engaging in sport. Research has also indicated that the family has a significant position in the lives of young disabled people. In this paper we explore the interrelationships between sport, family and disability. Like a number of write…
Factors influencing the culture of special school physical education: A Gramscian critique
Physical education (PE) research has largely been preoccupied with mainstream (regular) schools. This article reports on part of a larger research project that centralises special school PE. In particular, Gramsci’s conceptualisations of hegemony, power and ideology are utilised to help shed light on the key factors that shape the culture of special school PE. A number of key themes were constructed from twelve interviews with special school seni…
Narratives from the road to social justice in Pete: Teacher educator perspectives
Developing teacher education programmes founded upon principles of critical pedagogy and social justice has become increasingly difficult in the current neoliberal climate of higher education. In this article, we adopt a narrative approach to illuminate some of the dilemmas which advocates of education for social justice face and to reflect upon how pedagogy for inclusion in the field of physical education (PE) teacher education (PETE) is defined…
It's not about disability, I want to win as many medals as possible: The social construction of disability in high-performance coaching
This article draws on the theoretical concepts of Pierre Bourdieu to provide a critical analysis of the social construction of disability in high-performance sport coaching. Data were generated using a qualitative cross-case comparative methodology, comprising 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork in high-performance disability sport, and interviews with coaches and athletes from a cross-section of Paralympic sports. We discuss how in both cases 'd…
Girls with learning disabilities and ‘football on the brain’
In this article, we explore the footballing experiences of girls with learning disabilities. We situate our article within an after‐school football initiative that sought to forge a partnership between Bryant Park Special School and Liberty High Specialist Sports College, both based in different suburbs within one city in the north of England. We ask the following question: How are after‐school football initiatives, designed to enhance football o…
Gender, physical education and active lifestyles: Contemporary challenges and new directions
The idea for this Special Issue, ‘Gender, Physical Education and Active Lifestyles: Contemporary Challenges and New Directions’ developed from the interest generated by a one day conference held at Leeds Beckett University in September 2017. The conference marked 25 years since the publication of Sheila Scraton’s ground breaking, feminist analysis of Physical Education. As a pivotal text that has contributed to the growth of gender research withi…
Still feeling like a spare piece of luggage? Embodied experiences of (dis)ability in physical education and school sport
This paper addresses an increasing concern within physical education and sports research to engage with young people to find out more about their experiences of physical education and school sport. In particular, I centre my concerns on the experiences of five young disabled pupils. I use the conceptual tools offered by Bourdieu to extend understandings of disability beyond those typically associated with medical and social model perceptives and …
The challenges of intersectionality: Researching difference in physical education
Researching the intersection of class, race, gender, sexuality and disability raises many issues for educational research. Indeed, Maynard (2002 Maynard, M. 2002. Studying age, ‘race’ and gender: Translating a research proposal into a project. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 5: 31–40. [Taylor & Francis Online] , [Google Scholar], 33) has recently argued that ‘difference is one of the most significant, yet unresolved, issues …
Disability and Youth Sport
1. Bringing disability into youth sport Hayley Fitzgerald 2. Disability Sport: Historical Context Karen DePauw 3. Disability and Inclusion Policy Towards Physical Education and Youth Sport Andy Smith 4. Disability, Physical Education and sport: Some Critical Observations and Questions Len Barton 5. The Voices of Students with Disabilities: Are They Informing Inclusive Physical Education Practice? Donna Goodwin 6.`We Want to Play Football' - Girls…
Identity work: Young disabled people, family and sport
It has long been recognised that family is an important arena in which sporting tastes and interests are nurtured. Indeed, for many young people the family introduces them to and then provides ongoing support for engaging in sport. Research has also indicated that the family has a significant position in the lives of young disabled people. In this paper we explore the interrelationships between sport, family and disability. Like a number of write…
Girls with learning disabilities and ‘football on the brain’
In this article, we explore the footballing experiences of girls with learning disabilities. We situate our article within an after‐school football initiative that sought to forge a partnership between Bryant Park Special School and Liberty High Specialist Sports College, both based in different suburbs within one city in the north of England. We ask the following question: How are after‐school football initiatives, designed to enhance football o…
Drawing’ on disabled students’ experiences of physical education and stakeholder responses
Within education generally and more specifically physical education inclusion has become a central concern of legislation, policy and programming. Set within an environment where there is much talk of inclusion this paper seeks to interrogate adult stakeholders’ understandings of inclusion by exploring their responses to the drawings and commentary of young disabled students’ experiences of mainstream physical education. By engaging in this resea…
Introducing the physical education and sport pedagogy 2012 scholar lecture
This commentary introduces David Kirk's paper entitled ‘Making a career in Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy in the corporatized university: Reflections on hegemony, resistance, collegiality and scholarship’, which was presented in the 2012 Physical Education and Sport Pedagogy (PESP) ‘scholar lecture’ at the British Educational Research Association (BERA) conference. We briefly describe the origins of the scholar lecture and its link to the …
Narratives from the road to social justice in Pete: Teacher educator perspectives
Developing teacher education programmes founded upon principles of critical pedagogy and social justice has become increasingly difficult in the current neoliberal climate of higher education. In this article, we adopt a narrative approach to illuminate some of the dilemmas which advocates of education for social justice face and to reflect upon how pedagogy for inclusion in the field of physical education (PE) teacher education (PETE) is defined…
Gender, physical education and active lifestyles: Contemporary challenges and new directions
The idea for this Special Issue, ‘Gender, Physical Education and Active Lifestyles: Contemporary Challenges and New Directions’ developed from the interest generated by a one day conference held at Leeds Beckett University in September 2017. The conference marked 25 years since the publication of Sheila Scraton’s ground breaking, feminist analysis of Physical Education. As a pivotal text that has contributed to the growth of gender research withi…
Last goal wins’: Re/engaging women of a ‘forgotten’ age through football
This paper explores the physical activity experiences of a group of women based in England, and who are over the age of 30. This particular age group represent a ‘forgotten’ age, that is, they are largely ignored in academic scholarship, policy and physical activity provision. The paper explores how this group of women ‘re/engaged’ in physical activity after a sustained period of inactivity. The study is situated in a weekly football initiative (…
Messy methods: Making sense of participatory research with young people in PE and sport
Participatory research with young people has become an approach increasingly adopted by researchers within PE and sport. In this paper, we draw on our research diaries to collectively reflect on our experiences of attempting to work in participatory ways. Although we each work with different young people and have adopted differing participatory approaches, there are similarities in our research experiences. This includes recurring accounts of ‘mu…
Factors influencing the culture of special school physical education: A Gramscian critique
Physical education (PE) research has largely been preoccupied with mainstream (regular) schools. This article reports on part of a larger research project that centralises special school PE. In particular, Gramsci’s conceptualisations of hegemony, power and ideology are utilised to help shed light on the key factors that shape the culture of special school PE. A number of key themes were constructed from twelve interviews with special school seni…
It's not about disability, I want to win as many medals as possible: The social construction of disability in high-performance coaching
This article draws on the theoretical concepts of Pierre Bourdieu to provide a critical analysis of the social construction of disability in high-performance sport coaching. Data were generated using a qualitative cross-case comparative methodology, comprising 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork in high-performance disability sport, and interviews with coaches and athletes from a cross-section of Paralympic sports. We discuss how in both cases 'd…
The culture of special schools: Perceptions of the nature, purpose and value of physical education
Educational “inclusion” has led to a debate about the appropriateness of special and mainstream schools. This paper adds to this debate by drawing on the concept of cultural hegemony to analyse the nature, purpose and value of special school physical education (PE). Eighteen individual interviews explored the perceptions of PE teachers, senior leaders and learning support assistants. The findings suggest that common sense cultural norms in specia…
The transformative potential of trans*-inclusive PE: The experiences of PE teachers
Transgender inclusion has become a prominent issue on the agendas of policy makers in education and sport in recent years. Despite this, teachers face continued challenges in providing inclusive experiences for transgender young people. This is particularly apparent in PE, which is a unique subject in its potential to perpetuate gender norms. There is a growing body of literature exploring LGBTQ+ issues in PE. However, there is a need to consider…
I'm a Referee, Not a Female Referee: The Experiences of Women Involved in Football as Coaches and Referees
The development of the Women's Super League (WSL) in English football, increased media coverage of the game, and an expansion of grassroots opportunities indicate a bright future for women and girls who want to play. Yet this vision must be tempered against compelling evidence of deep rooted and enduring gender inequalities within the game. This is the case for both players, and women who undertake non-playing roles, which is reflected in the rel…
Misguided and Modest: Reflections of Our Youth Voice Research
In recent years, Physical Education (PE) has seen a growth in the commitment to youth voice research. This approach foregrounds the practice of researching with young people, rather than conducting research on or about them. Whilst we are cognisant of the many possibilities youth voice research offers, we are also concerned that there is a tendency to overlook the challenges of supporting youth voice activities. This paper draws on our collective…
Basketball shorts, plantation food, and ponytail weaves: Black teachers’ experiences of becoming and being a Physical Education teacher
Background Despite increases in the ethnic diversity of the student population within English schools, there remains a distinct lack of Black and minority ethnic representation within the teaching profession. Research has explored the reasons behind this lacuna within education more broadly, highlighting discrimination, verbal abuse, lack of management support, and racial inequalities in pay and promotional opportunities contributing to Black and…
‘There’s nothing wrong with me’: Experiencing Physical Education at the intersections of disability, ethnicity and gender
Background: School populations in England continue to diversify, particularly in relation to ethnicity, language, and Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Yet research demonstrates that Physical Education (PE) often remains structured, organised and delivered in ways that privilege White, male, cisgender, heterosexual, non-disabled students. Whilst the experiences of those students marginalised within PE have been explored, a single-i…
The power of belonging: Reframing Notions of Inclusion in Sport
Working within the Centre for Social Justice in Sport and Society (CSJ) at Leeds Beckett University, UK, has provided opportunities for the authorship team to work with sports organisations on issues of equity, diversity and inclusion. What has become increasingly apparent is the need to conceive inclusion in ways that move beyond issues of access and participation, a policy or targeted programme. What emerges across our research projects is the …
Introduction to the special issue ‘intersectionality: Exploring the Possibilities and Challenges for Intersectional Research in Physical Education and Sport
The seeds of this special issue, focusing on intersectionality, began to germinate over two years ago because of a conversation Annette found herself engaged in with two colleagues over a meal. The
Dabbling, daubing and discovering
Sociology (19 works) · Physical Education and Pedagogy (16 works) · Gender Studies (14 works) · Inclusion and Disability in Education and Sport (14 works) · Psychology (14 works) · Pedagogy (12 works) · Political science (12 works) · Gender Studies (10 works) · Sports, Gender, and Society (10 works) · Physical education (9 works)