Hartpury University Professor Tracey Devonport, a leading expert in Applied Sport and Exercise Psychology, has been appointed to the Independent Research Board launched by UK youth charity Greenhouse Sports. The new global board brings together 16 internationally recognised academics across sport psychology, education, behavioural science, sociology, and social justice to set a new benchmark for evidence-based youth development through sport.
The pioneering initiative marks a significant moment for the charity sector, shifting from well-intentioned practice to high-performance, research-driven impact, mirroring the continual improvement mindset found in elite sport.
Professor Devonport, whose career spans more than 100 professional outputs, specialises in stress, coping, and emotion regulation, areas central to supporting young people’s development. Her work explores how mentoring and reverse-mentoring relationships can help young people thrive, both in sporting and academic environments. As an accredited Sport and Exercise Psychologist, she is committed to bridging the gap between academic insight and real-world benefit, inspiring students and colleagues alike.
Speaking about her appointment, Professor Devonport said: “Much of my work focuses on how we can create supportive environments that help young people develop effective coping skills and regulate emotions in challenging situations. This aligns closely with the sport-mentor model at the heart of Greenhouse Sports. I’m excited by the opportunity to embed research into the design of new mentoring programmes from the outset, ensuring interventions are both evidence-based and responsive to the lived realities of young people.”
Her research has included the development and delivery of coping interventions supported by mentors, as well as investigations into how coaches, athletes, and parents can work together to enhance young athletes’ psychosocial development.
Greenhouse Sports’ new Board is led by world-leading youth sport psychologist Professor Camilla Knight, the charity’s Director of Impact, Innovation & Engagement. Together, the Board aims to close the “knowledge translation gap” by integrating academic rigour directly into programme design so that every intervention is independently validated, continually improving, and grounded in the experiences of young people facing poverty.
Alice Tocknell, Associate Head of Sport at Hartpury University said: “We are delighted to see Professor Devonport contributing her internationally recognised expertise to such a transformative initiative. Her appointment reflects the calibre of research taking place among our Hartpury University academics and underscores our commitment to improving young people’s lives through evidence-informed practice. This work will help set new standards for sport-based youth development both in the UK and globally. It will also be hugely inspiring and informative for our sport students, who are seeing first-hand the difference research and collaboration can make.”
