Emeritus Professor Tania Cassidy – a career in sport pedagogy research

Emeritus Professor Tania Cassidy volunteering on the Spirit of Adventure in April 2025.

Remaining active in retirement comes naturally to School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences Emeritus Professor Tania Cassidy.

Tania tells the story that when she was enrolled at primary school, the teacher asked her mother what kind of child she was to which she replied; "give Tania a book, a ball and a bike and she'll be happy".

The same still applies in Tania's retirement, where balls, bikes, and books continue to feature prominently.

"I've been playing with a ball as a member of the NZ Women's 60's hockey team, I'm in the process of co-writing a children's book, and I've been exploring the countryside on my new motorbike!"

Tania's early penchant for activity led to her completing a Diploma in Physical Education at Otago's School of Physical Education alongside a Diploma in Teaching at Teachers' College in Christchurch.

Tania's curiosity of history and politics was further piqued by her experiences teaching in New Zealand and England, as well as travelling in the Middle East and Asia. Attempting to understand these experiences, she enrolled in a Master's program at Otago upon returning to New Zealand.

During this period of study, Tania identified with the work of international scholars who challenged the status quo in education and physical education, and it was her desire to work with such scholars that led to her completing a Doctorate at Australia's Deakin University.

Appointed as a lecturer in pedagogy in the School of Physical Education in 1998, Tania drew on her PhD research findings to guide her work forging a new path of critical thinking.

"A key finding of my research was that when attempting to challenge the status quo, there is limited chance of change occurring if the focus is only placed on changing the mental processes of the learner," Tania says. "For genuine change to occur, there needs to be an emotional commitment to the change agenda".

Tania gives an example of how using a quote from All Blacks coach Wayne Smith reflecting on his coaching practices really resonated with previously disengaged students. The students' engagement with the quote reminded Tania of the importance of developing an emotional commitment with the learner and the importance of using relatable and topical examples when "making links between theory and practice".

The success of explicitly linking educational theories and sports coaching practices in her teaching was a catalyst for Tania to also reflect this in her research. Her subsequent work made a significant contribution to a paradigm shift in international sport pedagogy research.

Tania and friend Vicki Rewcastle playing for New Zealand in the trans-Tasman Masters competition in May 2025.

Using educational theories to explore the interconnections between the coach, athlete, content and context, Tania has challenged the orthodoxies associated with coach development, athlete learning and development, as well as with talent identification.

Examples of Tania's leadership to the profession include co-ordinating with the Taiwanese Ministry of Education to develop in-service programmes for their coaches and athletes. She also holds advisory roles at NZ Hockey and NZ Football.

Tania describes her enjoyment working on what she terms as the "borders" between academic theory and applied practice. "I love the challenge and reciprocity of working with practitioners in the sport space, whether it be with coaches, athletes, or policy developers, or in a governance role."

A highlight of Tania's time at Otago was the support given to her by university-wide staff, often from unexpected sources. This support enabled her to become a key member of the international sports pedagogy research community and provided her with opportunities to reflect on what it means to be, and work towards becoming, a valued leader.

"The support has been crucial in my development as an academic and has provided me with the freedom to be curious and explore questions of interest to me and society."

Retirement has opened new opportunities for Tania including volunteering on the Spirit of New Zealand and rock climbing with her nieces. She also continues to be involved in governance and advisory work with local and national sport organisations.

"My retirement is not boring, in fact it's intoxicating, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to be able to experience what Henry David Thoreau referred to when he was leaving his reflective life at Walden Pond - 'I left the woods….[because] it seemed to me that I had several more lives to lead'.

"That reflection captures what I'm feeling now, which is I have several more lives to lead, and retirement is allowing me to follow them."

- Kōreroby Guy Frederick, Sciences Communications Adviser