Stephen Cobley

York St John University is advertising a fully funded, full-time PhD studentship on Growth and Maturation in Youth Swimming , delivered in collaboration with York City Baths Club and Swim England North East Region . The project sits within the Institute for Health and Care Improvement and the university’s PGR School, and is designed for a candidate interested in applied sports science , strength and conditioning , athlete development, and youth performance research. The PhD will investigate how biological growth and maturation affect performance, training, injury risk, and athlete welfare in competitive youth swimmers. The proposed work uses a mixed-methods, longitudinal design, combining quantitative measures such as stature, sitting height, predicted age at peak height velocity, maturity offset, strength indicators, jump performance, sprint swim times, and training exposure with qualitative interviews and focus groups involving swimmers, parents, and coaches. The project is sensitive to safeguarding guidance and the ethical issues around measuring children in sport. This opportunity is especially relevant to applicants with practical experience in S&C and swimming, and to those who want to work in an applied environment while developing research skills. The successful candidate will also support S&C and/or swim coaching sessions at York City Baths Club for 6–8 hours per week, subject to a DBS check. The scholarship is linked to a wider research programme on youth sport development and builds on the work of Dr Jamie Salter, with additional input from Dr Dale Forsdyke, Professor Garry Tew, and project advice from Professor Stephen Cobley (University of Sydney). Funding includes UK tuition fees and a UKRI-linked stipend for 3 years. International-fee applicants must cover the difference between UK and international tuition fees. The start date is 1 October 2026 , and the application deadline is 24 April 2026 . Applicants must hold at least a 2:1 honours degree and a relevant master’s degree, and must submit a research proposal of up to 1,500 words through the university admissions process.