Dr Jessica Pinchbeck

Professional biography

Jessica's research interests lie within female sports participation across the lifespan, which also includes the influence of the family on sport participation. Her PhD thesis investigated the sociocultural influences of women's participation in netball, including the role of the family during childhood and into adulthood.

Jessica’s work is designed to promote and raise awareness of the importance of the sociocultural factors that influence female sports participation and influence those involved in coaching female athletes in sport as well as educating parents on how they can support their child.  

Jessica is the Programme Leader for Sport and Fitness and has been involved in the writing and development of all modules in the sport and fitness programme. A sample of Jessica's authoring includes:

E315 - Contemporary Sport and Exercise Issues 

• Author of Study Topic 4b - ‘Whose game is it?’ Rethinking youth sport

E312 - Exploring Psychological Aspects of Athletic Development

• Author of Study Topic 2 - Family Influences on Athletic Development

E236 - Applying Sport and Exercise Sciences to Coaching 

• Author of Study Topic 5c 'Environmental Physiology: Pushing the limits'

Jessica also has experience of additional roles within Academic Conduct and Student Voice and Wellbeing.

To find out more about the Sport and Fitness qualifications available at The Open University please click here.

Jessica disseminates her knowledge of sport and exercise sociology in ways that are designed to engage diverse communities and foster knowledge exchange. Examples of media used to disseminate such knowledge include:

• The Conversation (click here to see articles written by Jessica)
• OpenLearn (click here to see articles written by Jessica)
• Sport and Fitness team blog (click here to see posts written by Jessica)

Jessica has been an academic contributor to news articles:

• Orie, A. (2019) 'Sporting success at an early age - is it a good or bad thing, and what about pushy parents?' [online]. The Telegraph. Available from: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/womens-sport/2019/09/23/sporting-success-early-age-good-bad-thing-pushy-parents/
• O'Hahan, E. (2019) 'THIS GIRL DID: Meet inspiring women who have changed their life following their passion for sport; [online]. The Sun. Available from: Meet inspiring women who have changed their lives by following their passion for sport – The Sun 

Jessica has worked with the BBC as an academic consultant:

• BBC Three (2022) 'BBC Three - Freeze, Skating on the Edge' TV Series. 
• BBC Ideas (2022) 'The extraordinary magic of boxing'
• BBC Ideas (2019) 'How to be a Good Sports Parent'
• BBC Ideas (2018) 'What is Flow?'

Jessica was the lead author working with the TES to produce a CPD course for primary school teachers to develop confidence in delivering the primary curriculum.

• TES (2015) 'Enriching the primary curriculum: PE' [online]. Available from: https://www.tes.com/institute/pe-cpd-primary-schools