Duncan Mascarenhas

Duncan is a senior lecturer in sport and exercise psychology. He graduated in Business, Sport and Recreation from Manchester Metropolitan University in 1997, and achieved a Masters degree in Sport Psychology in 1998.

Following his interest in sports officiating he worked for five years with the RFU national and international referees, and moved to Edinburgh University where he completed his PhD in referee decision-making in 2005.

Duncan became a British Association of Sport and Exercise Science Accredited Sport & Exercise Psychologist in 2001 and has worked with national and international athletes, coaches and referees in a number of sports.

He recently completed a post-doctorate research contract at the University of Otago in New Zealand working with their top football referees.

Teaching responsibilities

• Personal tutor
• Level 5 Year Coordinator
• Module leader for Sports Practice (Level 4)
• Module leader for Sports Psychology (Levels 5 & 6)
• Module leader for Research Skills (Level 5)
• Module leader for Sports Science Support (Level 5)

Awards

• NEWI Research Fellowship 2006/7 (£1,000)
• NEWI Teaching Excellence Fellowship 2007/8 (£3,000)
• Glyndŵr University Research Fellowship 2008/9 (£5,000)

Research interests

Duncan's principal area of research is in sports officiating and team decision-making.

Consultancy experience

Duncan has a broad range of consultancy experience with clients including:

• The Rugby Football Union (RFU) Elite Referee Unit
• The Rugby Football League (RFL) Match Officials
• Basketball Scotland
• Scottish Badminton Association
• Major League Soccer (MLS)
• Netball New Zealand
• New Zealand Soccer
• New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZFU)
• New Zealand Cricket
• Tennis Wales
• Other support work includes golf, downhill mountain biking, pistol and rifle shooters, archery, volleyball, snooker, squash, drag bike racing and baseball.

Publications

Mascarenhas, D. R. D., & Smith, N. C. (In press, 2010) Developing the performance brain: Decision making under pressure. In, Collins, D., Richards, H., and Button, A. (2007) Performance Psychology – Developing a Peak Performance Culture. Elsevier.

Richards, P., Mascarenhas, D. R. D., and Collins, D. (2009) Implementing Reflective Practice Approaches with Elite Team Athletes: Parameters of Success. Journal of Reflective Practice, 3, 353–363.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D., Button, C., O'Hare, D., & Dicks, M. (2009). Physical performance and decision making in association football referees: A naturalistic study. The Open Sports Sciences Journal, 2(9), 1-9. http://epubs.glyndwr.ac.uk/ses/2 

Mascarenhas, D.R.D., O'Hare, D., & Plessner, H. (2006). The psychological and performance demands of association football refereeing. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 37, 99-120.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D., Collins, D., & Mortimer, P. (2005). Elite refereeing performance: Developing a model for sport science support. The Sport Psychologist, 19, 364-379. http://epubs.glyndwr.ac.uk/ses/1

Mascarenhas, D. R. D., Collins, D., & Mortimer, P. (2005), The accuracy, agreement and coherence of decision making in rugby union officials, Journal of Sport Behavior, 28(3), 253-271.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D., Collins, D., Mortimer, P., & Morris, R. L. (2005). Training accurate and coherent decision-making in rugby union referees. The Sport Psychologist, 19, 131-147. http://epubs.glyndwr.ac.uk/ses/3

Mascarenhas, D.R.D., Collins, D., & Mortimer, P. (2002). The art of reason versus the exactness of science in elite refereeing: Comments on Plessner and Betsch (2001). Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 24, 328-333. http://epubs.glyndwr.ac.uk/ses/4

Conference proceedings

Jones, D. E., & Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2010). What are the Differences in the Cognitive Phase of a Pre-shot routine in golfers of different ability levels? Poster presented at the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Student Conference, Aberystwyth, Wales, April 2010.

Knight, C., & Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2010). Coach and player perspectives from a football professional Centre of Excellence on qualities needed to make the next step into the professional game. Oral presentation at the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Student Conference, Aberystwyth, Wales, April 2010.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D., & Perry, S. J. (2009). A DVD-based assessment of cricket umpires’ leg before wicket (LBW) decisions. Paper presented at the 12th World Congress of Sport Psychology: Refereeing Symposium (ISSP), Marrakesh, Morocco, June 17-21 2009.

Richards, P., Collins, D., & Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2009).  Reflective Practice as a methodology to influence in-game decision making. Paper presented at British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences National Conference, Leeds, England, September 4th 2009.

Collins, D., Martindale, A., Mascarenhas, D. R. D., & Richards, P. (2009). Decisions Decisions Decisions! Professional Judgement and Decision Making as a crucial cross-domain construct in applied sport science. Symposium presented at British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences National Conference, Leeds, England, September 4th 2009.

Collins, D., Martindale, A., & Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2009) Professional Judgement and Decision Making (PJDM) as a key construct for performance sport science. Paper presented at British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences National Conference, Leeds, England, September 4th 2009.

Perry, S. J., & Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2008). A naturalistic assessment of cricket umpires’ leg before wicket (LBW) decisions. Poster presented at the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences Student Conference, Bedford, England, April 2008.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2008, October). How to create an elite athlete: What can sport psychology do. Llandrillo College Inaugural Higher Education Coaching Conference, Llandrillo, Wales.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2007, May). The Umpire Strikes Back: Vulcan mind fusion for elite sports officials. North East Wales Institute, School of Health, Social Care & Sport & Exercise Sciences Conference, Wrexham, Wales.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D. (2007, March) The Umpire Strikes Back: Training elite referees to use the force. Paper presented at NEWI Health, Social Science and SES Conference, Wrexham, Wales.

Button, C., O'Hare, D., & Mascarenhas, D.R.D. (2006, November). Developing a method to examine decision-making and physical demands of football refereeing. Paper presented at Sport & Exercise Sciences New Zealand Conference, Wellington, New Zealand.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D., (2006, October). Assessing and Training Coherent Netball Umpiring. Netball New Zealand Coach & Umpire National Conference. Christchurch, New Zealand.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2006, April). The Psychology of Officiating. Southland NZFU referees meeting. Southland, New Zealand.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2006, March). Coaching Science and Pedagogy for Developing New Zealand cricket. Cricket NZ Elite Coaches Workshop. Otago, New Zealand.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2006, March). An Applied Research Programme with England’s RFU Referees. Otago NZFU referees Annual Conference. Dunedin, New Zealand.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D. (2005, March). The Coaching Toolbox 2. Workshop at BasketballScotland’s Performance and Excellence Seminar Series to the National Team’s Coaches. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D. (2005, March). Developing Imagery Skills in Basketball Players: Things you need to know. Workshop at BasketballScotland’s Performance and Excellence Seminar Series to the National Team’s Coaches. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D. (2005, March). Doing Something About Anxiety and Mental Toughness. Workshop at BasketballScotland’s Performance and Excellence Seminar Series to the National Team’s Coaches. Edinburgh, Scotland.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D. (2004, November). The Coaching Toolbox. Presentation at BasketballScotland’s Performance and Excellence Seminar Series to the National Team’s Coaches. Livingston, Scotland.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D. (2004, November). Goal setting. Workshop at BasketballScotland’s Performance and Excellence Seminar Series to the National Team’s Coaches. Livingston, Scotland.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D. (2004, November). Developing Mental Skills in Basketball Players. Workshop at BasketballScotland’s Performance and Excellence Seminar Series to the National Team’s Coaches. Livingston, Scotland.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D. (2004, September). The Psychology of Refereeing. Workshop for BasketballScotland’s Junior and National League Referees. Dundee, Scotland.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2003, November). Rugby football league referee coherence training. “The Best of British Rugby League National Coaching Conference. Bolton, England.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D., Ollis, S., MacPherson, A., & Collins, D. (2003, August). Touch judge training: Developing coherent touch judging. RFU Referees Elite Group Inaugural Conference. Wakefield, England.

MacPherson, A., Mascarenhas, D.R.D., Ollis, S., Mortimer, P., & Collins, D. (2003, March) Star Wars: Training your referees to use the force. Paper presented at British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Bournemouth, England.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D. (2006, March). Offside Referee!! Wrexham Science Festival. Wrexham, Wales.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D., MacPherson, A., Ollis, S., Mortimer, P., & Collins, D. (2003, March) The Umpire Strikes Back: Keeping your elite referees legal. Paper presented at British Psychological Society Annual Conference, Bournemouth, England.

Mascarenhas, D. R. D., Mortimer, P., & Collins, D. (2001, July). Coherence Assessment: Reflecting on 3-years of support. Paper presented at RFU Referees National Conference.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D., Collins, D. & Mortimer, P. (2000, December) Shared mental-models: A naturalistic approach to training coherent decision-making in rugby union referees. Paper presented at Scottish Sport Science and Medicine Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Technical reports and other papers

Mascarenhas, D.R.D., Button, C., & O’Hare, D. (2006). Developing a method to examine decision-making and physical demands of football refereeing. Technical Report to Sport & Recreation New Zealand and New Zealand Soccer. University of Otago , Human Performance Centre.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D. (2004). The psychology of refereeing: Rugby football league coherence training results. Technical Report to the RFL Referees. University of Edinburgh, PESLS Dept.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D., Collins, D., & Mortimer, P. (2002). The 'four cornerstones' model, Referee, 27, 4, 38.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D., Mortimer, P. & Collins, D. (2001). Helping the man in the middle: Coherence re-test data. Technical Report to the RFU Referees. University of Edinburgh , PESLS Dept.

Mascarenhas, D.R.D., Mortimer, P. &Collins, D. (2001). Helping the man in the middle: communication and conflict management report. Technical Report to the RFU Referees. University of Edinburgh, PESLS Dept.

Communications with the media (newspaper articles)

The Sunday Telegraph. (2003, Mar. 16). Ring of confidence from the whistle blowers, p. 11.

The Herald. (2003, Sep. 8) Techniques from the Top Gun academy may be the answer to those refereeing blunders, p.3.

The Scotsman. (2003, Sep. 7) Top gun tactics aim to make ref a hero, p.10.

Sport and exercise profile

• English Universities Volleyball Representative Team Member (1998)
• Sports Personality of the Year – Crewe & Alsager Faculty Athletic Union, MMU (1998)
• Student’s Cup volleyball winners - MMU (1998)
• BUSA Volleyball winners (team captain) – MMU (1997)
• North West Universities Volleyball team Captain (1997)
• British Colleges Volleyball Representative Team Member (1991)

Professional memberships

• BASES (British Association of Sport & Exercise Sciences) - Accredited Sport & Exercise Psychologist
• BPS Division of Sport & Exercise Psychology – Chartered Psychologist
• HE Academy: Psychology Network member
• WISHES (Welsh Virtual Institute of Sport Health & Exercise Sciences) Local Representative & Board Member

Book and journal reviews

• International Journal of Sport Psychology
• Journal of Sports Sciences
• The Sport Psychologist