Rich Kite

Dr Rich Kite

  • Lecturer in Strength and Conditioning
UN SDGs:
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Biography

Dr Rich Kite is a dedicated Strength & Conditioning lecturer with over a decade of industry experience working in professional sport. His previous roles include Academy Lead Strength & Conditioning Coach at Coventry City F.C., Senior Strength & Conditioning Coach at Project MVP, and Talent Pathway Coach at British Weight Lifting.

Rich has a particular focus on the holistic development of young athletes and is also an active researcher specialising in talent identification, selection, and development in sport. His work examines how physical, psychological, technical, and contextual factors interact to shape a young athlete’s pathway. He has published widely on topics including growth and maturation, neuromuscular performance testing, performance pathway transitions, and talent selection and assessment in sport.

Rich’s research bridges applied sport science, coaching practice, and athlete development policy, offering critical insights into how athletic potential is recognised, nurtured, and sometimes overlooked within high-performance environments.

Research

With a strong interest in the development of young athletes, Rich’s research focuses on talent development and talent identification in sport, alongside the assessment and development of physical performance in youth and academy settings. Having worked with several professional sporting organisations and National Governing Bodies, his research has informed policy and practice across applied sport environments.

Areas of particular interest include player selection processes, talent identification protocols, athlete performance assessment, strength and conditioning provision for young athletes, plyometric training and neuromuscular performance, and the physiological changes associated with growth and maturation, including their influence on physical performance.

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person's work contributes towards the following SDGs:

Good health and well-being

"Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages"

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Quality education

"Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all"

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Gender equality

"Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls"

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Journal Articles

  • Kite, R., Keleher, K. and Samways, B., 2026. The influence of somatic maturation on stretch-shortening cycle function in youth athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
  • Kite, R.J. and Callaway, A., 2026. How Many Familiarization Sessions Does the Isometric Squat Test Require for Stable Results. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 40 (1), e104-e107.
  • Kite, R., O'Brien, H. and Vickers, E., 2025. A Systematic Review of Talent Identification Practices Within Table Tennis. Journal of Applied Sports Sciences, 9 (2).
  • Kite, R., Johnston, K. and Baker, J., 2025. What Do We Know About Player Selection in Academy Soccer? A Narrative Review. Journal of Expertise, 8 (2-3), 150-178.
  • Kite, R.J. and Parris, Z., 2025. Athletes’ transitions from part-time to full-time performance programmes: Athletes’ and coaches’ perceptions. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 20 (4), 1409-1419.
  • Kite, R. and Benstead-Banthorpe, J., 2025. Understanding Plyometrics: A Coach's Guide. Professional Strength and Conditioning Journal, 73 (1), 20-32.
  • Kite, R., Ashford, M., Noon, M., Morris, R. and Clarke, N., 2024. Talking a Good Game: Identifying the Discrepancies in Football Coaches' Beliefs and Actions in Player Selection. Journal of Expertise, 6(4) & 7(1), 352-368.
  • Kite, R.J., Noon, M.R., Morris, R., Mundy, P. and Clarke, N.D., 2024. Observations of Player (de)Selection Within a Professional UK Soccer Academy. Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise, 6 (1), 71-80.
  • Kite, R., Noon, M., Morris, R., Mundy, P. and Clarke, N., 2023. Investigating Player Selection within UK Academy Soccer: The Application of Objective and Subjective Assessments in Detecting Talent. International Journal of Physical Education, Fitness and Sport, 12 (3), 69-83.
  • Thurlow, F.G., Kite, R.J. and Cumming, S.P., 2022. Revisiting youth player development in Australian Rules Football: Is there a place for bio-banding? International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 17 (3), 637-646.
  • Kite, R.J., Noon, M.R., Morris, R., Mundy, P. and Clarke, N.D., 2022. British Soccer Academy Personnel Perceive Psychological and Technical/Tactical Attributes as the Most Important Contributors to Development. Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise, 4 (1), 37-48.
  • Kite, R., Buscombe, R. and Bourne, N., 2020. Talent detection: do jumping performances correlate with maturation levels, and what are the differences within maturation groupings? Professional Strength and Conditioning Journal, 58, 9-13.

Conferences

  • Kite, R., 2025. Athlete Transition from Part-time to Full-time Performance Programmes: Athletes' and Coaches' Perceptions. In: UKSCA Conference 12-14 September 2025 East Midlands Conference Centre.

Internet Publications

PhD Students

  • Megan Chesters, MRes, (In progress)

Profile of Teaching PG

  • Practical Strength and Conditioning
  • Periodisation and Programme Design

Qualifications

  • Level.2 in Talent Identification (The FA, 2022)
  • PhD in Observations of youth player selection in football (Coventry University, 2022)
  • MRes in Sports Science (University of East London, 2019)
  • BSc (Hons) in Strength and Conditioning Science (St Mary's University, 2014)
  • Level.2 in Weightlifting Coach (British Weight Lifting, 2013)

Memberships

  • BASES, Accredited and Chartered Member,
  • UK Strength & Conditioning Association, Accredited Member,