Dr Samuel Hills
- Lecturer in Sports Science
- Bournemouth Gateway Building BG504, St Pauls Lane, Bournemouth, BH8 8GP
- Keywords:
- PhD Supervisor
- Sport science
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Biography
Dr Samuel (Sam) Hills is a Lecturer in Sports Science, having joined Bournemouth University in June 2021. Sam was awarded his PhD from the University of Leeds in 2020, with a thesis entitled “The performance and physiological responses of soccer substitutes on match-day” and has contributed to >30 peer reviewed publications since 2018.
Sam’s research to date has largely focused on monitoring and improving the practices of team sports players, as well as externally funded public health related research examining drowning and associated risk factors. This research has involved engaging with and working in close collaboration with academic and practice-based partners worldwide, and Sam has presented to academic and applied audiences within the UK and internationally. Developing research interests relate to social and environmental determinants of health.
Sam has taught undergraduate and postgraduate students on a broad range of Sport, Health, and related programmes, including unit leadership and postgraduate research supervision...
Sam welcomes contact regarding potential postgraduate research supervision on the above topics.
moreExpertise 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"
Sustainable cities and communities
"Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable"
Journal Articles
- Nash, J. and Hills, S., 2025. Fighting instinct: The Brain, Emotions and Decision-making in the Water. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 14 (4).
- Curtis, C., Hills, S.P., Arjomandkhah, N., Cooke, C., Ranchordas, M.K. and Russell, M., 2024. The test–retest reliability and validity of food photography and food diary analyses. Nutrition and Dietetics, 81 (5), 563-572.
- Hills, S.P., Izri, E., Howells, D., Lonergan, B., Kilduff, L.P. and Waldron, M., 2024. Assessing the locomotor demands of international men's and women's rugby sevens match-play according to passage of play. PLoS ONE, 19 (6 June).
- Hills, S.P., Hobbs, M., Brown, P., Tipton, M. and Barwood, M., 2024. Association between air temperature and unintentional drowning risk in the United Kingdom 2012–2019: A nationwide case-crossover study. Preventive Medicine, 179.
- Barwood, M., Eglin, C., Hills, S., Johnston, N., Massey, H., McMorris, T., Tipton, M., Wakabayashi, H. and Webster, L., 2024. Habituation of the cold shock response: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Thermal Biology.
- Hobbs, M., Hills, S., Marek, L., Tipton, M. and Barwood, M., 2023. Investigating the spatial clustering of drowning events in the United Kingdom: A geospatial cross-sectional study. Applied Geography, 158.
- Aben, H.G.J., Hills, S.P., Higgins, D., Cooke, C.B., Davis, D., Jones, B. and Russell, M., 2023. The Efficacy of a Multimodal Recovery Strategy Implemented After a High-Intensity Rugby League Training Session. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 37 (8), 1634-1642.
- McFadden, B.A., Bozzini, B.N., Cintineo, H.P., Hills, S.P., Walker, A.J., Chandler, A.J., Sanders, D.J., Russell, M. and Arent, S.M., 2023. Power, Endurance, and Body Composition Changes Over a Collegiate Career in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Women Soccer Athletes. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 37 (7), 1428-1433.
- Hills, S.P., Crang, Z.L., Russell, M. and Johnston, R.D., 2023. The pre- and post-pitch-entry physical and technical responses of rugby league interchange players according to starting status. International Journal of Sports Science and Coaching, 18 (3), 822-831.
- Dann, E., Quinn, S., Russell, M., Kilduff, L.P., Turner, A.N. and Hills, S.P., 2023. Alternate Leg Bounding Acutely Improves Change of Direction Performance in Women's Team Sports Players Irrespective of Ground Type. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 37 (6), 1199-1203.
- Marek, L., Hills, S., Wiki, J., Campbell, M. and Hobbs, M., 2023. Towards a better understanding of residential mobility and the environments in which adults reside: A nationwide geospatial study from Aotearoa New Zealand. Habitat International, 133.
- Ullersperger, E., Hills, S.P., Russell, M., Waldron, M., Shearer, D., Lonergan, B., Farrow, T., Eager, R. and Kilduff, L.P., 2023. Assessing climatic, travel, and methodological influences on whole-match and worst-case scenario locomotor demands of international men’s rugby sevens match-play. European Journal of Sport Science, 23 (7), 1094-1101.
- Terry, J., Estudillo, A.J. et al., 2023. Data from an International Multi-Centre Study of Statistics and Mathematics Anxieties and Related Variables in University Students (the SMARVUS Dataset). Journal of Open Psychology Data, 11 (1).
- Hills, S.P., Barrett, S., Thoseby, B., Kilduff, L.P., Barwood, M.J., Radcliffe, J.N., Cooke, C.B. and Russell, M., 2022. Quantifying the Peak Physical Match-Play Demands of Professional Soccer Substitutes Following Pitch-Entry: Assessing Contextual Influences. Res Q Exerc Sport, 93 (2), 270-281.
- Nutt, F., Hills, S.P., Russell, M., Waldron, M., Scott, P., Norris, J., Cook, C.J., Mason, B., Ball, N. and Kilduff, L.P., 2022. Morning resistance exercise and cricket-specific repeated sprinting each improve indices of afternoon physical and cognitive performance in professional male cricketers. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 25 (2), 162-166.
- Hills, S.P., Hobbs, M., Tipton, M.J. and Barwood, M.J., 2021. The water incident database (WAID) 2012 to 2019: a systematic evaluation of the documenting of UK drownings. BMC Public Health, 21 (1).
- Hills, S.P., Aben, H.G.J., Starr, D.P., Kilduff, L.P., Arent, S.M., Barwood, M.J., Radcliffe, J.N., Cooke, C.B. and Russell, M., 2021. Body temperature and physical performance responses are not maintained at the time of pitch-entry when typical substitute-specific match-day practices are adopted before simulated soccer match-play. J Sci Med Sport, 24 (5), 511-516.
- Hills, S.P., Barrett, S., Busby, M., Kilduff, L.P., Barwood, M.J., Radcliffe, J.N., Cooke, C.B. and Russell, M., 2020. Profiling the Post-match Top-up Conditioning Practices of Professional Soccer Substitutes: An Analysis of Contextual Influences. J Strength Cond Res, 34 (10), 2805-2814.
- Aben, H.G.J., Hills, S.P., Cooke, C.B., Davis, D., Jones, B. and Russell, M., 2020. Profiling the Post-match Recovery Response in Male Rugby: A Systematic Review. J Strength Cond Res.
- Fereday, K., Hills, S.P., Russell, M., Smith, J., Cunningham, D.J., Shearer, D., McNarry, M. and Kilduff, L.P., 2020. A comparison of rolling averages versus discrete time epochs for assessing the worst-case scenario locomotor demands of professional soccer match-play. J Sci Med Sport, 23 (8), 764-769.
- Sheppy, E., Hills, S.P., Russell, M., Chambers, R., Cunningham, D.J., Shearer, D., Heffernan, S., Waldron, M., McNarry, M. and Kilduff, L.P., 2020. Assessing the whole-match and worst-case scenario locomotor demands of international women's rugby union match-play. J Sci Med Sport, 23 (6), 609-614.
- Aben, H.G.J., Hills, S.P., Higgins, D., Cooke, C.B., Davis, D., Jones, B. and Russell, M., 2020. The Reliability of Neuromuscular and Perceptual Measures Used to Profile Recovery, and the Time-Course of such Responses following Academy Rugby League Match-Play. Sports (Basel), 8 (5).
- White, A., Hills, S.P., Hobbs, M., Cooke, C.B., Kilduff, L.P., Cook, C., Roberts, C. and Russell, M., 2020. The physical demands of professional soccer goalkeepers throughout a week-long competitive microcycle and transiently throughout match-play. Journal of Sports Sciences, 38 (8), 848-854.
- Barrett, S., Varley, M.C., Hills, S.P., Russell, M., Reeves, M., Hearn, A. and Towlson, C., 2020. Understanding the Influence of the Head Coach on Soccer Training Drills-An 8 Season Analysis. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL, 10 (22).
- Hills, S.P., Barrett, S., Hobbs, M., Barwood, M.J., Radcliffe, J.N., Cooke, C.B. and Russell, M., 2020. Modifying the pre-pitch entry practices of professional soccer substitutes may contribute towards improved movement-related performance indicators on match-day: A case study. PLoS One, 15 (5), e0232611.
- Hills, S.P., Radcliffe, J.N., Barwood, M.J., Arent, S.M., Cooke, C.B. and Russell, M., 2020. Practitioner perceptions regarding the practices of soccer substitutes. PLoS One, 15 (2), e0228790.
- Hills, S.P., Mitchell, P., Wells, C. and Russell, M., 2019. Honey Supplementation and Exercise: A Systematic Review. Nutrients, 11 (7).
- Hills, S.P., Barrett, S., Feltbower, R.G., Barwood, M.J., Radcliffe, J.N., Cooke, C.B., Kilduff, L.P., Cook, C.J. and Russell, M., 2019. A match-day analysis of the movement profiles of substitutes from a professional soccer club before and after pitch-entry. PLoS One, 14 (1), e0211563.
- White, A., Hills, S.P., Cooke, C.B., Batten, T., Kilduff, L.P., Cook, C.J., Roberts, C. and Russell, M., 2018. Match-Play and Performance Test Responses of Soccer Goalkeepers: A Review of Current Literature. Sports Medicine, 48 (11), 2497-2516.
- Hills, S.P., Barwood, M.J., Radcliffe, J.N., Cooke, C.B., Kilduff, L.P., Cook, C.J. and Russell, M., 2018. Profiling the Responses of Soccer Substitutes: A Review of Current Literature. Sports Med, 48 (10), 2255-2269.
- Hills, S.P. and Rogerson, D.J., 2018. Associatons Between Self-Reported Well-being and Neuromuscular Performance During a Professional Rugby Union Season. J Strength Cond Res, 32 (9), 2498-2509.
- Hills, S.P. and Russell, M., 2017. Carbohydrates for Soccer: A Focus on Skilled Actions and Half-Time Practices. Nutrients, 10 (1).
Chapters
- Hills, S., Smith, N., Kilduff, L. and Russell, M., 2025. Match-day strategies to enhance football performance: warming-up, priming and extra time. In: Beato, M., Bishop, C. and Turner, A., eds. Strength and Conditioning for Football: From Science to Practice. Routledge.
- Russell, M., Hills, S., Cook, C. and Kilduff, L., 2023. Match-day strategies to enhance the physical and technical performance of rugby players. In: Twist, C. and Worsfold, P., eds. Science of Rugby. Routledge.
- Russell, M., Brown, N., Hills, S. and Kilduff, L., 2022. Priming match-day performance: strategies for team sports players. In: Turner, A. and Comfort, P., eds. Advanced Strength and Conditioning: An Evidence-based Approach. Routledge.
- Harper, L., Hills, S., Field, A., White, A. and Russell, M., 2019. Game management: considerations for the goalkeeper, substitutes and extra-time. In: Casa, D., Curtis, R., Benjamin, C. and Huggins, R., eds. Elite soccer players: maximising performance and safety. Routledge.
Reports
- Barwood, M., Hills, S., Hobbs, M. and Johnston, N., 2024. Environmental Risk Factors and Drowning Prevention Measures at High-Frequency Locations for Drowning in the UK. Leeds Trinity University, Bournemouth University, University of Canterbury.
- Barwood, M., Hills, S., Hobbs, M. and Tipton, M., 2020. Modelling the associations between drowning incidents and environmental risk factors across the United Kingdom: Developing rigorous evidence for policy. Leeds Trinity University, University of Portsmouth, University of Canterbury.
Theses
- Hills, S., 2020. The performance and physiological responses of soccer substitutes on match-day. PhD Thesis. University of Leeds, Leeds Trinity University.
Posters
- Barwood, M.J., Eglin, C., Hills, S.P., Johnston, N., Massey, H., McMorris, T., Tipton, M.J., Wakabayashi, H. and Webster, L., 2024. Habituation of the cold shock response: A systematic review and meta-analysis.
- Hills, S.P., Brown, P., Hobbs, M. and Barwood, M., 2022. Weather and UK drowning: Progressing targeted water safety policy. In: International Conference on Environmental Ergonomics.
- Johnston, N., Hills, S.P., St Quinton, T., Webster, L. and Barwood, M., 2022. A systematic review of environmental risk factors for drowning.
Others
- Hills, S., Barrett, S. and Russell, M., 2019. Spotlight on substitutes: what do we know?. Football Medicine & Performance Magazine. Published.
PhD Students
- Nicola Johnston. Investigating drowning risk factors, (In progress)
- Kalvin Brookes. Tailored nutrition for team sports players
- Tom Mecrow. Implementation of WHO drowning prevention guidelines in low income settings
Invited Lectures
-
Nutrition for exercise performance, University of Canterbury (NZ), 01 Jun 2023 more
Applied perspectives in nutrition. -
Substitutes and half-time: An opportunity more
CPD presentation to Crewe Alexander FC Department of Science and Medicine -
Applied research: Match-day strategies, Richmond International Academic and Soccer Academy, 23 Jan 2019 more
Presentation to MSc students: Richmond International Academic and Soccer Academy
Grants
- Weather conditions and UK drownings: Progressing data reporting and targeted water safety policy (Bournemouth University ACORN (internal), 01 Feb 2022). Awarded
Internal Responsibilities
- Ethics Champion, Department of Rehabilitation and Sport Science
- Member, Science, Technology & Health Research Ethics Panel
- Member, Bournemouth University Research Ethics Committee
Public Engagement & Outreach Activities
- ESRC Festival of Social Science 2023
Conference Presentations
- World Conference on Drowning Prevention, Identifying risk factors for fatal UK drownings: establishing an evidence base to inform key steps of the WHO drowning prevention implementation guide, 02 Dec 2023, Perth, Australia
- World Conference on Drowning Prevention, Alcohol outlets, crimes, and drowning: a geospatial study of England and Wales from 2012-2019, 02 Dec 2023, Perth, Australia
- World Conference on Drowning Prevention, Defining and characterising the leading environmental risk factors in UK drownings: An expert-led consensus statement, 02 Dec 2023, Perth, Australia
- World Conference on Drowning Prevention, Investigating spatial variation in drowning incidence across the United Kingdom: a geospatial cross-sectional study, 02 Dec 2023, Perth, Australia
- National Water Safety Conference, The Water Incident Database (WAID) 2012 to 2019: a systematic evaluation of the documenting of UK drownings, 18 Nov 2021, Online
- Annual Conference of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), PERFORMANCE AND BODY COMPOSITION CHANGES ACROSS ACADEMIC YEARS IN COLLEGIATE DIVISION I WOMEN SOCCER PLAYERS, 07 Jul 2021, Florida
- Exercise and Sports Science Australia Twitter conference, Body temperature and physical performance responses are not maintained at the time of pitch-entry when typical substitute-specific match-day practices are adopted before simulated soccer match-play, 16 Nov 2020, Exercise and Sports Science Australia (via Twitter)
- World Congress on Science and Football, A MATCH-DAY ANALYSIS OF THE MOVEMENT PROFILES OF SUBSTITUTES FROM A PROFESSIONAL SOCCER CLUB BEFORE AND AFTER PITCH-ENTRY, 04 Jun 2019, Melbourne, Australia
Attended Training
- Doctoral supervisor development - Bournemouth University, 08 Sep 2021
- Postgraduate researcher supervision training - University of Leeds, 25 May 2021
Qualifications
- PhD in Sports Science (University of Leeds, 2020)
- MSc in Applied Sport and Exercise Science (Sheffield Hallam University, 2017)
- LLB (Hons) in Law (Durham University, 2015)
Memberships
- Higher Education Academy (HEA), Fellow,
Social Media Links
- Twitter, @hills_sam
