About

Wade Sinclair joined Sport and Exercise Science (SES) in 2003 as a Research Officer after completing his honours thesis investigating the thermoregulatory responses of junior surf lifesavers exercising in protective clothing. Wade completed his undergraduate education with James Cook University and has also completed a Graduate Certificate in Education (Tertiary teaching) progressing to an Associate Lecturer (2008-2009), Lecturer (2010-2019) and Senior Lecturer (2020-).

Previously Wade has held collaborative arrangements with the Townsville JCU FIRE WNBL side, Surf Life Saving Australia, the National Rugby League and North Queensland Cowboys, Aspetar - Qatar's Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital as well as various Australian and International Universities. Away from University, Wade has served as the Assistant Coach for the Australian Life Saving Team (2013-2016) as well as the Performance Analyst for the North Queensland Cowboys (2017-2020), the Queensland Maroons State of Origin team (2021 to present) and the Papua New Guinea Orchids Women's rugby league team at the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.

Wade is the coordinator of the SES Honours program and has previously supervised 14x Honours and 3x PhD Candidates to completion and is currently co-supervising the following PhD projects: 

  • Use of Rugby League specific activities to assess effects of training (PhD, Secondary Advisor, James Cook University);
  • Examining playing performance in Rugby Union via static and dynamic appraoches (PhD, Secondary Advisor, James Cook University); 
  • The impact of heat on driving safety (PhD , Secondary Advisor, James Cook University); 
  • Quantifying the Acute Physical, Cognitive and Physiological Responses of various Training Modalities in Australian Soldiers (PhD, Secondary Advisor, James Cook University); and 
  • The identification and development of regional female rugby league players within an elite talent pathway (PhD, Secondary Advisor, James Cook University).
Teaching
  • SP2010: Principles of Motor Learning and Motor Control (Level 2; TSV)
  • SP3006: Environmental and Sports Medicine (Level 3; TSV)
  • SP3015: Advanced Motor Learning and Motor Control (Level 3; TSV)
  • SP3020: Contemporary Practices in Sport Science (Level 3; TSV)
Interests
Professional
  • Sport science consultant for professional athletes and sporting organisations
Research
  • Performance analysis in elite rugby league;
  • Physiological performances in aquatic sports;
  • Short term heat acclimatisation interventions;
  • Travel strategies for sporting teams.
Teaching
  • Student empowerment and engagement across all year levels of exercise science
Experience
  • 2020 to present - Senior Lecturer, James Cook University (Townsville)
  • 2010 to 2019 - Lecturer, James Cook University (Townsville)
  • 2008 to 2009 - Associate Lecturer, James Cook University (Townsville)
  • 2003 to 2008 - Research Officer, James Cook University (Townsville)
Research Disciplines
Socio-Economic Objectives
Honours
Awards
  • 2012 to 2013 - Surf Life Saving Australia - Coach of the Year
  • 2012 to 2013 - Surf Life Saving Queensland - Coach of the Year
Memberships
  • 2018 - Applied Level 3 Performance Analyst
  • 2012 - International Society of Exercise and Immunology
  • 2013 to 2015 - European College of Sport Science
  • 2010 to 2015 - Professional Member - American College of Sports Medicine
Other
  • 2021 - Surf Life Saving Australia Research Advisory Working Group
  • 2015 - Scientific Committee - "Performance and recovery enhancement in sports", Special issue of Journal of Human Kinetics
  • 2015 to 2016 - Assistant Coach, Australian Life Saving Team 2015-2016 - Head Coach, 2015 SANYO Cup, Aoshima Beach, Japan - Assistant Coach, 2016 World Championships in Eindhoven and Noordwijk, The Netherlands.
  • 2011 to 2015 - Surf Life Saving Australia Research Advisory Committee
  • 2013 to 2014 - Assistant Coach, Australian Life Saving Team 2013-2014 - Team Manager, European Tour, 2013 - Asssistant Coach, 2014 World Championships in Montpellier, France
Publications

These are the most recent publications associated with this author. To see a detailed profile of all publications stored at JCU, visit ResearchOnline@JCU. Hover over Altmetrics badges to see social impact.

Journal Articles
More

ResearchOnline@JCU stores 82+ research outputs authored by Mr Wade Sinclair from 2004 onwards.

Current Funding

Current and recent Research Funding to JCU is shown by funding source and project.

Cowboys Rugby League Football Limited - Contract Research

The identification and development of regional female rugby league players within an elite talent pathway.

Indicative Funding
$40,000 over 3 years
Summary
With the successful emergence of the National Rugby League Women?s (NRLW) elite competition comes a necessity to better understand and prepare young women for the physical requirements needed to achieve this highest level of competition. This project will provide support to a PhD Candidate to undertake research focussing on the pathways available for young girls to progress through the elite rugby league pathway: from local and state-based competitions through to the NRLW. With a focus on the talent development environment and practices, the Candidate will conduct research whilst embedded alongside professional coaches within an elite sporting pathway.
Investigators
Wade Sinclair, Jonathan Connor, Kenji Doma and Fiona Barnett in collaboration with Larissa Di Bella (College of Healthcare Sciences)
Keywords
Talent Development; Rugby League; Athletes; Team Sports; Talent Identification; Women in Sport

Australian Army - Contract Research

Quantifying the acute physical, cognitive and physiological responses of various training modalities in Australian Soldiers

Indicative Funding
$21,655 over 6 years
Summary
The project sets out to answer the following research question: What is the degree of stress, fatigue and recovery experienced by Australian Soldiers after bouts of occupationally specific physical activities? To answer this question, the project will develop an evidence-based assessment protocol to assess levels of fatigue and stress in Soldiers after bouts of occupationally related strenuous activities across various periods of employment. This will inform the chain of command on appropriate recovery times for different modalities of training, ensuring that soldiers remain combat-ready throughout their training cycles and minimise symptoms overtraining.
Investigators
Brian Heilbronn, Kenji Doma, Wade Sinclair and Anthony Leicht in collaboration with Jace Drain (College of Healthcare Sciences and Defence Science and Technology Group)
Keywords
Sport Science; Military; Injury Prevention; Tactical Athlete; Army

Rugby Australia Ltd - Contract Research

Examining playing performance in Rugby Union via static and dynamic approaches

Indicative Funding
$49,750 over 3 years
Summary
Innovative technology within elite sport has provided high performance staff with an abundance of player and team performance metrics ? `big rugby data?. Despite the availability of this information, the crucial keys to match success in rugby union remain unknown, possibly due to the complexity of match play. This project will evaluate the complexity of elite rugby union matches by examining teams? performance via novel sport analytics considering static and dynamic approaches. Outcomes will identify the keys to success from a micro to macro level and assist coaching staff to optimise strategies for enhanced success within rugby union.
Investigators
Wade Sinclair, Anthony Leicht, Jonathan Connor and Miguel Gomez Ruano in collaboration with Mikaela Callinan (College of Healthcare Sciences)
Keywords
Athletes; Sports & Exercise; Analysis

Cowboys Rugby League Football Limited - Contract Research

Game, Training and Individual Performance Analytics of Elite Rugby League Players

Indicative Funding
$110,000 over 4 years
Summary
Evaluating training and game performances I elite sport is an information-rich environment particularly with the additional of data analytic companies providing real-time and post-competition analyses for coaching staff. Additionally, the inclusion of wearable technology and in particular, the inclusion of global positioning systems in to the elite training environment have empowered high performance personnel with an overabundance of performance data through which evidence-based evaluations can be made. However, with the inclusion of such technology in to the contemporary elite training environment, coaching staff are now faced with interpretative decisions pertaining to what metrics are suitable and under what constraints.
Investigators
Wade Sinclair, Anthony Leicht and Carl Woods in collaboration with Paul Bowman (College of Healthcare Sciences and Cowboys Rugby League Football Ltd)
Keywords
Performance Analytics; Machine Learning

National Rugby League - Rugby League Research Committee

Identifying the impact of cognitive fitness on decision-making capacity of elite NRL officials

Indicative Funding
$11,369 over 1 year
Summary
Officiating team sport matches requires engagement of complex physical and mental/cognitive processes. Superior cognitive fitness may assist with management of match stresses for greater decision-making. This project will: 1) identify the current cognitive fitness levels of elite NRL officials; and 2) examine the impact of cognitive and/or physical stress on elite NRL official?s decision-making proficiency; 3) clarify how cognitive fitness level moderates elite NRL officials? decision-making proficiency. This project will provide recommendations to enhance the decision-making capacity of elite NRL officials with reference to cognitive fitness.
Investigators
Jonathan Connor, Anthony Leicht, Anne Swinbourne, Kenji Doma and Wade Sinclair (College of Healthcare Sciences)
Keywords
referee; Elite Athlete; Rugby League; Decision Making

National Rugby League - Rugby League Research Committee

Identifying the impact of cognitive fitness on decision-making capacity of elite NRL officials

Indicative Funding
$11,369 over 1 year
Summary
Officiating team sport matches requires engagement of complex physical and mental/cognitive processes. Superior cognitive fitness may assist with management of match stresses for greater decision-making. This project will: 1) identify the current cognitive fitness levels of elite NRL officials; and 2) examine the impact of cognitive and/or physical stress on elite NRL official?s decision-making proficiency; 3) clarify how cognitive fitness level moderates elite NRL officials? decision-making proficiency. This project will provide recommendations to enhance the decision-making capacity of elite NRL officials with reference to cognitive fitness.
Investigators
Jonathan Connor, Anthony Leicht, Anne Swinbourne, Kenji Doma and Wade Sinclair (College of Healthcare Sciences)
Keywords
referee; Elite Athlete; Rugby League; Decision-making
Supervision

Advisory Accreditation: I can be on your Advisory Panel as a Secondary Advisor.

These Higher Degree Research projects are either current or by students who have completed their studies within the past 5 years at JCU. Linked titles show theses available within ResearchOnline@JCU.

Current
  • Monitoring exercise-induced stress and adaptation across the playing season in rugby league (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
  • The impact of heat on driving safety (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
  • Quantifying the Acute Physical, Cognitive and Physiological Responses of various Training Modalities in Australian Soldiers (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
  • Examining playing performance in Rugby Union via static and dynamic approaches (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
  • The identification and development of regional female rugby league players within an elite talent pathway (PhD , Secondary Advisor)
Completed
Collaboration

The map shows research collaborations by institution from the past 7 years.
Note: Map points are indicative of the countries or states that institutions are associated with.

  • 5+ collaborations
  • 4 collaborations
  • 3 collaborations
  • 2 collaborations
  • 1 collaboration
  • Indicates the Tropics (Torrid Zone)

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