Thomas Spooner
Physiology Laboratory Technician & PhD Candidate
About
Thomas completed both his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Sport and Exercise Physiology at the University of Chichester. While pursuing his postgraduate studies, he was employed as a Physiology Laboratory Technician at the university – a position he continues to hold today. In this role, Thomas is responsible for the day-to-day management of laboratory equipment and the preparation of research and teaching spaces. In addition to his technician duties, he plays an active role in delivering SPRU physiological consultancy services. Through this, Thomas has worked closely with national and international endurance athletes, providing support for events in extreme environments such as the Marathon des Sables, the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon, and the Spartathlon, among others.
Thomas is currently continuing his studies, undertaking a PhD titled ‘Substitution and Re Warm Up Strategies to Enhance Physical Performance in Field Hockey.’ Furthermore, his active participation in field hockey at a competitive level, gives him valuable insight into the physiological demands of the sport and other similar team-based invasion games.
Professional
PhD Exercise Physiology – University of Chichester (2023 – Current)
MSc Sport and Exercise Physiology – University of Chichester (2022 – 2023)
BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science – University of Chichester (2019-2022)
Publications
Spooner, T. W., West, A. T., & Willems, M. E. (2023). Effect of substitution time on physical, technical and cognitive performance in sub-elite male field hockey players. International journal of exercise science, 16(6), 497.
Research Interests
Thomas has research interests in the following areas:
· Applied physiology in sport
· Recovery strategies to optimise human performance
· Environmental (heat/cold/altitude) exercise physiology
PhD
Thomas is currently working towards his PhD that investigates the impact of substitution and re-warm-up strategies on field hockey performance, with a focus on optimising recovery periods to enhance subsequent performance. His ongoing research involves a longitudinal study conducted over the course of a competitive season with a National League (UK) field hockey team. The study aims to quantify the physical demands of the sport and assess the current substitution strategies in place. Looking ahead, Thomas plans to develop a laboratory protocol designed to evaluate field hockey specific muscle performance and explore the effects of passive rest on muscular function in varying environmental conditions, including hot, thermoneutral, and cold settings.