Qualifications

Profile

Sue has had the privilege of being an educator for three decades, firstly as a secondary school physical education teacher and over the past 17 years in tertiary education. Sue has been Head of the Department of Sport in two tertiary institutions.

Sue loves to teach, write, learn, research and see people grow. She is passionate about the catalytic nature of sport and education in people's lives. She sees leadership essentially as an act of service and core to success in many sport environments.

Sue's key areas of professional passion include sport leadership, youth leadership, and creating environments that provide opportunities for personal development through sport.

As the key writer of Sport NZ's Growing Leaders programme, Sue has facilitated leadership learning for teachers and coaches in primary and secondary schools throughout the country.

Sue was a member of the NZ Coach Development Working Party which developed a framework for coach education in NZ. In 2011 she wrote the Growing Coaches programme; a coach education programme for secondary school students.

Sue has consulted extensively throughout the sport industry as a member of working parties and a key facilitator and is regularly an invited speaker. 

Publications

Kendall, B.A., & Emerson, S,L. (2021). PowerUp: a leadership programme for the International Olympic Committee to develop leadership in Olympians (Four workshops). International Olympic Committee, Lausanne Switzerland.

Emerson, S.L., & Lockyer, P. (2020). Who am I as a leader? Tanya Dalton Foundation, Auckland.

Emerson, S.L., & Lockyer, P. (2020). The 7 Habits of Leadership. Tania Dalton Foundation, Auckland.

Emerson, S. L. (2018). Leading Club Rugby. Auckland Rugby Sport Management Programme, Auckland, New Zealand.

Emerson, S. L., Ferkins, L., & Gambolati, R. (2018). When Do I Get to Lead? Physical Education NZ Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Emerson, S. L. (2018). Student Perceptions of Accessibility to Leadership within the Secondary School Context. Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.

Emerson, S.L. (2017). Netball Leaders Facilitator Guide and Netball Leaders Workbook. Netball NZ, Auckland.

Emerson, S L. (2017). Leadership with a Capital L: Leave with the Feeling. Multiples NZ National Conference, Auckland.

Emerson, S. L. (2016). Growing Leaders through Netball. Netball Northern, Trusts Stadium, Auckland.

Emerson, S. (2016). Growing Leaders at St Kents. St Kentigern College, Auckland.

Emerson, S., Ferkins, L., Bryham, G., & Sieuw, M. (2016). Young People and Leadership: Questions of Access in Secondary Schools. Unitec ePress Occasional and Discussion Paper Series (Vol. 3).
https://hdl.handle.net/10652/3555

Emerson, S.L., & Ferkins, L.R. (2015). When do I get to lead? ITP Sports Research Symposium, Napier.
https://hdl.handle.net/10652/3332

Emerson, S. (2014). Sport NZ Growing Coaches. Young Coaches Forum, Auckland, New Zealand.

Emerson, S. L., & McKay, A. (2014). Growing Coaches. North Island School Sport Conference, Rotorua, New Zealand.

Emerson, S. L. (2014). Growing Olympic Leaders in New Zealand. 12th Joint International Session for Presidents or Directors of National Olympic Academies, Olympia, Greece (Vol. Pending).

Emerson, S., and McKay, A. (2013). Growing Coaches in Curricula and Co Curricula Settings. ACHPER International Conference, Melbourne, November.

Emerson, S., and Gambolati, R. (2013). Barbed Wire of Coach Leadership. Auckland, August.

Emerson, S., and Gambolati, R. (2013). Growing Leaders in Rugby: A leadership programme for Auckland Rugby development players. Auckland, August.

Emerson, S., McKay, A., Gambolati, R., and Hewetson, A. (2013). Growing Coaches. Waitakere, Auckland, November.

Emerson, S., and McKay, A. (2013). Growing Coaches. Physical Education New Zealand National Conference. Wellington.

Emerson, S.L., Hewetson, A., and Gambolati, R. (2012). Growing Coaches - SportNZ's new school based programme. North Island Secondary School Sports Conference, Rotorua, 10-12 June.

Emerson, S.L., Gambolati, R., McKay, A., and Hewetson, A. (2012). SportNZ Growing Coaches Facilitators Workshop Series. September - November 2012. Christchurch, Dunedin, Auckland, Invercargill and Taranaki.

Emerson, S.L. (2012). Growing Leaders at AGGS. Unitec, November, 2012 Auckland.

Emerson, S.L. (2012). Sport NZ Sport in Education Project. Student Leadership Advisory Group. Wellington, November.

Emerson, S.L., Hewetson, A., and Gambolati, R. (2012). Sport NZ Growing Coaches. Physical Education New Zealand Conference, Rotorua. 2-4 July.

Emerson, S.L. (2012). Growing Coaches - Programme Guide. Sport NZ, Auckland.

Emerson, S. (2011). Growing coach leadership in our youth. RSD Coaching Network Forum, Trust Stadium, Waitakere.

Emerson, S. (2011). Growing Leaders. Southland Secondary Schools. Invercargill.

Emerson, S. (2010). Growing Leaders. PENZ Leadership Conference. PENZ, Christchurch 22nd November 2010.

Emerson, S. (2009). Leading true north. Southland Sports Awards. Invercargill.

Emerson, S., Gambolati, R., and Till, J. (2009). Growing primary school leaders. Forum for primary school teachers. Nelson.

Emerson, S. (2009). Growing Leaders in Southland. Southland Sports Coordinators Forum, Invercargill.

Emerson, S. (2009). Growing Leaders in Tasman. Sports Coordinators Forum. Nelson.

Emerson, S., Gambolati, R., and Till, J. (2009). Growing leaders in Waitakere secondary schools. Sport Waitakere Regional Secondary School Teachers Leadership Forum. Auckland.

Emerson, S. (2009). Youth leadership programmes. Harbour Sport Teachers Conference. Albany, Auckland.

Emerson, S., and Till, J. (2009). Growing Young Leaders. Sport Gisborne Secondary School Teachers Regional Forum, Gisborne.

Emerson, S., Gambolati, R., and Till, J. (2009). Growing young leaders. Hurricanes Schools Sports Coordinators Professional Development Conference. Napier.

Emerson, S. (2009). SPARC Growing Outstanding Leaders. Leaders of Learning in Physical Education Conference, Auckland.

Emerson, S., Gambolati, R., and Till, J. (2009). Growing leaders in the north. Sport Northland Regional Sport Forum for Teachers and Sports Coordinators. Whangarei.

Emerson, S.L. (2009). Growing Leaders - Facilitator's Guide, Learning Activities, and Leader Thinktank. Auckland, SPARC.

Till, J., Emerson, S., and Gambolati, R. (2009). Unitec Active Tools Workshop. Thinking Bodies, Moving Minds: Physical Education NZ National Conference.

Emerson, S., Till, J., and Gambolati, R. (2009). SPARC Growing Leaders Facilitators Workshop. Thinking Bodies, Moving Minds: Physical Education NZ National Conference.

Emerson, S. (2008). Growing extraordinary leaders. Northern Region Sports Coordinators Conference.

Emerson, S. (2008). Growing extraordinary leaders. Otago Region Sports Coordinators Conference.

Emerson, S. (2008). Growing extraordinary leaders. Central Region Sports Coordinators Conference.

Emerson, S. (2008). Growing extraordinary leaders. Canterbury Region Sports Coordinators Conference.

Emerson, S. (2008). Leading drugfree sport. Drugfree Sport, Anti-doping Pacific Educators Forum.

Emerson, S., Gambolati, R., and Stewart, L. (2008). Growing leaders. Physical Education New Zealand Conference.

Emerson, S.L. (2007). SPARC New Zealand Coach Development Framework - Developing Coach Module, Leadership. SPARC, Wellington.

Emerson, S. (2007). Tipping change. Seminar for Sport Waitakere.

Emerson, S. (2007). Gut leadership. Seminar for Sport Waitakere.

Emerson, S., and Gambolati, R. (2007). Coaching with a passion in hockey. Seminar for Hockey New Zealand.

Emerson, S., and Gambolati, R. (2007). Coaching with a passion in netball. Seminar for Auckland Netball.

Emerson, S., Gambolati, R., and Garea, D. (2007). Coaching with a passion in surf lifesaving. Surf Lifesaving Conference.

Emerson, S., and Till, J. (2007). Review of the Counties Manukau Rugby Football 13-19 age group Growth and Retention initiative. Counties Manukau Rugby Football and the New Zealand Rugby Football Union.

Emerson, S. (2006). Leading sport in Waitakere. Sport Waitakere Seminar.

Emerson, S. (2006). Leading sport in Waitakere - 2006. Sport Waitakere Seminar.

Emerson, S. (2006). Leading change. Paralympics New Zealand High Performance Coaches Seminar.

Kidman, L., Emerson, S., and Garea, D. (2006). Netball - Teaching games for understanding. AIESEP World Congress.

Emerson, S. L., & Lemon, T. M. (2005). Review of SPARC sport leader (Report to Sport and Recreation New Zealand). Auckland.

Emerson, S. L. (2005). Physical activity. Sticky TV.

Emerson, S. L. (2005). Change Leadership. Presented to the Secondary School Sports Coordinators Conference, October, Auckland.

Emerson, S., & Lemon, T. (2005). Review of the SPARC Kiwisport Leadership Award (Report to Sport and Recreation New Zealand).

Emerson, S., & Garea, D. (2005). Leading change - The next step in sports leadership. Presented to the Physical Education New Zealand Conference 'Physical education in education today', July 11-13, Dunedin.

Thomson, R. W., & Emerson, S. (2005). Physical education in New Zealand/Aotearoa. In U. Puhse & M. Gerber (Eds.), International comparison of physical education: Concepts, problems, prospects. Aachen, Germany: Meyer & Meyer.

Emerson, S. L., & Garea, D. (2004). Leading edge - the next step. Presented to the 'Activate' Secondary School Sports Conference, May, Auckland.

Emerson, S., & Bannan, G. (2003). Active tools: Innovative environments for activating students. Presented to the Physical Education New Zealand Annual Conference, 22-24 September, Hamilton.