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. (2018). Student Perceptions of Accessibility to Leadership within the Secondary School Context. Auckland University of Technology, 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). Leading Club Rugby. Auckland Rugby Sport Management Programme, Auckland, New Zealand.

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

Emerson, S.L. (2017). Netball Leaders Facilitator Guide and Netball Leaders Workbook. Netball NZ, 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. (2016). Growing Leaders at St Kents. St Kentigern College, Auckland.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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). Sport NZ Sport in Education Project. Student Leadership Advisory Group. Wellington, November.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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). Growing Leaders in Tasman. Sports Coordinators Forum. Nelson.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Emerson, S. (2008). Growing extraordinary leaders. Northern Region Sports Coordinators 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., Gambolati, R., and Garea, D. (2007). Coaching with a passion in surf lifesaving. Surf Lifesaving Conference.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.