Biography and expertise
Biography
Lana McCarthy is a Senior Lecturer in Teacher Education (PDHPE) at the Faculty of Education, based at the Gold Coast Campus. With a robust background in teaching Health and Physical Education at both secondary and tertiary levels across New Zealand and Australia, Lana brings a wealth of practical experience and a passion for shaping the future of education in the field of Health and PE.
Lana's work contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals
Research
Her doctoral research focused on team culture, leadership, and coaching approaches, with a specific emphasis on how captains and coaches influenced the culture within the New Zealand Silver Ferns netball team. As the first study of its kind in New Zealand concerning high-performance female sport, her ground-breaking findings were published in the book The Will to Win: New Zealand Netball Greats on Team Culture and Leadership.
Lana is also an avid sportswoman and accredited high-performance netball coach. Her research interests span a variety of areas including physical education, pedagogical approaches to teaching and coaching sport, the development of team culture and leadership styles, and fostering youth participation in sport. Through both her research and coaching, Lana remains committed to advancing the impact of sport and education on individual growth and community development.