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Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health
ISSN: 2159-676X (Print) 2159-6778 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rqrs21
‘It’s more than just performing well in your sport.
It’s also about being healthy physically, mentally,
emotionally, and spiritually’: Indigenous women
athletes’ meanings and experiences of flourishing
in sport
Leah Ferguson, Gillian B. Epp, Kellie Wuttunee, Matthew Dunn, Tara-Leigh
McHugh & M. Louise Humbert
To cite this article: Leah Ferguson, Gillian B. Epp, Kellie Wuttunee, Matthew Dunn, Tara-Leigh
McHugh & M. Louise Humbert (2018): ‘It’s more than just performing well in your sport. It’s also
about being healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually’: Indigenous women athletes’
meanings and experiences of flourishing in sport, Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and
Health, DOI: 10.1080/2159676X.2018.1458332
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2018.1458332
© 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa
UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis
Group
Published online: 04 Apr 2018.
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QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORT, EXERCISE AND HEALTH, 2018
https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2018.1458332
‘It’s more than just performing well in your sport. It’s also about
being healthy physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually’:
Indigenous women athletes’ meanings and experiences of
ourishing in sport
LeahFergusona, Gillian B.Eppb, KellieWuttuneec, MatthewDunnc, Tara-LeighMcHughd and
M. LouiseHumberta
aKinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada; bOccupational Therapy, University of Alberta,
Edmonton, Canada; cCommunity Sport Advisor, Saskatoon, Canada; dKinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University
of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
ABSTRACT
Sport participation can foster a wide range of positive psychosocial outcomes
for women, including feeling empowered and self-sucient, as well as
gaining condence, determination and self-respect. These well-documented
potential benets stem from research with non-Indigenous athletes, yet
there is little published research to support an in-depth understanding
of Indigenous women’s unique sport experiences. Such understandings
are necessary for meaningful sport programme implementation, health
optimisation and sport policy development. The purpose of this study was
to explore the phenomenon of ourishing in sport for Indigenous women
athletes. Two Indigenous community sport advisors were instrumentally
involved throughout the study. Sixteen Indigenous women athletes
(Mage= 21.5years; 10 First Nations, 6Métis) from urban, rural and remote
communities in a mid-Western Canadian province participated in sharing
circles and symbol-based reection to share their meanings and experiences
of ourishing in sport. A four-step phenomenological structural analysis
was used to analyse transcribed data. Four essential components and one
facilitating component emerged as the general structure of ourishing in
sport: (1) Multidimensional Community Support (having support from and for
one’s family, home and sporting community); (2) Personal Accomplishments
(setting and attaining individually tailored goals); (3) Persistent Growth
(constant self-betterment); (4) Wholistic Athletic Excellence (excelling as a
whole; physically, intellectually, spiritually and emotionally); and, (5) Humble
Recognition (being acknowledged; a facilitating component). Nurturing
Indigenous women athletes’ ourishing in sport requires athlete-specic
attention and collaborative community engagement.
Introduction
Sport participation can oer a wide range of psychological, social, emotional and physiological ben-
ets (Crocker 2016; McArdle, Katch, and Katch 2010). Sport may also be a place of struggle for access,
support, opportunities and symbolic and material rewards for Indigenous
1
peoples in Canada (Forsyth,
ARTICLE HISTORY
Received 22 August 2017
Accepted25 March 2018
KEYWORDS
Indigenous; women athletes;
qualitative research;
psychological well-being;
sport
© 2018 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the
original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.
CONTACT Leah Ferguson leah.ferguson@usask.ca
OPEN ACCESS
2 L. FERGUSON ET AL.
Giles, and Lodge-Gagné 2014). Barriers to participation in the mainstream sport system that typically
privileges the values and traditions of white Euro-western peoples (i.e. of European origin; Ryba and
Wright 2005) include cultural insensitivity, economic disparities, distance to programmes, poor facilities,
restrictive or under-funded programmes and systemic racism (Hall 2013; Mason and Koehli 2012; Sask
Sport 2008; Schinke et al. 2010). Although both Indigenous men and women athletes can experience
these barriers, sport is often considered men’s territory (Forsyth, Giles, and Lodge-Gagné 2014), which
has been perpetuated in a colonial history (e.g. the Indian Act, residential school system) that dictates
appropriate sporting behaviour for men and women (Forsyth 2007).
The imbalanced gender sport system dominated by male athletes (Hall 2013) is evidenced by far
more sporting opportunities available to men than women (Forsyth, Giles, and Lodge-Gagné 2014).
In addition to a disparity of funding and other resources for Indigenous men’s and women’s sport,
Indigenous women may experience a lack of respect, low levels of inuence, lack of opportunity, ine-
quality and few women in decision-making positions that contribute to an imbalanced sport system
(Hargreaves 2000; Maxwell et al. 2017). The gender-based exclusion results in men athletes having a
greater chance than women athletes to enhance their athletic development, become professional ath-
letes and earn recognition for their accomplishments, including winning more sport awards (Forsyth,
Giles, and Lodge-Gagné 2014; Hall 2013; Mason and Koehli 2012). For instance, among the approxi-
mately 188 Tom Longboat Award2 recipients between 1951 and 1998, only 9% of award winners were
women. Despite these challenges and adversities, sport can be a source of pride for Indigenous women
athletes, an avenue to develop friendships and foster a sense of community and belonging. Sport can
also provide opportunities for women athletes to serve as role models for other Indigenous girls and
women (Forsyth, Giles, and Lodge-Gagné 2014).
Sport has historically been integral to Indigenous women’s identity, yet there is little published
research to highlight their sport experiences (Hall 2013; Stronach, Maxwell, and Taylor 2016). For the
few Indigenous women athletes whose stories have been documented (e.g. Phyllis Bomberry, Bev
Beaver, Nova Peris-Kneebone; Hall 2013; Stronach, Maxwell, and Taylor 2016), racism was frequently
experienced, exacerbated by the Euro-centric sport environment that implicitly supported racial dis-
crimination by not taking action when it surfaced (Hall 2013). A group of Indigenous women athletes
in Australia identied numerous barriers to sport participation at individual, familial, communal and
societal levels (e.g. childrearing responsibilities, self-stereotypes, racism; Stronach, Maxwell, and Taylor
2016). While there is potential for sport to mobilise overall health and well-being for Indigenous women
(Forsyth, Heine, and Halas 2007; Stronach, Maxwell, and Taylor 2016), there exists a dearth of information
regarding Indigenous women athletes’ sport experiences that may restrict the enhancement of sport
and subsequent attainment of health and well-being outcomes for this population.
Researchers have begun exploring meanings of sport and subsequent benets with Indigenous
peoples. Cunningham and Beneforti (2005) identied sport programmes as inuencing a variety of
areas of social concern in Indigenous communities in Australia, including crime, school attendance,
substance abuse, self-harm, violence and social cohesion. From a developmental perspective, sport
has also been noted as contributing to leadership, employment and volunteerism, and opportunities
to connect with and learn from others (Rossi 2015). Stronach, Maxwell, and Taylor (2016) worked with
Indigenous peoples in Australia to examine the positive forces of sport, identifying that it can be a
vehicle to rebuild community, prevent unhealthy and unsafe behaviours, reduce obesity, serve as a
pathway out of poverty and establish a career path if pursued at the highest level. The researchers
concluded that sport has the potential to enhance one’s health and well-being, as well as have positive
inuences on others.
Similarly, sport can play an important role for Indigenous peoples in Canada (Canadian Heritage 2005;
Haslip 2001). Sport may prevent social ills and holds medicinal value with healing potential (Lavallée
and Lévesque 2013), and may foster social well-being and bring Indigenous peoples together through a
shared sense of pride and accomplishment (Schinke, Peltier, and Yungblut 2013). Furthermore, sport pro-
vides opportunities to exercise agency (Mason and Koehli 2012), contributes to personal development
(McHugh, Coppola, and Sinclair 2013) as well as teaches courage, honesty, respect and responsibility
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORT, EXERCISE AND HEALTH 3
in culturally relevant ways (Lavallée and Lévesque 2013). Hayhurst, Giles, and Radforth (2015) found
that participation in women’s sport for development programmes may enhance the lives of urban
Indigenous young women in Canada by nurturing their basic needs, reducing negative stereotypes
(e.g. unhealthy, weak, school dropout) and oering valuable opportunities to connect with other young
Indigenous women. The importance of community within Indigenous sport was identied by McHugh,
Coppola, et al. (2015), who found that a group of urban Indigenous youth and adults described sport
as community. These ndings suggest that community (e.g. the neighbourhood where athletes live,
athletes’ home community) needs to be incorporated into Indigenous peoples’ sport experiences to
foster a sense of belonging and generate positive and supportive interactions. Having strong family and
community connections have been identied as central to sport and other physical cultural practices
such as physical activity, recreation, traditional games and on-the-land activities (Kerpan and Humbert
2015; Paraschak and Thompson 2014). This emerging body of literature suggests that many Indigenous
peoples have a positive conceptualisation of sport and identify wholistic benets associated with sport
participation. What remains unknown, however, is what it means for Indigenous women athletes to
reach their potential and ourish in sport.
From the perspective of non-Indigenous women athletes, the psychosocial advantages of sport par-
ticipation include feeling pride in athletic achievements, being valued for skill, gaining condence and
self-respect and feeling empowered and self-sucient (George 2005; Mosewich et al. 2009). Expanding
on this understanding, Ferguson et al. (2014) provided insight into 11 non-Indigenous women athletes’
perspectives of psychological ourishing in sport. Stemming from Ry’s (1989) framework of eudai-
monic well-being, ourishing signies optimal psychological functioning and development at one’s true
and highest potential. Athletes reected on what it means to ourish in sport, and essentially agreed
with Ry’s model that consists of six aspects dening what it means to ourish: (1) to be autonomous,
(2) have mastery over one’s environment, (3) continued feelings of growth and development, (4) positive
relations with others, (5) purpose and direction and (6) acceptance of oneself. Ry’s model of ourishing
has been associated with a number of health indicators, including diverse biomarkers (cardiovascular
markers, neuroendocrine regulation, inammatory outcomes), sleep eciency and brain activation
patterns in subcortical emotion centres that suggest reduced emotional responses to negative stimuli
(Friedman and Ry 2012; Friedman et al. 2005; van Reekum et al. 2007; Ry, Singer, and Dienberg Love
2004). Given increased recognition that psychological ourishing protects against disease, disability
and early mortality (Ry 2013), it is essential to better understand women athletes’ ourishing in sport
as a potential means to foster positive health outcomes.
Much of the well-documented psychosocial and physical health benets of sport participation stem
largely from research with non-Indigenous populations. The sport history and experiences of Indigenous
women athletes in Canada are unique from non-Indigenous Canadian women (see Hall 2013), yet mini-
mal research attention has been given to Indigenous women’s sport experiences. The disproportionate
focus on non-Indigenous Canadian athletes has resulted in a lack of knowledge about Indigenous
women athletes’ sport experiences that precludes understanding about and promotion of ourishing
in sport. Just as understandings of health and well-being have been explored from the perspective of
Indigenous peoples (Graham and Stamler 2010), it is important to understand how Indigenous athletes
dene and experience their health and well-being specically in the sport domain. Garnering knowl-
edge about Indigenous women athletes’ experiences in sport, as has been done with non-Indigenous
women athletes (Bennett et al. 2017; Ferguson et al. 2014, 2015; Mosewich et al. 2013; Sutherland et al.
2014), is necessary for meaningful sport programme implementation, health optimisation and sport
policy development. The purpose of this study was to explore Indigenous women athletes’ meanings
and experiences of ourishing in sport. Hearing Indigenous women athletes’ stories of ourishing in
sport is an important and essential rst step toward understanding culture-specic strategies advanta-
geous for Indigenous women athletes’ accomplishing full potential and subsequently attaining health
outcomes in sport.
4 L. FERGUSON ET AL.
Method
Research team and participants
The research team included two community sport advisors involved in local, provincial and national
Indigenous sport in various capacities (e.g. coach, athlete). The advisors were research partners and
key consultants throughout the entire research process, from the development of the research ques-
tions, participant recruitment, data generation, data analysis and knowledge translation activities. The
advisors were assets for continued guidance on engaging in ethical, respectful and culturally appro-
priate research. The larger research team also included Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers
and research assistants.
After receiving institutional ethical approval, participant recruitment began with the community
sport advisors and larger research team promoting the study through various avenues (e.g. advertising
to teams, personal connections). Importantly, the community sport advisors facilitated the purpose-
ful recruitment of Indigenous women athletes whom they knew could share their experiences and
meanings of ourishing in sport. Given potential complexities with participant recruitment, whereby
some athletes discuss their heritage openly and proudly serve as role models while others prefer not to
disclose their Indigenous identity (Hall 2013), the involvement of community advisors was invaluable
with respect to recruitment.
Sixteen Indigenous women athletes (M
age
=21.5years; 10 First Nations, 6Métis) from a mid-Western
province in Canada participated in this study. Table 1 includes an overview of study participant charac-
teristics, including a summary of the athletes’ sport involvement. The athletes were from urban, rural and
remote communities, and represented a range of sports (e.g. archery, baseball, cross-country, hockey,
soccer, softball, track and eld, volleyball) and competition levels that ranged from provincial to inter-
national. The number of years competing in their primary sport ranged from 2 to 10years. Maximum
variation sampling was purposeful, as we were not seeking a homogeneous group; rather, a range of
ages, competition levels and sport types were desirable to hear multiple voices and experiences of
ourishing in sport. The athletes were invited to select a pseudonym at the start of the study, and the
selection of a name served as a great ice breaker activity. The athletes enjoyed the freedom, exibility
and creativity they could bring into their name selection, often sharing an explanation of why they
selected their pseudonym.
Study design and data generation
Qualitative phenomenological inquiry supported the exploration of ourishing in sport. Phenomenology
involves the highly detailed and in-depth description of phenomena by examining individuals’ per-
spective of their world and meanings (Allen-Collinson 2009; Moustakas 1994). Phenomenological
research has been implemented eectively in previous health-related research with Indigenous peo-
ples (Cameron et al. 2014).
Data generation occurred through sharing circles and symbol-based reection. Sharing circles pro-
vide opportunities for Indigenous peoples to sit together and share their experiences, stories, or views
in a meaningful, respectful, supportive and orderly manner (Lavallée 2009; Running Wolf and Rickard
2003), and encourage interconnectedness, dialogue and co-creation of knowledge (Kovach 2009).
Sitting in a circle, which is symbolic of balance (Schinke et al. 2009), individuals are asked one at a time
to respond to a designated question or topic, with the option of not initially responding and instead
listening to the views of others and contributing later in the discussion during progressive turns around
the circle. Only one person speaks at a time, with that person’s right indicated by the possession of a
talking stick. The discussion ends only when every individual believes there is nothing more to be added
and talking has ceased. The use of sharing circles is culturally signicant, provides equal opportunity
to be heard, creates shared knowledge and has the opportunity to generate rich insight as individuals
interact with one another in a small group setting. Sharing circles have been successfully employed in
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORT, EXERCISE AND HEALTH 5
sport research with Indigenous peoples (e.g. Schinke et al. 2010), and are a culturally respectful approach
that facilitates an atmosphere of familiarity, trust and relaxation.
Symbol-based reection was another data generation method whereby athletes were invited to
identify and share meaningful symbols or artefacts that represented ourishing in sport. Symbol-based
reection supports the involvement of participants in the research process as they are invited to iden-
tify, represent and share their meanings and experiences through artefacts (Lavallée 2009). Artefacts
may include clothing, crafts, drawings, memorabilia, paintings, toys and written texts, but can vary
substantially to represent personal meaning. As such, artefacts can be a rich source of data through
the questions that are asked about them and the personal meanings assigned to them (Given 2008).
Including symbols as a method of data generation provided the opportunity to represent and then
further discuss ourishing in sport in ways that perhaps are not initially easily articulated through
spoken word.
Three sharing circles (and accompanying symbol-based reection) took place, ranging in size from
three to eight athletes per circle. Sharing circles were arranged at a time and place that was convenient
for the athletes, including university campus (for rural- and urban-based athletes) and a community
recreation and sport multiplex. Approximately one week prior to each sharing circle athletes were
Table 1.Summary description of each athlete, including item selected for symbol-based reflection.
aParticipants selected their own pseudonym.
bAthlete summaries are taken from demographic information the athletes shared before their sharing circle.
cJo Jo had to excuse herself from the sharing circle during symbol-based reflection for a physical therapy appointment to treat a
sport-related injury.
Pseudonyma Athlete summarybSymbol-based reection
Beyoncé First Nations volleyball player, 16years old, competes
regionally
A medal won when competing
Brisco Fifty-four-year-old Métis woman, primary sport is
cross-country skiing. Has competed internationally and
currently competes provincially
Origami from Paralympic Games
Bucky Fifteen-year-old First Nations, provincial-level volleyball,
baseball, and badminton athlete
Her baseball glove
Charlotte First Nations track and field athlete. Twenty-four years old,
has competed internationally and currently competes
nationally
Track bibs from international competitions
Jenna Métis, 22years old, provincial-level volleyball player Curling jacket from Junior Women’s Provincials
Jo JocThirteen-year-old First Nations ice hockey player, com-
petes at the province level
Jor First Nations regional-level ice hockey player. Thirteen
years old
Her hockey stick
Little Rusty Fourteen-year-old multiple sport athlete. First Nations.
Has competed at the elite level. Sports include archery,
volleyball, soccer, and cross-country
Gold medal she won
Matilda Competes regionally in track and field. Twenty-three year
old Métis athlete
Her track spikes
P. K . First Nations ice hockey player, 13years old, competes
provincial
Water
Pearl Basketball and softball athlete, has competed internation-
ally and currently competes provincially. Twenty-five
years old, Métis
Picture from playing with Team Canada
Rick James Eighteen-year-old First Nations volleyball player. Has com-
peted internationally, currently competes provincially
Her volleyball shoes
Ronaldo First Nations soccer athlete, 36years old with national and
provincial competition experience
A pen from FIFA Women’s World Cup
Serena Provincial ice hockey player. Twenty-three years old, First
Nations, has competed at the elite level
Hockey equipment
Special K Métis track and field and cross country athlete. Twenty
years old, competes regionally and nationally
Old pair of running shoes
Steve Sixteen-year-old, First Nations and Métis volleyball and
softball athlete. Has competed at the elite level
Belt she won in a boxing match
6 L. FERGUSON ET AL.
provided with two prompts. First, athletes were encouraged to consider the following question: ‘What
does it mean to reach your potential and ourish in sport?’ Providing participants with some time to
think about their experiences in advance of being asked to share has been recommended (Fischer
2006). Second, athletes were invited to bring a symbol or item with them to their sharing circle that they
felt best represented what it means to reach their potential and ourish in sport. They were asked to
bring the item with them to the sharing circle, if possible, or to take a picture of the item for discussion.
The rst three authors, which includes one of the community sport advisors, co-facilitated data
generation. The rst and third authors co-facilitated the sharing circles and the second author took
eld notes. Athletes in the rst sharing circle brainstormed a staggered approach to the sharing circle
format whereby each round of the circle began with a new athlete sharing her experiences, thereby
allowing athletes to take turns being the rst to share. Sharing circles consisted of 10 rounds of dis-
cussion questions3 that centred on three primary components: (a) sharing one’s sport story (including
self-descriptions and history in sport); (b) describing ourishing in sport (including consideration for
what ourishing personally consists of and looks like in sport); and (c) symbol-based reection (pre-
senting and describing selected artefacts and discussing how they symbolise each athlete’s personal
meaning of ourishing in sport).
All participants approved audio-recording the sharing circles, which lasted from one hour to one
and a half hours. The sharing circles included snacks (fruit, cheese, crackers), and all participants were
given a $25 gift card as a small token of appreciation for sharing their experiences.
Data analysis
The rst author took the position of primary data analysis tool and engaged in the meaning making
process with co-authors, including community sport advisors as well as athlete participants that elected
to be involved in the co-construction of meaning. More specically, the rst and second author prepared
and organised the data for analysis, and the rst author engaged in a structural analysis of the data
(Giorgi 1997). As the intent of phenomenology research is to reveal the essence or core meaning of
human experience in specic contexts (Allen-Collinson 2009), the goal of data analysis was to develop
a conceptual framework of ourishing in sport for Indigenous women athletes.
Data analysis began with preparing and organising the data. Audio from the sharing circles, including
discussions regarding athletes’ artefacts, were transcribed verbatim, and participants had the oppor-
tunity to member check their respective transcript (Kowalski et al. 2018). Importantly, participants’
identities were kept condential as all names were replaced with participant-selected pseudonyms,
and any identifying information (e.g. community name, sport team, coaches name) was removed and/
or replaced with ctitious information that the participants approved in the member checking pro-
cess. Giorgi’s (1997) four-step structural analysis was used to generate an initial understanding for
the essential components of what it means for Indigenous women athletes to ourish in sport. First,
the transcripts were read many times to get a general and descriptive sense of the data as a whole.
Second, the text continued to be re-read to identify spontaneous shifts in meaning; that is, when the
meaning of the text shifts or changes direction with respect to the athletes’ descriptions of ourishing
in sport, such as when athletes identify conicting or very dierent ways of what ourishing looks like
for them in sport. Meaning shifts were identied both within athletes’ own descriptions as well as across
athletes’ meanings. Third, each meaning shift was reected upon to consider what it reveals about
the phenomenon of ourishing in sport. It was during this stage in particular that connections were
made between athletes’ descriptions, with shared meanings across athletes’ descriptions beginning to
emerge. Fourth, free imaginative variation was used to determine the essence of the athletes’ described
meanings of ourishing in sport. The meaning units were synthesised into an aggregate of meanings
(i.e. fundamental meanings that are essential for the phenomenon to present itself as is), which became
the general structure for the phenomenon of ourishing in sport.
The rst author engaged in peer debrieng (Creswell 2014) with a colleague in her sport psychology
lab that was not involved with the project. That individual’s role was to constructively challenge the
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORT, EXERCISE AND HEALTH 7
structure in an attempt to ensure it was representative of the athletes’ shared meanings and experiences.
The rst and second author then consulted with the community sport advisors on this process and
preliminary insights. Following generation of the initial framework, the rst author debriefed with ve
athlete participants who expressed interest in further engagement and development of study ndings.
The athletes played a vital role in conrming or oering appropriate language for the proposed quali-
ties, as well as sharing further insight and experiences that supported essential and supportive facets
of their ourishing in sport. In the end, a co-construction of the fundamental structure of ourishing
in sport was formed.
Results
We propose four essential components and one facilitating component as the structure of Indigenous
women athletes’ ourishing in sport. The essential components are multidimensional community
support, personal accomplishments, persistent growth and wholistic athletic excellence. The facilitat-
ing component, which may not be essential to ourish but supports athletes’ ourishing, is humble
recognition.
Multidimensional community support
Essential to the athletes’ meanings and experiences of ourishing in sport were a number of important
people; in particular, members of the athletes’ community. The athletes described their community as
consisting of multiple dimensions, including immediate family members, such as parents and siblings,
as well as extended family such as uncles, aunties, cousins and grandparents. Commitment from family
and their involvement in the athletes’ journeys through sport was seen as critical to ourishing:
I feel like I ourished in sports because my mom put us in everything. We were in curling, she made us wear a helmet
[laughing], and then she put us in lane swimming. Also soccer … I did track a little bit, and played basketball. My
brother was put in hockey, so that’s how I got into hockey. (Brisco)
When describing how her initial background in hockey evolved into a focus on volleyball, Rick James
explained:
I played for a very long time and my mushum [grandfather] wanted to take me to all my hockey games and all my
practices … (eventually) I quit hockey because I didn’t have time for that anymore and also it didn’t feel right because
my mushum passed away and he was the one that was always there for me so I [pause], I quit [said exhaustingly].
Little Rusty presented a gold medal she won in hockey as her symbol of ourishing in sport because ‘… it
makes my mom proud’. The athletes’ family members are an integral part of their ourishing experiences.
In addition to their family, the home community the athletes live in (e.g. First Nation community, city
or town neighbourhood) and the sport community they belong to comprised two additional dimen-
sions of community. The athletes were overtly aware of the opportunities their communities were
able to provide, including sport oerings, equipment and resources and coaches. Little Rusty shared
numerous stories of the constant support she received from her athletics coach, including helping her
work through the challenging times in sport and also celebrating her victories. Similarly, Jenna spoke
of her teammates as an integral component of her sport community, as they played an important role
in her journey towards ourishing in sport:
Growing up, I did every sport that our school oered, which wasn’t too much. We didn’t have all the necessary
resources to do all the sports … but I always had teammates with me. When you come together as a team, there
is always someone cheering you on. It’s nice to have someone there, knowing that they believe that you can do
something or you can make the small accomplishments.
The athletes’ experiences suggest that the individuals that comprise an athlete’s sport community stand
out as essential to reach one’s potential.
Athletes suggested that the type of support their communities provided varied. Many athletes
shared examples of tangible supports received, such as First Nation communities covering costs to allow
8 L. FERGUSON ET AL.
athletes to compete outside of their home community, and parents and community members driving
athletes to and from other communities for more competition opportunities. Emotional support was
also evident such as coaches helping athletes when they experienced racism in sport, and community
members supporting their athletes: ‘… there is always someone there cheering you on. It’s nice to have
someone there knowing that they believe that you can do something’ (Jenna). The athletes also shared
experiences of supporting and motivating others by encouraging them to try a new sport:
What I found is trying to help others, you know, discover what I’ve had, the joy of sport. It’s really kind of a joy of
sport that I’ve really enjoyed and now passing it on to others is kinda maybe been more about the legacy. (Brisco)
The athletes’ stories highlighted the necessity to not only receive community support in order to
ourish in sport, but also to return support to one’s community. Giving and receiving support was
described as necessary to ourish in sport as this meant the athletes were connecting with others and
developing a sense of belonging, which they viewed as foundational to ourish in any life context. For
the athletes, community support is not a one-way street; rather, ourishing in sport requires that athletes
engage in a reciprocal give-and-take of support by giving back and contributing to their community:
To me a ourishing athlete is someone who … they are like, ‘who needs a ride’ and if you are talking on a group
chat they are the leaders and keeping everyone positive. And then during the game they are encouraging others
… enthusiasm rubs o on the whole team. (Ronaldo)
Similarly, some of the athletes explained that they have taken on coaching roles as a way to give back
to their community.
Right now I coach a senior girls’ basketball team at one of the high schools, so I see that it brings people together
… it’s nice to see them get away from what they are dealing with too because I have been there and I’ve done it.
So I kind of just try to make it fun and stu. So I guess for self-care and bringing people together. (Pearl)
Giving and receiving community support cultivated strong bonds, connections and a positive sense of
belongingness that many of the athletes, such as Matilda, Rick James and Special K, explained helped
nurture them into the athlete they eventually became.
Personal accomplishments
I played for Team Canada in fastball. This is a picture of me. For me ourishing is taking a look and being like, ‘man I
was a real little pipsqueak!’ I was playing for Team Canada against like girls in the U.S. that are my size now. So that
was a huge accomplishment for me. I did it and I wasn’t even done growing. (Pearl)
My track bibs from the 2012 trials and from the 2013 trials. My rst international competitions that I competed in.
That’s when I ourished. Both of those bibs represent so much for me. (Charlotte)
Setting and achieving goals was a common thread that connected many of the athletes’ stories. A
nuanced element to the athletes’ goal achievements was that they were personal accomplishments:
In track … you don’t win a lot because there are so many runners, um, and that race was huge to me because the
only reason I got in was because I won another race and I got to race against my racing idol that I like. Yeah, she
was just my idol and I follow her on everything. And it was amazing to be in a lane next to her and I got my butt
kicked [laughing], but to me that meant so much. (Charlotte)
Matilda recalled ‘… I went to a meet and I would write down my times that I wanted to get before. So if
I got that then I would say I ourished’. The accomplishments the athletes spoke of as reecting our-
ishing in sport were not goals set by their coaches and were rarely objective outcomes of competitions;
rather, the athletes’ accomplishments were private and individual to them. Outsiders or onlookers may
not even be aware of these accomplishments, or the personal meanings they hold; yet the achievements
represent reaching the athletes’ potential in sport.
The athletes shared details of examples where they achieved highly important personal accomplish-
ments and milestones. For instance, Jenna articulated her experience competing in Junior Women’s
Provincial Curling Championships, and she identied her jacket from that championship as her symbol
of ourishing:
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORT, EXERCISE AND HEALTH 9
It meant a lot to me because I had to take time outside of school and I had to travel an hour and a half to go get
coached for a couple hours before driving an hour and a half back home. And having to pay for a coach and actually
travel across the province to compete … that meant a lot to me because I actually had to try harder than what was
given to me … that was kind of handed down to everyone else. So the fact that I have a badge on the shoulder of
my jacket is really something special that I did on my own. (Jenna)
It was not the objective outcome of the competition that represented Jenna was ourishing (as she
pointed out, ‘we got dead last’); rather, it was the larger personal meaning of the accomplishment that
reected reaching her potential.
Athletes, such as Jenna and Special K, explained that achieving their personalised goals represents
ourishing because the experience of the achievement inherently includes the challenges and hard-
ships they may have had to overcome. Special K made reference to ‘all the blood, sweat, and tears you
put into your training to achieve your goals’. In addition to the personal hard work the athletes put in
to their accomplishments, the condence and pride the athletes gained from achieving their goals
propelled them into setting up their next goals. Setting and achieving personal accomplishments
ignited a cyclical process for the athletes to ourish in sport.
Persistent growth
In addition to setting and achieving personal goals, the athletes were steadfast in their claims that the
constant pursuit to be a better athlete is a core component of ourishing in sport. Remaining dynamic,
‘… trying your best at all times … not giving up’ (Ronaldo), and persistently wanting to better oneself
was core to the athletes’ meanings of ourishing. Special K presented her running shoes as her sym-
bol-based reection, and explained:
I haven’t really been able to throw out any of my running shoes [laughs]. There is an accumulation in my closet back
home, there is three or four pairs with me where I live now. I just can’t bring myself to get rid of them! Even though I
can’t wear them anymore because they either don’t t or they are completely worn out and would hurt my feet …
the one’s I have here I recently just had to stop wearing because the padding is all worn out on the inside and my
toenail’s now black from hitting the inside of my shoe [laughs]. I actually was debating showing my toe as a symbol
[group laughs]! I just can’t bring myself to throw them away because of all the miles I have accumulated in them
and all the memories I have … That’s kinda why I brought it as a symbol. It kinda symbolizes all the work you put in
and also where you’ve been and where you’ll go … my shoes are associated with all the work I put into my sport.
Special K’s running shoes signify her commitment to growth in sport. Her shoes represent where she
started, the journey she has been on to become the athlete she is today, and where they will take her
as she continues to push herself to grow and develop as an athlete into the future.
Growth opportunities were often identied as stemming from dicult or challenging experiences
in sport. Managing setbacks and overcoming adversity were shared experiences amongst the athletes.
When discussing the challenges she has faced in sport, Brisco spoke about being injured. She wasn’t
fearful of much in sport, not even being injured. For Brisco, injuries and setbacks allowed her to face
a new challenge and a new growth opportunity, ‘… it made me try to be the best I could be’. Jenna
had a relatable approach to her failures in sport, ‘… even for the failures, you know, you learn from
everything. You learn from all your mistakes, helps you grow as a person’. Athletes described the desire
to constantly challenge oneself to improve, and remain determined and committed throughout the
ups and downs of sport.
The athletes were very open when sharing examples of their perseverance and stick-to-it-iveness
in sport, and they provided examples of when they remained committed to their growth as an athlete.
Striving for improvement emerged as a critical component of the athletes’ meanings of ourishing,
and that commitment to progression was evident in many of their daily experiences. For Beyoncé, it
included ‘… to train and get better. Um, to come to hockey academy even if I don’t feel like it one day.
Still gotta do it and get better. That’s what ourishing means’. Hence, the athletes’ growth required
persistence. Similarly, Ronaldo explained, ‘being disciplined for soccer, like you’re not gonna go drink
because you have a game the next day. More or less making your sport a lifestyle … having it in my
life everyday, and not giving up’.
10 L. FERGUSON ET AL.
Continuing to grow and challenge oneself was explained as necessary when athletes might face
an obstacle or setback in sport, but also when they are achieving their goals. The athletes’ were vocal
about never becoming static or passively content with where they are, whether that was a place of
struggle and diculty, or a position of triumph and accomplishment. There is always room for growth.
For instance, Jenna shared:
Not getting too high and mighty when you have, like, a good couple of points streak, or you have a really good
run of events. But being able to say, ‘yes, that may have been good but now I need to work towards the next one.’
Keeping that focus, that’s important.
Regardless of whether personal accomplishments were achieved, objective milestones were met, or the
athletes were engaged in their regular training and daily life, the athletes expressed that their ongoing
commitment to growth is representative of ourishing.
Wholistic athletic excellence
‘It’s more than just performing well in your sport, it’s also being healthy physically, mentally, emotion-
ally, spiritually, and having good relationships’ (Special K). Many of the athletes spoke directly about
the interconnectedness of their being, explaining that they are physical, mental, emotional, spiritual
and social beings:
In sport, I believe that if you have used all of the dierent avenues, like physiologically, nutritionally, mentally,
spiritually, and emotionally, if you have worked on all of these aspects that can make you be the best that you can
be then you’re ourishing … using all of those aspects and paying attention to all of those areas in sport. Then
you can ourish. (Brisco)
The athletes described that ourishing in sport requires ‘… being well rounded … be healthy, achieving
my goals, having a strong relationship with my teammates, taking care of my relationships’ (Matilda).
Athletes explained that each aspect of one’s being needs to be nurtured in order to ourish in sport.
Participants reported that in order to be at one’s peak in sport an athlete needs to be excelling physically,
which includes things such as proper nutrition, no injuries and excellent skill execution, but also having
solid relationships with one’s sport community (in particular teammates and coaches). If there is friction
among an athlete’s social sphere it will likely impact her emotions, and the subsequent heightened,
diminished or negative emotions could disrupt the athlete’s physical performance. Flourishing in sport
therefore requires a wholistic approach and understanding that everything is connected. Serena used
the analogy of a garden to describe the inherent wholeness that is required for athletes to ourish in
sport:
When I think of ourishing, a garden comes to mind. You have a garden that is growing, lush, green, colorful,
blooming, no bugs, and is healthy. Relate it to sport and this would be a team or athlete that is doing good, starting
to achieve goals, having fun, the coach-athlete dynamic is good, everyone is buying into the team systems, the
systems are working, changes are made when needed, problems are addressed promptly, little injuries, all positions
are doing good, goalie is getting the support they need, players are excited for practice and games, the team hangs
out outside of sport. That’s what I see as ourishing.
Athletes highlighted the mental aspect of sport as critical with respect to maintaining focus and
discipline in order to ourish. Being in control of one’s emotions – both positive and negative emo-
tions – was discussed by many of the athletes as something that is not easily achieved, but is necessary
to ourish. As Pearl shared, ‘… the emotional aspect is being mindful … concentrate … control your
emotions and get them under, like, a reasonable hinge I guess. You gotta know yourself’. Further, Pearl
shared a breakthrough moment in her own sport career when she realised that she needed to nurture
every aspect of her being beyond the physical:
I had a bad attitude. There were scouts in the U.S. that would watch all our games and stu like that, and I was
disappointed that I didn’t get scouted. I was really upset, wouldn’t even talk to anyone. But I took that and was like,
you know, I gotta x this. And if I don’t have the whole package then I am not gonna make it any further. So I took
that and worked on the attitude and emotions to balance it out … and ourished.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORT, EXERCISE AND HEALTH 11
Some athletes spoke directly about the necessity of their spirituality, indicating they often spend
time silently reecting and engaging with their creator before an important competition. Ronaldo was
rm when indicating that, ‘kids succeed when coached within the medicine wheel’. Serena reinforced
that ‘… even if athletes do not follow the medicine wheel, all aspects need to be in place to ourish’.
Special K discussed the importance of faith, and identied needing ‘… faith in myself and faith in others,
like my teammates’. These examples suggest that the spiritual aspect of an athlete’s being may take a
variety forms, and it is part of the whole that is needed to ourish in sport.
Humble recognition
The athletes’ shared experiences and reections suggested that being recognised or acknowledged in
sport supports or rearms that one is ourishing. Acknowledgement might include being recognised
as a ‘stand out’ and include obtaining tangible awards and visibly achieving excellence, such as receiving
banners, trophies, medals and media coverage. Brisco shared her story of having the honour of carrying
the ag into the closing ceremonies at the Paralympic games:
I had the honour of bringing in the ag, the athlete that would be able to bring the ag into the games for the
closing ceremony … because I was being the best I could be I was carrying out the ag, I was able to receive this
honour … a symbol of success … that was phenomenal … it kinda blew my mind.
As explained by many of the athletes, receiving various forms of recognition proves to others – and
oneself! – ones place in sport. Beyoncé explained that winning medals in competition can ‘show every-
one that I did it’, and Little Rusty elaborated:
Showing people that I can do it … every time I go to a track meet at [neighbouring community], there are these
girls that always get at me, like, thinking I wasn’t any good because of my skin colour. They were thinking that I
was gonna throw bad, but I actually showed them what we can do.
Some of the athletes’ symbols of ourishing were tangible recognitions they earned in sport, includ-
ing medals that Beyoncé and Little Rusty won in competition and Steve’s ‘… belt that I got after my
rst boxing match’. These physical symbols exemplify that the athletes are ‘… getting somewhere and
getting better’ (Beyoncé) in their sport, and the athletes are proud of the recognition. Matilda shared
‘… a picture of me in my rst year running over a hurdle … my dad has this as his background on his
phone so I thought that was nice too that he was proud’. As Matilda’s example suggests, even small
recognitions can be important and nurture or reinforce ourishing in sport.
Jenna realised she was ourishing in sport when other people started noticing how well she was
doing, ‘… placing like rst or second every time’. However, she was clear that this acknowledgement by
others was not necessary. Like Jenna, some of the athletes’ stories suggested that being acknowledged
for one’s success, progress or growth in sport was incredibly satisfying and supported their ability to
acknowledge their place in sport:
… a medal from a meet that I was proud of or, like, an award … those are more external things that I can show o as
something you get from people. My shoes are something that are for me … it has me all over it … it’s for me. (Matilda)
The athletes were grateful when recognition was provided, but they described how ourishing is greater
than receiving accolades; it is more personally achieved than outwardly recognised. Furthermore, when
acknowledgement is given, the athletes were somewhat reserved about the accolades. As such, when
an athlete is acknowledged in sport, it is often received in a very humble manner and reects ‘… an
honest earning of the recognition’ (Jenna).
For athletes such as Charlotte and Jenna, being acknowledged for inspiring and motivating others
to pursue sports, being recognised as a supportive teammate both on and o the court, and having
their passion and determination identied as contagious is the type of recognition that supports their
ourishing. Serena recalled members of her community reaching out to get updates on her current
status in sport, and how that supportive recognition reinforces her place in sport.
12 L. FERGUSON ET AL.
I was running and my dad was on the sidelines ‘cause they allow parents to come and cheer on your kid and my
dad was running and was like ‘Go Little Rusty, go! Go! You make me proud!’ And I was looking at him, like, (pause)
‘I know’. (Little Rusty)
Humbly accepting accolades supported the athletes’ place, growth and excellence in sport and therefore
provides a facilitating role to the essential components of ourishing in sport.
Discussion
The purpose of this study was to explore Indigenous women athletes’ meanings of ourishing in sport.
Stemming from sharing circles and symbol-based reection with 16 athletes identifying as First Nations
or Métis, four essential components and one facilitative component are proposed as key qualities of
the athletes’ meanings of ourishing in sport. The essence of the athletes’ ourishing in sport entailed
support from one’s multifaceted community, earning personal accomplishments, a commitment to
continued growth and wholistic excellence. Further, ourishing in sport for these athletes was rein-
forced through humble recognition and acknowledgement of their achievements. Two novel study
ndings include a: (a) unique understanding of social support and the important role of community in
athletes reaching their potential; and (b) wholistic approach to excellence in sport. This study’s primary
contribution to the literature is that the identied qualities of ourishing are recommended to be in
place for these Indigenous women to reach their potential in sport.
As reinforced during member reections with some of the athletes, multidimensional community
support, personal accomplishments, persistent growth, wholistic athletic excellence and humble rec-
ognition represent what it means for these athletes to ourish in sport. Flourishing is not likely to occur
without these qualities or dening features in place, particularly the essential components. Humble
recognition was not identied as a core dening feature of ourishing for these athletes; meaning that
they may still ourish without receiving acknowledgement of their achievements. However, when the
athletes are recognised in their sport, it arms or serves as a supportive reminder that they are our-
ishing. Taken together, the meanings articulated in this study provide an initial conceptual denition
for the essence of ourishing for Indigenous women athletes. Some parallels can be drawn between
non-Indigenous athletes’ meanings of ourishing with those of the Indigenous athletes’ meanings in
the current study, such as personal growth and the importance of others.
Persistent growth emerged from the athletes’ stories and meanings of ourishing as the urge to
constantly challenge oneself in sport, persevere through adversity and look for growth opportunities
regardless of success or failure. These characteristics reect the personal growth dimension in Ry’s
(1989) model of ourishing (i.e. being open to new experiences, continuing to develop one’s potential),
which has been supported by non-Indigenous women athletes’ meanings of ourishing (Ferguson et
al. 2014). Non-Indigenous women athletes have also identied positive relatedness (i.e. having warm,
trusting and quality relationships with others; Ry [1989]) as a critical aspect of ourishing in sport
(Ferguson et al. 2014). Relatedness is one of three basic psychological needs (Deci and Ryan 2000), and
has been identied as essential for survival, growth and integrity (Ryan et al. 1996). Furthermore, social
support has been identied as a characteristic of ourishers (Schotanus-Dijkstra et al. 2016). It is perhaps
therefore not surprising that the inclusion of signicant others was identied as necessary to excel in
sport by the athletes in the current study. Having a focus that goes beyond the self and incorporates
a connection to everyone and everything has been identied in the literature as pivotal to promote
sport, recreation and physical activity within Indigenous communities (Lavallée and Lévesque 2013).
Our research supports the larger body of literature on the importance of a supportive network for
Indigenous women. Richmond, Ross, and Egeland (2007) identied the importance of social support
in promoting thriving health (i.e. resiliency, ourishing in response to adversity) among Indigenous
peoples, particularly among women. In particular, Indigenous women with high levels of positive inter-
actions, emotional support and tangible support are likely to report thriving health. The centrality of
belongingness for Indigenous peoples, where individuals have opportunities to establish social bonds
and trusting connections, has been identied as a universal need in the Circle of Courage, which is a
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORT, EXERCISE AND HEALTH 13
prominent theoretical framework in developmental and health-based research with Indigenous peoples
(Brendtro, Brokenleg, and Bockern 2005). The Circle of Courage reects traditional Indigenous knowl-
edge that highlights belongingness as essential to grow, thrive, and nurture self-worth, particularly for
Indigenous youth (e.g. Eskicioglu et al. 2014). Bridging ndings from the current study with the larger
body of literature on Indigenous peoples’ health and wellness, the need for involvement and support
from others appears to be integral as a core quality to ourishin sport.
The Indigenous women athletes in the current study expressed a complex and multidimensional
approach to the necessity of ‘others’ to ourish in sport. Thus, a unique contribution of the current study
to the literature on social support in sport is the various forms that social support may take. The athletes’
language was that of ‘community’ and they identied three distinct forms: family, home community
and sport community. The purposeful use of the term community and its many facets is a novel nding,
and one that is unique from previous research. Though many sources of support have been identied
in past research with non-Indigenous athletes, the less tangible aspects of community are absent from
this body of literature. Past research has emphasised the signicant role of ‘others’, such as coaches,
teammates and parents in shaping athletes’ sport experiences (e.g. Adie, Duda, and Ntoumanis 2008;
Evans, Eys, and Wolf 2012; Laerty and Triggs 2014; Strachan, Côté, and Deakin 2011). For example,
Balaguer et al. (2012) found that changes in athletes’ perceptions of their coaches’ behaviours predicted
changes in the athletes’ well-being.
In addition to receiving support from signicant others such as coaches, parents and extended family
members, an essential part of ourishing for the Indigenous women athletes in the current study was
the support they receive from their larger home community. Examples of community support included
communities providing new sport oerings (sometimes without the resources to do so), community
members driving athletes to neighbouring communities to compete or community leadership cov-
ering costs for athletes’ sport-related expenses. A key conclusion is therefore the multifaceted nature
of Indigenous women athletes’ communities, and how the individuals, groups and larger community
support network create a unique culture of support that is essential to help these athletes reach their
potential.
The relevance of community in sport and physical activity has been identied in previous research
with Indigenous peoples. Schinke, Gauthier, and Dubuc (2007) found that having team support, family
support and community support are important strategies for Aboriginal athletes’ adapting to main-
stream sport contexts. McHugh, Coppola, et al. (2015) found that sport connects Aboriginal community
members, reinforces community values and fosters a sense of belonging. Ferguson and Philipenko
(2014) identied the importance of cultivating a sense of community for Aboriginal university students
in their physical activity experiences, and explained that building and having a sense of community
may positively impact physical activity behaviours. Though researchers have identied the relevance
of community to sport and activity, the novel nding in the current study is that community was iden-
tied as essential in order for the athletes to ourish in sport. The various facets of community are an
integral component to the development, growth and potential of these women athletes. Without their
community support, these athletes may not reach their athletic potential.
A unique element of the Indigenous women athletes’ meanings of ourishing in sport, and one
that has not emerged from research with non-Indigenous athletes was wholistic athletic excellence.
Being in peak physical condition was not the sole indicator of ourishing in sport; nor was having a
cutting-edge psychological or mental game. Rather, the athletes’ expressions of ourishing in sport was
that of a well-rounded and balanced athlete, suggesting that an athlete is able to reach her potential
when she has harmony across all domains of her being: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. The
athletes’ emphasis on wholistic excellence as necessary to ourish in sport is reective of Lavallée and
Lévesque’s (2013) explanation of the wholistic healing potential of sport, physical activity and recreation.
According to these researchers, sport, physical activity and recreation can impact Aboriginal peoples’
wholistic health to balance physical health with mental, emotional and spiritual wellness. Paraschak
and Thompson (2014) have explained that sport must be approached in a wholistic manner, with mind,
body and spirit being relevant to sport, physical activity, traditional games and active living of Aboriginal
14 L. FERGUSON ET AL.
peoples. Sport, therefore, can be a powerful tool to aid in the balance of one’s wholistic health. Findings
from the current study support the relevance of wholistic wellness in the lives of Indigenous peoples,
and expand our interpretation of the apparently complex connection between sport and wholistic
wellness. While previous research has documented the various ways in which sport participation can
contribute to wholistic wellness (Bruner et al. 2016; Lavallée and Lévesque 2013), ndings from the
current study suggest that being wholistically well is needed in order to ourish in sport. This novel
nding is important to consider as researchers, sport practitioners and coaches work to support ath-
letes’ ourishing in sport; an athlete’s entire being might need to be nurtured and balanced to reach
one’s potential in sport.
The current study highlights experiences that are unique to a group of Indigenous women athletes,
and focuses specically on their meanings of ourishing in sport. Our ndings share some resemblances
with previous research by Schinke et al. (2006), Schinke, Gauthier, and Dubuc (2007), andSchinke et
al. (2010) who explored Aboriginal athletes’ adaptation to mainstream sport contexts. Among their
ndings, self-management, self-enhancement, commitment, teammate support and building rela-
tionships were some of the challenges and strategies of Aboriginal athletes’ adaptation experiences.
These ndings resemble some of the Indigenous women athletes’ meanings of ourishing in spor t that
emerged in the current study. For instance, the emphasis on persisting through challenges to continue
to grow and having support from one’s community are evident in both the current study on meanings of
ourishing in sport as well as Schinke et al.’s (2006), Schinke, Gauthier, and Dubuc’s (2007), andSchinke
et al.’s (2010) research that identied Aboriginal athletes’ adaptation experiences (i.e. self-enhancement,
commitment, relationships). The similar ndings suggest that successful adaptation to mainstream
sport contexts and ourishing in sport may have overlapping elements. It is important to note, however,
that the proposed conceptualisation of ourishing in sport is not necessarily limited to the mainstream
context. Some athletes in the current study were competing as part of their home community and/or
developed their meaning of ourishing from recalling sport experiences in their home community. Thus,
the current study contributes to the literature on Indigenous athletes’ meanings in sport by proposing
what it might require to reach one’s potential in sport, regardless of context.
As with all research studies, there were strengths and limitations to our journey of exploring
Indigenous women athletes’ meanings and experiences of ourishing in sport. We present here char-
acteristics of our research and invite the reader to evaluate the study in a relativistic manner with our
context, conditions and purpose in mind (Sparkes and Smith 2009). Indigenous research methodologies
were utilised for data generation, including sharing circles that were uniquely tailored by the athletes,
and symbol-based reections to incorporate creative research methods with Indigenous peoples that
allowed us to move beyond words (Blodgett et al. 2013). An attempt was made to invite Indigenous
athletes of varying sport and geographical backgrounds to participate in this study, to bring together
diverse perspectives and understandings. We prioritised breadth of information across a range of mean-
ings rather than a narrow focus on fewer experiences. Athlete participants reviewed their respective
sharing circle transcript, and were invited to contribute to the meaning making process of data analysis.
Essentially the athletes that expressed interest in further involvement engaged in member reections
(Smith and McGannon 2017), whereby preliminary qualities of ourishing were discussed and the
athletes provided further insight and clarication from their own experiences and meanings, as well as
from the stories shared in their respective sharing circles. Member reections allowed us to rene the
core qualities, armed the facilitating structure of ourishing in sport as non-essential, and brought
heightened awareness to our use of language when labelling the core qualities.
The qualities of Indigenous women athletes’ ourishing in sport that have been proposed in the cur-
rent study may be further studied and applied in future research. Collaborative and respectful research
approaches will help to arm and rene the core components of what it means to ourish in sport.
Open space technology, a highly engaging and collaborative process, provides a platform for discus-
sion of relevant issues with diverse individuals, who propose topics of discussion and facilitate those
discussions with others in attendance (Owen 2008). Coppola and McHugh (2016a) used open space
technology in their research on activity-promoting programmes for Indigenous youth by hosting a
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORT, EXERCISE AND HEALTH 15
gathering with youth, youth leaders, community organisations and members of the university com-
munity. The gathering provided a forum to gather quality information to further develop programmes
for Indigenous youth. Open space technology may be suitable for future research with Indigenous
women athletes and others with vested interest (e.g. community members, coaches) to come together
for further exploration of the emerging structure of ourishing in sport. Athletes and others in attend-
ance could consider and address each of the proposed components of ourishing in sport, with the
discussion being actively facilitated by the athletes themselves, thereby ensuring that the issues that
are most important are raised and discussed. This method of co-created knowledge generation would
be collaboratively undertaken by athletes and researchers, thus responding to suggestions for culturally
relevant and self-determined approaches to research that are rooted in relationship-building (Coppola
and McHugh 2016b).
In addition to further generating meanings of ourishing in sport, programmes might be developed
that use the qualities identied in this study as areas to target when developing initiatives to support
and enhance Indigenous women athletes’ ourishing in sport. We strongly recommend adopting a
collaborative approach to programme development whereby athletes and community members are
involved in programme creation and implementation. Working to overcome a colonial history where
Indigenous peoples’ autonomy, culture and knowledge systems have been ignored and stied by Euro-
centric control (Hall 2013; Hargreaves 2000) requires working with Indigenous peoples to honour, value,
prioritise and meet their needs (Bruner et al. 2016; Peralta et al. 2014). Indigenous peoples must have
control in creating optimal sport experiences, and should be actively involved as equal partners in all
phases of sport research and programming (McHugh, Coppola, and Sinclair 2013; McHugh, Holt, and
Anderson 2015). Collaborations and partnerships with Indigenous peoples will lead to the development
and implementation of sport programmes that are culturally and socially relevant, while still obtaining
the many health benets of sport (Peralta et al. 2014).
As evident in the athletes’ meanings and experiences in the current study, ourishing in sport is not
an isolated journey. Rather, providing various supports, assisting with growth and nurturing all aspects
of an athlete’s being will most certainly require the involvement of others. For instance, given the
athletes’ emphasis on support needed from their community, it is important to work with community
members to help them understand their vital role in supporting athletes’ ourishing. Achieving personal
accomplishments and persisting through challenges, which were identied as essential components of
ourishing, may be enhanced by channelling resources into Indigenous athletes’ physical and mental
development, such as high performance training opportunities and consults with sport psychology
professionals. Incorporating athletes’ culture into athletic programmes, such as blessings, teachings
and cultural expressions including drumming, dance and art, may facilitate wholistic excellence. The
North American Indigenous Games that were held in Toronto, Ontario, in 2017 provide an example of
an international athletic event fused with cultural programming and daily cultural events to form a
vibrant cultural festival alongside sport. Given the extensive body of literature that supports positive
health outcomes of sport participation, it is essential to cultivate environments and experiences that
enable the attainment of those outcomes. Developing sport programmes that are rooted in the voices
and experiences of Indigenous women athletes will enable the creation of initiatives that are respectful,
collaborative and authentic.
In conclusion, we responded to a lack of research attention on Indigenous women athletes’ mean-
ings and experiences and, with our community sport advisors’ guidance, explored the phenomenon
of ourishing in sport for 16 Indigenous women athletes. Findings provide an initial conceptualisation
of the athletes’ meanings of ourishing as including multidimensional community support, personal
accomplishments, persistent growth and wholistic athletic excellence, as well as supported by humble
recognition. We hope this research leads to further investigation of Indigenous women athletes’ expe-
riences, and application of initiatives to nurture the realisation of their potential in sport.
16 L. FERGUSON ET AL.
Notes
1. Indigenous peoples in Canada include the First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples of Canada (Indigenous and
Northern Aairs Canada 2015). The original inhabitants of Canada are distinct groups with unique languages,
histories, and traditional practices. The authors of this manuscript intentionally apply the term Indigenous in
their writing, and where needed honour the language used by original authors when integrating past research.
2. The Tom Longboat Award honours exceptional First Nations athletes in Canada. The award’s namesake is Thomas
Longboat who was a distance runner from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation Indian reserve in Ontario,
Canada (Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Circle 2008).
3. The sharing circle guide is available upon request from the rst author.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank the 16 Indigenous women athletes for their engagement in this project. Without their enthusiasm
and willingness to openly share their experiences, this research would not be possible.
Disclosure statement
No potential conict of interest was reported by the author.
Funding
This work was supported by a Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation Establishment Grant.
Notes on contributors
Leah Ferguson is an Assistant Professor in the College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan. Her provincially- and
nationally-funded sport, health, and exercise psychology program of research focuses on young women’s physical activity
and well-being. She works with Indigenous and non-Indigenous athletes and youth to collaboratively explore and identify
ways to ourish in sport and life.
Gillian B. Epp is an occupational therapy student at the University of Alberta. She completed her B.Sc. (Honours) degree in
the College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan. She previously worked as the Project Coordinator for a Canadian
Institute of Health Research (CIHR) grant focused on enhancing physical activity and well-being among Indigenous chil-
dren and youth.
Kellie Wuttunee is from Red Pheasant Cree Nation. She is an articling law student (Student-At-Law) at CHS Law. Kellie
completed her Juris Doctor from the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan. Kellie has a Masters in Social Work
with focus in the Aboriginal Field of Study from Wilfrid Laurier University. Kellie has extensive work experience with First
Nations and Métis peoples. Kellie competed in and medalled at the North American Indigenous Games as a youth and as
an adult played slo-pitch at National levels.
Matthew Dunn is the Indigenous Peoples Initiatives Coordinator in the College of Engineering, University of Saskatchewan.
He completed his M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan and is a Co-Principal Investigator on
a three-year NSERC PromoScience grant that is developing Indigenous engineering design outreach activities. Matthew
is on the board of Saskatchewan Aboriginal Track and Field and was the Head Coach for Athletics at the 2014 North
American Indigenous Games.
Tara-Leigh McHugh is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta.
Her program of research is focused on enhancing the sport, physical activity, and body image experiences of youth. She
has extensive experience working with Indigenous youth, and her commitment to community-based approaches and the
sustained engagement of local Indigenous experts has supported the success of her nationally funded program of research.
M. Louise Humbert is a Professor in the College of Kinesiology at the University of Saskatchewan. Her research focuses on
the physical activity experiences of girls and young women, community based strategies to increase physical activity, the
experiences of athletes and parents in sports, and the development of physical literacy in children and youth. She works
with a wide range community partners to develop and monitor strategies to increase physical activity opportunities for
children and youth and those who care for them.
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH IN SPORT, EXERCISE AND HEALTH 17
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