Chasing the dream: Understanding the journey of Canadian high performance athletes, the nature of the challenges and the motivation to persevere
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Date
2013-01
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University of New Brunswick
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to develop a better understanding o f the journeys of Canadian high performance athletes, specifically, their experiences of strain and social support in becoming and being a senior national team member, representing Canada at international events. Eleven Canadian high performance athletes shared their journeys while competing at the 2011 Pan American Games, held in October 2011 in Guadalajara. The research design employed a narrative inquiry approach, and included in-depth interviews that were conducted with participating athletes. The goal of this investigation was to give voice to the athletes, allowing them to share their stories. The process of interviewing and analyzing the athletes’ stories yielded a deeper understanding of how they drew upon internal and external resources in meeting core psychological needs associated with relatedness, competence and autonomy support. Based on the completed
research, a five-step model for building athletes’ resiliency is proposed.