“IT’S A BIG ADJUSTMENT COMING FROM THE RESERVE TO LIVING IN A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SOCIETY”: EXPLORING THE WELL-BEING OF FIRST NATIONS ATHLETES PLAYING SPORT IN AN URBAN MAINSTREAM CONTEXT

Abstract

Indigenous athletes who are interested in pursuing sport at elite levels and seeking broader opportunities in Canada often relocate from their home communities to urban “mainstream” centres. Their reasons for relocating may include seeking elite facilities and coaching expertise as well as accessing more competitive sport environments. Adjusting to a mainstream context may involve navigating challenges such as racism and discrimination, isolation from family, friends, and community, and a dismissed cultural identity. The purpose of this study was to explore the psychological well-being and multicultural adjustment experiences of Indigenous athletes who relocated to pursue sport in mainstream context. The experiences of two Indigenous female athletes who relocated from a rural First Nations community to pursue hockey in an urban centre were explored using a qualitative case study. Grounded in an Indigenous research framework, culturally relevant methods of conversational group interviews and photovoice reflections were adopted to hear stories from six participants: the two athletes, the athletes’ parents, and the athletes’ billets. A mixed method approach was used to analyze the data which included thematic analysis, presenting story, and present self-in-relations. Five main categories were created to explain how the athletes adjusted and strove to flourish in their new environment including: (1) Having an interconnected web of support; (2) Managing emotional challenges; (3) Being comfortable in the new environment; (4) Progressing while dealing with setbacks; and, (5) Maintaining a cultural connection to their home community. These findings suggest that Indigenous athletes who relocate from their home communities require a robust support network and nurturing environment to flourish in an urban mainstream context. Further collaborative research is needed to develop and implement initiatives that would facilitate the factors identified as critical to the well-being of Indigenous athletes when they relocate.