Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Adaptation Challenges And Strategies Of Adolescent Aboriginal Athletes Competing Off Reserve, Robert J. Schinke, Amy T. Blodgett, Hope E. Yungblut, Mark Eys, Randy C. Battochio, Mary Jo Wabano, Duke Peltier, Stephen Ritchie, Patricia Pickard, Danielle Recollet-Saikkonen

Kinesiology and Physical Education Faculty Publications

Within the motivation literature, it has been indicated that athletes respond more effectively to sport’s contextual challenges through effective adaptation skills. Fiske identified five core motives as facilitators of the adaptation process across cultures: belonging, understanding, controlling, self-enhancement, and trusting. Through a cultural sport psychology approach, the adaptation challenges and strategies of Canadian Aboriginal adolescent athletes from one community (Wikwemikong) are described as they traveled off reserve to compete in mainstream sporting events. Concurrently, Fiske’s core motives are considered in relation to youth sport participants from the aforementioned Aboriginal community. Culture sensitive research methods among the Wikwemikong, including community meetings, …