THE ADAPTATION CHALLENGES AND STRATEGIES OF IMMIGRANT HIGH PERFORMANCE COACHES WORKING WITHIN THE CANADIAN SPORT SYSTEM
Institution: | Laurentian University of Sudbury |
---|---|
Department: | |
Degree: | Master of Human Kinetics (M.H.K.) |
Year: | 2014 |
Keywords: | Immigrant coach; Acculturation; Cultural sport psychology; Adaptation |
Record ID: | 2046594 |
Full text PDF: | http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/thesescanada/vol2/OSUL/TC-OSUL-2132.pdf https://zone.biblio.laurentian.ca/dspace/bitstream/10219/2132/1/Cummings_Jessica_Master_Thesis.pdf https://zone.biblio.laurentian.ca/dspace/handle/10219/2132 |
The objective of this study was to understand the adaptation challenges and solutions experienced by immigrant coaches relocated to Canada. Ten high performance immigrant coaches were recruited, each completing a demographic questionnaire and partaking in an individual interview, providing insight into their experiences and cultural challenges. Results of the study were presented under two central themes: a) communication (language barriers and coach-athlete negotiations), and b) socialization (Canadian sport backdrop and views of sport in the immigrant coach’s home versus host country). A common adaptation solution was the importance of social support resources, with the immigrant coaches adjusting with less acculturative stress when a reciprocal relationship was developed between themselves and those they worked with. From this preliminary project there is an indication that sport psychology consultants (SPCs) should work with immigrant coaches, and coaches and athletes of the host country to foster this bi-directional learning processes, facilitating the coaches’ transition.