The importance of an organic process in ethnographic research: Working with children in a physical activity setting

Background: In comparison to adult-centred research in physical activity, there are far fewer studies which concentrate on hearing children’s voices in physical activity research (Noonan et al. 2016). Additionally, despite a number of studies which utilise a child-centred approach, the number of papers which concentrate on the complexities when conducting research with young people are extremely limited. Purpose: To consider power relationships between adult researchers and young participants. Also, to provide empirical examples of considerations related to an organic research process and the complexities that may arise in research with children. Data Collection and Analysis: An ethnographic approach is deemed useful when conducting research with children (Davis and Watson 2017), but particular considerations need to be taken into account as an adult conducting research with young people. The data for this paper was drawn from a year-long ethnographic study with junior korfball players (aged 11-13 years of age). The study involved participant observation where the researcher’s role was ‘coaches’ help’. Nine semi-structured interviews took place 10-months into the study, and numerous informal conversations occurred throughout the research. Some of Foucault’s ideas related power were utilised to discuss the way relationships were negotiated with children to maintain a child-centred approach to the research. Final Thoughts: Adopting an organic approach to research may help reduce young participants’ perceptions of adult power. Adopting a Foucauldian lens can also heighten awareness of power divisions and aid the researcher’s sensitivity to their own use of techniques of power whilst in the field. Additionally, an organic approach can also help facilitate child-centred research which empowers participants and supports their voices being heard

Sexism, abuse and threatening behaviour: experiences of women football referees in amateur and semi-professional men’s football in the UK

Recent events in football, such as the all-female officiating team of Stéphanie Frappart, Neuza Back and Karen Díaz at the 2022 men’s World Cup, and the coverage of England’s Lionesses in UEFA Women’s Euro, have raised the profile of women in football. Despite this, literature has demonstrated the difficulties faced by women who officiate football. Experiences include being subject to sexism and abuse, and belittling language from players, coaches and parents of young players. This research presents experiences from seven women who referee men’s football in the UK. Participants referee at varying levels, from grassroots to semi-professional football. Participants chose to be part of observation and interviews or complete a qualitative questionnaire with the potential for follow-up questions. A number of Foucault’s ideas were then used to analyse and explain data. Findings demonstrate experiences of sexist language and abuse, sometimes related to traditional gender roles or incompetence of women referees, and sometimes represented as extreme and threatening behaviour. Additionally, some women in this study expressed the pressure of representing all women football officials when they were completing the qualification and later when refereeing. Despite these obstacles and the frequent ‘othering’ of women referees within the football environment, their persistent involvement and occasional overt challenges to remarks or actions demonstrated their resistance to dominant discourses and the normalising judgements, showcasing the ability and determination of women officials. Overall, more support, including mental health support, needs to be available for women who referee football at all levels. Harsher punishments should be administered for those that harass or threaten women, and clear and effective structures should be in place to address women’s experiences of harassment, ensuring that women feel confident in making complaints and are assured by the resulting actions taken

Learning about bodies and the lived consequences

From the perspective of a final year physical education and sport and exercise science undergraduate student, this paper explores the relationship between learned and lived experiences related to the body. The research uses an autoethnographic approach that focuses on the educational and social issues that the first author faced as his physical identity changed. The author reflects on the ways in which his once acceptable body experienced declining capital (Bourdieu 1984) as his body became too ‘fat’ within the spaces that he was connected to. In an attempt to resist institutionalised understandings that imply that larger bodies are a result of neglect and poor lifestyle choices, this research demonstrates the impact of cultural understandings on the everyday life of a university student seeking an ‘acceptable body’

The impact of wellbeing on the physical activities of occupational therapy (OT) for a child with dyspraxia

Background and purpose. Structured and supervised physical activities (such as OT) that a child engages within their day are included within the domain of Physical Education according to Bailey (2005). The research considers such OT physical activities and presents a case study of one child with dyspraxia who has daily OT over the period three school terms. The purpose of the study was to consider the impact of wellbeing on the physical activities involved in the OT. This research questions how the child’s wellbeing (linked to parental attachment, friendships and feelings) impacts the physical activities of her OT sessions. For the case study child, she had poor: coordination; body awareness; organisation skills and her OT programme focused on the inhibition of reflexes (resisted crawl and cat). Methods A case study design was used, as Jupp (2006) reports this is a way in which researchers can collect multidimensional data through observations within the OT sessions, (her ability to complete cat and resisted crawl), observations within her playtimes, and wellbeing questionnaires. Structured observations were completed and data analysis was completed through coding, sorting and trend analysis. Results The biggest impact for the case study child was the holiday break. Each time she returned to boarding school and was separated from her mother her wellbeing levels had dropped dramatically to the lowest points within the school year. Conclusions and recommendations For the case study child the separation from her mother, particularly at the start of terms, was key. Within the OT sessions, the child would need to have repeated instructions, to ensure she was not distracted by her feelings of neglect. It is recommended that an innovative programme of OT is continued within the school holiday period to help prevent the drop in both wellbeing and her ability to complete the physical activities