PhD study on Indigenous experiences in high performance sport seeks participants

Kamilaroi man Kurtis Leslie is inviting Indigenous coaches, officials, sport administrators, and athlete leaders involved in Olympic and Paralympic sports to participate in a significant PhD study. The project, titled 'Indigenous Experiences of Sport Leadership: An Inquiry into non-playing roles within High performance Sport in Australia,' has garnered partial funding from the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport). Its primary aim is to delve into the experiences of Indigenous individuals within the Australian high-performance sports system and understand the challenges they encounter when aspiring to leadership roles.

Participants will be engaged in discussions concerning their journeys into and experiences within high-performance sports settings. These conversations, referred to as "yarns," will be conducted one-on-one with Kurtis Leslie, who currently resides on Noongar Country in Perth, Western Australia. Importantly, these yarns will be conducted with cultural sensitivity and can be held in person, via video conference, or over the phone, with each session lasting approximately one hour. Participants are encouraged to share their experiences, whether related to their current roles or positions they previously held.

The ultimate goal of this initiative is to provide a platform for participants to voice their stories, with the intention of influencing policy and practice within the Australian sports sector. The study aims to contribute to the enhancement of Indigenous pathways within the sports industry, informed by the experiences and perspectives of those directly involved. Additionally, the insights gathered from this study will inform and enhance practices related to Indigenous engagement, participation, and leadership development within the high-performance sports system.

Kurtis Leslie, a student at Western Sydney University and affiliated with the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) and the AIS, has obtained ethics clearance for this research study. This initiative reflects a significant step towards fostering a deeper understanding of Indigenous experiences and promoting inclusivity and leadership opportunities within high-performance sports in Australia.

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Photo Courtesy Australian Sports Commission

Courtesy Australian Sports Commission