Youth participation in a wheelchair tennis program from a social relational perspective

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of a wheelchair tennis program from the perspective of youth athletes, their caregivers and coaches through the lens of the social-relational model of disability. Data collection included field notes, focus group interviews and semi-structured individual interviews with six wheelchair tennis athletes (four males, two females) and eight adults (four mothers, one father and one grandmother, one program coordinator and one wheelchair tennis coach). A thematic analysis utilizing social relational model identified patterns within and across the data, allowing for description and interpretation of the meaning and importance of the themes. Two primary themes linked to both positive and negative experiences were identified: (1) disablism in everyday life, and (2) constructing ‘competent’ identities on the tennis court. The themes, taken together, describe the challenges faced, and the accomplishments achieved by the athletes and their families within a culture that marked them as different. Drawing on a social relational lens fosters an appreciation of anti-ableist aspects of sporting environments, simultaneously recognizing athletes’ experiences of surrounding structural and psychological barriers.