Finding a Counter Story at an Inclusive,Adapted,Sport and Adventurous Training Course for Injured,Sick,and Wounded Soldiers

Abstract

Over the past 3 years, we have been members of a Leeds Beckett University research team evaluating an inclusive adapted multi-activity sport and adventurous training course for injured, sick, and wounded soldiers. For the most part, the course has been successful in its aims with many soldiers reporting profound changes to their mental health and well-being, future hopes, and motivation. Yet, there have been a small number of soldiers who do not appear to benefit from the course, at least in the ways it was originally hoped: Luke was one such soldier. This performance ethnography sheds light on why, at times, sport and physical activity interventions may fail to meet the needs of some military personnel and how a counter story might come to be valued within a competitive, sport setting.

Keywords

performance ethnography sport adventurous training injured sick and wounded soldiers recovery war veterans public engagement counter story war

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