First Nation stories of coaching barriers: a Mi’kmaq perspective

ABSTRACT Indigenous coaches play an essential role in educating Indigenous youth about the value of sport and facilitate strong relationships between sport and culture. Unfortunately, across all levels of sport and coaching in Canada, Indigenous sport participation is hindered by a lack of Indigenous coaches. Using a narrative analysis, the following study sought to understand the barriers affecting the development and inclusion of Indigenous coaches in Canada. Specifically, nine Mi’kmaw First Nation coaches from Nova Scotia, Canada, participated in individual, semi-structured interviews. The interviews were interpreted using a thematic narrative analysis. The findings contributed to three distinct narratives: Trials and Tribulations, Displaced by Race, and Westernized Indigenous Education. We discuss how the integrated Indigenous-ecological model can be used as a decolonizing framework to reduce coaching barriers across each ecosystem, subsequently promoting more inclusive and culturally relevant coaching experiences for Mi’kmaw First Nation coaches.