EAT - SLEEP - SNOWBOARD - REPEAT. WHY? A study of motivations in novice snowboarders

Abstract

In recent years, the numbers participating in snowboarding has seen a decline, indicating that motivation for taking part in the sport requires investigation. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine what motivates novices to participate in snowboarding, with a view to understanding how participation might be increased overall. In short, who are the snowboarders of the future and what motivates them? A three-phase qualitative research design was deployed including: (i) a questionnaire using the English Sport Motivation Scale (SMS), (ii) narrative writing of experiences of being a novice snowboarder, and (iii) semi-structured interviews with novices. The results indicate that the motives of the novice participant (or things affecting their motivation) are multifaceted, but included: sensation seeking, financial implications, perceptions of difficulty or skill acquisition, social and cultural attractions or implications. The findings suggest that understanding these motives to start and continue snowboarding are important for developing interventions to increase involvement and promote the sport.