‘Hey, look at me’: An {auto}ethnographic account of experiencing ADHD symptoms within sport

Abstract

Using an autoethnographic approach, the first author, an individual diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in early childhood, explores his lived sporting experiences with the help of the second author. Although there is a tendency for research into ADHD to be confined largely to clinical evaluation and subjective interpretations, this fails to advance cultural understanding and ultimately maintains the status quo. Therefore, by sharing and exploring experiences, both as an athlete and a coach, we aim to address this in-balance within sport and give a voice to the voiceless. By endeavouring to reveal the thoughts and feelings attached to key episodes within the first author’s experience as a player and a coach, the study functions to provide preliminary evidence to showcase how ADHD can impact upon those who participate in sport. Furthermore, the vignettes presented act as a vehicle to signpost the reader in accessing the available academic literature. As a result, it is hoped that this manuscript will (1) bring further meaning to this often misunderstood condition, (2) showcase how ADHD symptoms may present themselves within a sporting environment and (3) enable coaches to better support those who experience similar episodes.

Keywords:

• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• sport
• mental health
• coaches
• anger