Sport in Indigenous communities

Researchers: Professor John Evans

What if the best preparation for professional sports players was less training and more play? Professor John Evans is examining the role of sport and physical activity in Indigenous communities to understand the factors enabling success in elite team sport. Through interviews with a number of Indigenous professional AFL and NRL players, Professor Evans has gathered qualitative data on the players’ life histories and past experiences in sport to identify patterns amongst Australia’s most successful Indigenous players.

His research found that players who were raised in communities that valued sport, in locations with open spaces for free play, and amongst other children who organised their own games had a deeper knowledge of game play due to their creative ability to develop their own games in their youth. Young players who engaged in more organic, dynamic experiences of sport and ‘backyard play’ with little influence from adults and coaches may be more likely to enjoy sport and achieve professional sporting success.

Professor Evans’ research provides valuable insight for national sports organisations seeking to establish a relationship with Indigenous communities. His book ‘Indigenous Stories of Success in Australian Sport: Journeys to the AFL and NRL’ outlines the importance of play and engagement and explores the best methods of learning and coaching.

“The facilities at Moore Park are an important development in exposing the Indigenous community to a sports science facility of the highest quality, and allow me to draw on the highest technology available in sports sciences to inform my research in a way that was not possible previously." - Professor John Evans