Bradley Spurdens

There has been a marked increase in girls’ participation in combat sports (e.g., Boxing, Mauy Thai, Taekwondo, Judo, Karate, MMA, BJJ) compared to previous decades, with increased provisions for women who wish to participate in these sports. However, despite knowledge of participation increasing, there is limited understanding of girls’ socialisation and support networks in these contexts. It has been suggested previously that future studies should expand on the multiple effects of interactions between significant socialisers using methods which will provide insights into the phenomena and experience of sports parenting. Thus, the present study aims to expand upon parents’ involvement in their daughter’s participation in combat sports.

In this research focus is placed on how parents understand and construct meanings of their daughter’s participation. Generating this kind of data required in-depth qualitative talk and information about parenting practice. Therefore, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 parents whose daughters (aged 8 to 19) participate in combat sports.17 coaches were also interviewed to provide critical insight on parental behaviours within their gyms. In this presentation I explore initial findings. Specifically, gender divisions in parenting experiences and girls’ participation will be discussed as well as the socialisation of girls and their families into combat sports environments. A Foucauldian sociological understanding of parenting in combat sport environments will be generated. Sociological insights will be upon how identities are constructed in and around combat sports spaces. Findings have implications for understandings of parenting, gender performances, notions of risk and consent.