Becoming a professional surf coach as a social participation trajectory

© 2024 Institute for Outdoor Learning.The purpose of this study was to analyse the social participation trajectory of a Brazilian surf coach. A single case study was conducted with a coach who accumulated experiences of 38 years as a surfer and 28 years as a coach. Data were collected using a combination of in-depth interviews and the Rappaport Timeline and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Results revealed that Khloe’s pre-coaching trajectory involved gradually developing physical and sports skills, values, and interests related to the surfing practice and lifestyle. In her surf coach participation trajectory, Khloe participated in communities and social practices, expanding and redirecting the meanings and competencies related to her participation in the surfing community. In the case of Khloe, becoming a coach was a process of travelling within and across communities, where the different modes of belonging allowed her to negotiate and consolidate meanings, regimes of competence and identities deeply connected to surfing.