Beyond the ordinary: Exploring adolescents’ experiences of novelty in organized nature sports from a self-determination theory perspective.

Participating in organized sports has the potential to benefit health and well-being in adolescents. However, participation is declining globally. Research based on self-determination theory shows that basic psychological need (autonomy, relatedness, and competence) satisfaction and autonomous motivation play an essential role for enjoyment and sustained engagement in youth sport. Additionally, emerging evidence suggests that experiences of novelty also play a critical role in adolescents’ enjoyment and motivation to participate in physical activities. This study explores how adolescents experience and respond to novelty in organized nature sports. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 24 adolescents (10 females) aged 12–16 participating in organized nature sports. Using framework method analysis and self-determination theory, key themes regarding adolescents’ experiences of novelty were developed. Findings from this study show that experiences of novelty were linked with valuable and positive outcomes for adolescents participating in organized nature sports. Adolescents perceived novelty as a motivating factor for initially engaging in nature sport and as contributing to sustained enjoyment and interest and hindering boredom while participating. However, some adolescents noted that novel stimuli within organized nature sports could also be accompanied by feelings of anxiety if their needs for competence, relatedness, and autonomy were not met. Experiences of novelty were described in relation to social, environmental, and activity-related dimensions of organized nature sports. The present study highlights the importance of novelty experiences in fostering interest and participation in organized nature sports among adolescents, offering both theoretical insights into motivational processes and practical implications for program design.