Luchadoras Pensadoras: Reframing the development outcomes of Latina high school wrestlers

J Res Adolesc. 2023 Sep;33(3):750-761. doi: 10.1111/jora.12835. Epub 2023 Mar 9.

Abstract

Many necessary developmental assets and competencies can be accrued through the participation of sport that aid in the holistic healthy development of adolescent girls; however, much research in this area has focused on adolescent girls as a monolithic group, disregarding the specific outcomes of sport for girls of color. Through analysis of semistructured interviews of 31 Latina high school wrestlers, we identified various developmental outcomes associated with their sport involvement. We apply a new epistemological approach to positive youth development within the context of sports development through the usage of extensive narratives of two of the girls. This study explores adolescent Latinas' involvement in high school wrestling, a sport that is widely male dominated yet rising in popularity.

Keywords: Latinas; high school; male-dominated sports.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Athletes
  • Female
  • Hispanic or Latino
  • Humans
  • Risk Factors
  • Schools
  • Sports*
  • Wrestling*