Minorities Participating in Winter Sports

Qualitative Research

September 3 - March 9, 2023

Role
UX Researcher

Contributions

  • Conducted Online observations,

  • Netnogarphy

  • Affinity Modeling

  • Conducted interviews

  • Developed codebook and memos

Study Objective

Gain a better understanding of minorities in winter sports

Background

The presence of minorities participating in winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding is incredibly small. There are all types of theories written in articles of what is keeping minorities from the slopes ranging from cost and accessibility to the mountain to misguided perceptions or stereotypes like “black people don’t like the cold.” I believe this type of thinking is short sighted and anecdotal at best. I think that a different approach is needed. I believe that by talking to the minorities that are actually participating in winter sports and hearing their experiences will help to better understand the root of the issue (the lack of diversity on the slopes) and to determine possible solutions.

Research Questions

  1. For minorities that are actively involved in winter sports what brought them to the sport?

  2. What barriers did they experience when they first started?

  3. What strategies helped them sustain engagement with the sport?

  4. How might we make information about winter sports and available Affinity groups like the National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS) more accessible to minorities wanting to get into skiing and snowboarding?

Summary

Participants

The minority ski & snowboard facebook groups that I included and recruited from during this study are BIPOC Mountain Collective and Black Skiers and Snowboarders.

Sample Population

Minority ski & snowboard facebook groups that I included and recruited from during this study are:

  • BIPOC Mountain Collective: Denver Chapter (865 members)

  • Black Skiers and Snowboarders (6.5K members)

Summary of Findings

There are minorities that want to participate in winter sports but lack the information to know where to start. The high cost of entry was also another barrier. Those that currently participate in winter sports do so because they have the drive and determination to just do it despite the challenges. Having exposure to winter sports at an early age resulted in participation as an adult. Lastly, having a community or a mentor that was familiar with winter sports to act as a guide and a support system was something that all participants had in common.

  1. Provide ways to reduce the the financial barriers through reduced price lift tickets and rental equipment

  2. Provide opportunities for exposure to winter sports through outreach programs (affinity groups & military outdoor recreation centers)

  3. Make information about winter sports more accessible. Someone starting out does not know what questions to ask. Provider them with the necessary information to be successful

Recommendations

“When I answered that Ad, and it said, learn to ski. I was like, yeah, this is my chance. I can learn to ski.”
“Snowboarding really opened me up. The military gave me access”
“I remember sitting there in awe of a natural beauty I never experienced before myself right, and at that point I was really determined. I said, okay, I have to learn this, and so I would. ”

Affinity Diagram

  • Barriers

    Things that cause people to not be able to participate in winter sports. It can be access/time, financial, and equipment.

  • Believing in oneself

    Participants experienced challenges with social perception and fear of the unknown.

  • Best way to learn

    Participants new to snowsports sought out ways information aout the sport and bet practices.

  • Clothing that fits

    Many female participants brought up the issue of not having access to clothing that fits them properly.

  • Cost of entry

    The cost of lift tickets, transportation(plane tickets), meals, lodging, and lessons comes at a hefty price which can be a barrier to someone just starting out in the sport.

  • Emotion

    Participants expressed that snowsports gave them positive feeling and was a way for them to express themselves.

  • Having a supportive community

    Having a sense of community whether a single person or a large group helps a person to engage in winter sports. MAny of the participants were members of affinity clubs, military, or had a family member or friend help them get started.

Interview Script

“I was really glad that I had a friend who kind of was like introducing me. [...]So at least like introduced me to not just snowboarding, but like where to go, how to do it, how to pack a month out of that. you know. Just relax and have fun, just all the different aspects of taking a snowboard trip, and that to me felt empowering and because it made it feel also accessible.”
— PZ-1 (Interview)

Reflections

What Went Well

People were generally excited to participate in interviews and the community was very supportive of me conducting the research. I think that by being part of the community for several years helped so I wasn’t an outsider.

What Did Not Go Well

The Asynchronous Remote Communities (ARC) method did not go well. I could not get people to join the private group to chat. Maybe they didn’t understand what it was or to them it was just another group that they would have to manage or keep up with.

What Would I Do Differently

I think if I was going to try utilizing the ARC method again I would do it in the beginning during phase 1 while people were excited about the study. I would have them join the private group right then while they are interested and curious. I think that approach might have worked better. Then in phase 2, I would only focus on interviews to get more refined information.