“I just got on with it”: Exploring the narrative options of a male athlete with a congenital disability

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the narratives drawn upon by an individual with congenital disability during the stories he told. An in-depth literature review established the importance of narratives in constructing self and social identity. Narrative inquiry was conducted, with the use of semi-structured qualitative interviews, to reveal the participant’s narrative construction and resulting identity formation. The participant stories revealed two alternative narratives of disability unexplored by previous literature on sport and disability: ‘getting on with it’ and ‘nondifference’. This demonstrates that different narratives are available to people with congenital disability and requires further exploration.