Rylee A Dionigi
Biographic Data
| ID | 124729 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Rylee A Dionigi |
| GIVEN NAMES | Rylee A |
| FAMILY NAME | Dionigi |
| SIGNATURE | DIONIGI R A |
| AFFILIATIONS | Charles Sturt University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-8346-9610 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 22 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 158 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 22 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2001 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 9 |
First Nations women’s experiences of sport and physical activity in rural and regional Australia
First Nations women’s experiences of sport and physical activity in rural and regional Australia, and perceived impacts on health and wellbeing, were examined within an interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected across two anonymous, online, open-ended surveys, between mid-2020 to mid-2021, from 15 First Nations women aged 20–63 years (M = 40.5 years). The study applied a novel theoretical framework which combined a strengths-based, decolonised…
Women participating in sport
These findings challenge responsibility-centred narratives and call for inclusive sport policies that account for the socio-cultural and institutional barriers shaping older women's experiences in sport and exercise contexts
Exclusion, belonging and mental wellness
This study examined how access to, and experiences in, physically active leisure and/or sport impact on women’s physical, social, and emotional health and mental wellness in rural or remote communities across Australia. The online, open-ended survey participants were 92 females, aged 18–76 years (M = 44 years), including 64 women who were university educated, 20 aged 60 years and over, 10 from diverse sexual orientations and gender identities (SO…
Everyone has a weight complex
There are many complex and interrelated personal and structural benefits and constraints to being physically active. In this research, we invited people living in regional, rural and remote (RRR) environments of Australia to share their experiences of being active both currently and historically via an in-depth open-ended online survey. This study focuses on the perspectives of 139 participants, 92 of whom identified as female, 43 identified as m…
Psychological barriers negotiated by athletes returning to soccer (football) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery
The aim of this qualitative study was to understand the psychological barriers that athletes returning to soccer (football) following anterior cruciate ligament knee reconstruction surgery faced and how they negotiated these barriers. Thematic analysis was used analyse online, open-ended survey data within the framework of self-determination theory. Two themes of ‘Fear of Re-injury' and ‘Self-Help’ respectively represented what barriers athletes …
My desire to play was stronger than my fear of re-injury’
The aims of this qualitative study were to understand how athletes (a) defined psychological readiness and (b) knew when they were ready to return to soccer following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery. Data were collected from a group of 21 (male and female) athletes who had undergone ACL reconstruction surgery and returned to playing soccer. An open-ended, in-depth online survey was created to gather data on athlete underst…
Part two
We are excited to introduce part two to the “Special Issue on Critical Perspectives on Physical Activity, Sport, Play and Leisure in Later Life” (for part one, see Dionigi and Son 2017). The call f
Introduction to critical perspectives on physical activity, sport, play and leisure in later life
The normalization of sport for older people
Opportunities for older adults in Western countries, particularly women, to participate in physically demanding, competitive sports have increased since the 1960s. Now, coinciding with the neoliberal shift in social policy, older adults live at a time when physical activity is highly encouraged through ‘healthy or active ageing’ discourses in media, policy policies and the sport/exercise sciences. This study sought to understand how 63 Masters at…
Stereotypes of Aging
The purpose of this review is to present findings on the effects of stereotypes of aging on health outcomes related to older adults, such as physical and mental functioning (specifically) and overall well-being and perceived quality of life (more broadly). This review shows that both positive and negative stereotypes of aging can have enabling and constraining effects on the actions, performance, decisions, attitudes, and, consequently, holistic …
How do Older Masters Athletes Account for their Performance Preservation? A Qualitative Analysis
The purpose of this study was to examine how older people make sense of their capacity to maintain sports performance. Performance maintenance is predominantly examined from a quantitative perspective, with little attention given to how people themselves account for it. We interviewed 44 competitors (23 females, 21 males) from the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games (aged 56–90 years; mean = 72 years). The major themes were: ‘Use it or lose it’ (perf…
The nature of family influences on sport participation in Masters athletes
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the nature and source of family influences on sport participation in Masters athletes of varying skill and training commitment levels (from recreational to elite competitors). Participants were 14 married adults (nine men and five women) aged 46–61 years (M=50) from Ontario, Canada. Ten from the group had teenaged or university-aged children. Semi-structured interviews were aimed at understandi…
Negotiations of the ageing process
The purpose of this paper is to examine the talk of older athletes, with particular focus on how the context of sport helps them negotiate the ageing process. It draws on personal stories provided by 44 World Masters Games competitors (23 women; 21 men; aged 56'90 years; M =72). Four themes emerged: 'There's no such thing as old' (a story of avoiding old age); 'Keep moving' (a story of fighting the ageing process); 'Fun, fitness, friendship ' [an…
Meanings of Aging Among Older Canadian Women of Varying Physical Activity Levels
This study examines how older women's meanings of successful aging differ depending on their attitudes towards old age and current leisure practices. Twenty-one women aged 75–92 completed in-depth interviews and were divided into three groups (inactive, moderately active, or highly active). Comparisons were made across groups to determine how meanings of “old” and “successful aging” differed. Findings were interpreted using biographical, biomedic…
Examining Layers of Community in Leisure Contexts
This paper explores the dimensions of community that feature in the lives of older people involved in an exercise intervention. It uses McMillan and Chavis' (1986) theory of psychological sense of community as a sensitizing construct (Ragin, 1994). The results show that participants experienced a sense of community on different levels. They felt a sense of belonging and emotional connection to the gym environment, the University (including the re…
Performance Discourses and Old Age
Physical performance discourses are concerned with improving fitness and competing to win or achieve a personal best. Older people are commonly not recognized as acceptable or normal subjects of performance discourses because they are traditionally positioned as weak and less able. Yet the number of older people participating in physically demanding competitive sports is increasing. The purpose of this paper is to use a poststructural framework t…
Transcending Emotional Community
This qualitative study examined meanings of community as they developed among older adults who participate in Master's sports. Four themes emerged through data analysis that described what a sense of community meant to study participants: a shared sporting interest, comrades in continued activity, relevant life purpose, and giving back. These themes each lend general support to the four elements that constitute McMillan and Chavis' (1986) McMilla…
Competitive Sport as Leisure in Later Life
Understandings of aging and physical leisure in the West are continually changing at both the individual and social levels. With the aging of populations and the increasing value placed on the maintenance of physical activity in later life, the participation of older people in a leisure activity such as competitive sport is a socio-cultural phenomenon on the rise. This study explores the motives and experiences of 28 Australian Masters Games athl…
A Leisure Pursuit that ‘Goes Against the Grain’
Although today’s older generation are encouraged to be physically active, society does not recognise ‘serious competition’ in physically demanding sport as an ‘age-appropriate’ leisure activity for them. It is assumed that older people partake in sport to have fun, make friends and keep fit. Older people competing in sport to win, achieve a personal best, break world records or push their bodies to their limits, resist the ‘friendship, fun and fi…
Leisure and Identity Management in Later Life
The aging of the population and recognition that sport and leisure are central components of satisfaction in later life has implications for research into the experience of physically active leisure pursuits. It has been argued that participation in meaningful leisure pursuits can contribute to development and identity construction in later life, however, empirical evidence is lacking. Furthermore, quantitative studies have dominated research on …
Resistance and Empowerment through Leisure
It is well established that the developed world’s population is aging. This trend has influenced increased scholarly and media interest into the benefits of leisure, sport and physical activity in later life, as well as an explosion of sporting events for mature athletes. However, the lack of qualitative research pertaining to older peoples’ experiences in competitive sport is surprising. The purpose of this article is twofold: first, to present …
Participant Experiences in a Special Sporting Event
Special events are a widely studied phenomenon. An analysis of previous studies of special sporting events indicates a heavy emphasis on their economic and tourism impacts, but minimal information about the motivations and experiences of those involved as participants. This case-study examined the experiences of people who attended the 1997 Eastern Conference [University] Games (called the United Games), held in Bathurst, NSW, Australia. Data wer…
Performance Discourses and Old Age
Physical performance discourses are concerned with improving fitness and competing to win or achieve a personal best. Older people are commonly not recognized as acceptable or normal subjects of performance discourses because they are traditionally positioned as weak and less able. Yet the number of older people participating in physically demanding competitive sports is increasing. The purpose of this paper is to use a poststructural framework t…
Transcending Emotional Community
This qualitative study examined meanings of community as they developed among older adults who participate in Master's sports. Four themes emerged through data analysis that described what a sense of community meant to study participants: a shared sporting interest, comrades in continued activity, relevant life purpose, and giving back. These themes each lend general support to the four elements that constitute McMillan and Chavis' (1986) McMilla…
Competitive Sport as Leisure in Later Life
Understandings of aging and physical leisure in the West are continually changing at both the individual and social levels. With the aging of populations and the increasing value placed on the maintenance of physical activity in later life, the participation of older people in a leisure activity such as competitive sport is a socio-cultural phenomenon on the rise. This study explores the motives and experiences of 28 Australian Masters Games athl…
Resistance and Empowerment through Leisure
It is well established that the developed world’s population is aging. This trend has influenced increased scholarly and media interest into the benefits of leisure, sport and physical activity in later life, as well as an explosion of sporting events for mature athletes. However, the lack of qualitative research pertaining to older peoples’ experiences in competitive sport is surprising. The purpose of this article is twofold: first, to present …
Examining Layers of Community in Leisure Contexts
This paper explores the dimensions of community that feature in the lives of older people involved in an exercise intervention. It uses McMillan and Chavis' (1986) theory of psychological sense of community as a sensitizing construct (Ragin, 1994). The results show that participants experienced a sense of community on different levels. They felt a sense of belonging and emotional connection to the gym environment, the University (including the re…
The normalization of sport for older people
Opportunities for older adults in Western countries, particularly women, to participate in physically demanding, competitive sports have increased since the 1960s. Now, coinciding with the neoliberal shift in social policy, older adults live at a time when physical activity is highly encouraged through ‘healthy or active ageing’ discourses in media, policy policies and the sport/exercise sciences. This study sought to understand how 63 Masters at…
Negotiations of the ageing process
The purpose of this paper is to examine the talk of older athletes, with particular focus on how the context of sport helps them negotiate the ageing process. It draws on personal stories provided by 44 World Masters Games competitors (23 women; 21 men; aged 56'90 years; M =72). Four themes emerged: 'There's no such thing as old' (a story of avoiding old age); 'Keep moving' (a story of fighting the ageing process); 'Fun, fitness, friendship ' [an…
The nature of family influences on sport participation in Masters athletes
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the nature and source of family influences on sport participation in Masters athletes of varying skill and training commitment levels (from recreational to elite competitors). Participants were 14 married adults (nine men and five women) aged 46–61 years (M=50) from Ontario, Canada. Ten from the group had teenaged or university-aged children. Semi-structured interviews were aimed at understandi…
Leisure and Identity Management in Later Life
The aging of the population and recognition that sport and leisure are central components of satisfaction in later life has implications for research into the experience of physically active leisure pursuits. It has been argued that participation in meaningful leisure pursuits can contribute to development and identity construction in later life, however, empirical evidence is lacking. Furthermore, quantitative studies have dominated research on …
Introduction to critical perspectives on physical activity, sport, play and leisure in later life
Meanings of Aging Among Older Canadian Women of Varying Physical Activity Levels
This study examines how older women's meanings of successful aging differ depending on their attitudes towards old age and current leisure practices. Twenty-one women aged 75–92 completed in-depth interviews and were divided into three groups (inactive, moderately active, or highly active). Comparisons were made across groups to determine how meanings of “old” and “successful aging” differed. Findings were interpreted using biographical, biomedic…
How do Older Masters Athletes Account for their Performance Preservation? A Qualitative Analysis
The purpose of this study was to examine how older people make sense of their capacity to maintain sports performance. Performance maintenance is predominantly examined from a quantitative perspective, with little attention given to how people themselves account for it. We interviewed 44 competitors (23 females, 21 males) from the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games (aged 56–90 years; mean = 72 years). The major themes were: ‘Use it or lose it’ (perf…
Exclusion, belonging and mental wellness
This study examined how access to, and experiences in, physically active leisure and/or sport impact on women’s physical, social, and emotional health and mental wellness in rural or remote communities across Australia. The online, open-ended survey participants were 92 females, aged 18–76 years (M = 44 years), including 64 women who were university educated, 20 aged 60 years and over, 10 from diverse sexual orientations and gender identities (SO…
A Leisure Pursuit that ‘Goes Against the Grain’
Although today’s older generation are encouraged to be physically active, society does not recognise ‘serious competition’ in physically demanding sport as an ‘age-appropriate’ leisure activity for them. It is assumed that older people partake in sport to have fun, make friends and keep fit. Older people competing in sport to win, achieve a personal best, break world records or push their bodies to their limits, resist the ‘friendship, fun and fi…
Participant Experiences in a Special Sporting Event
Special events are a widely studied phenomenon. An analysis of previous studies of special sporting events indicates a heavy emphasis on their economic and tourism impacts, but minimal information about the motivations and experiences of those involved as participants. This case-study examined the experiences of people who attended the 1997 Eastern Conference [University] Games (called the United Games), held in Bathurst, NSW, Australia. Data wer…
Participant Experiences in a Special Sporting Event
Special events are a widely studied phenomenon. An analysis of previous studies of special sporting events indicates a heavy emphasis on their economic and tourism impacts, but minimal information about the motivations and experiences of those involved as participants. This case-study examined the experiences of people who attended the 1997 Eastern Conference [University] Games (called the United Games), held in Bathurst, NSW, Australia. Data wer…
Leisure and Identity Management in Later Life
The aging of the population and recognition that sport and leisure are central components of satisfaction in later life has implications for research into the experience of physically active leisure pursuits. It has been argued that participation in meaningful leisure pursuits can contribute to development and identity construction in later life, however, empirical evidence is lacking. Furthermore, quantitative studies have dominated research on …
Resistance and Empowerment through Leisure
It is well established that the developed world’s population is aging. This trend has influenced increased scholarly and media interest into the benefits of leisure, sport and physical activity in later life, as well as an explosion of sporting events for mature athletes. However, the lack of qualitative research pertaining to older peoples’ experiences in competitive sport is surprising. The purpose of this article is twofold: first, to present …
A Leisure Pursuit that ‘Goes Against the Grain’
Although today’s older generation are encouraged to be physically active, society does not recognise ‘serious competition’ in physically demanding sport as an ‘age-appropriate’ leisure activity for them. It is assumed that older people partake in sport to have fun, make friends and keep fit. Older people competing in sport to win, achieve a personal best, break world records or push their bodies to their limits, resist the ‘friendship, fun and fi…
Competitive Sport as Leisure in Later Life
Understandings of aging and physical leisure in the West are continually changing at both the individual and social levels. With the aging of populations and the increasing value placed on the maintenance of physical activity in later life, the participation of older people in a leisure activity such as competitive sport is a socio-cultural phenomenon on the rise. This study explores the motives and experiences of 28 Australian Masters Games athl…
Performance Discourses and Old Age
Physical performance discourses are concerned with improving fitness and competing to win or achieve a personal best. Older people are commonly not recognized as acceptable or normal subjects of performance discourses because they are traditionally positioned as weak and less able. Yet the number of older people participating in physically demanding competitive sports is increasing. The purpose of this paper is to use a poststructural framework t…
Transcending Emotional Community
This qualitative study examined meanings of community as they developed among older adults who participate in Master's sports. Four themes emerged through data analysis that described what a sense of community meant to study participants: a shared sporting interest, comrades in continued activity, relevant life purpose, and giving back. These themes each lend general support to the four elements that constitute McMillan and Chavis' (1986) McMilla…
Examining Layers of Community in Leisure Contexts
This paper explores the dimensions of community that feature in the lives of older people involved in an exercise intervention. It uses McMillan and Chavis' (1986) theory of psychological sense of community as a sensitizing construct (Ragin, 1994). The results show that participants experienced a sense of community on different levels. They felt a sense of belonging and emotional connection to the gym environment, the University (including the re…
Negotiations of the ageing process
The purpose of this paper is to examine the talk of older athletes, with particular focus on how the context of sport helps them negotiate the ageing process. It draws on personal stories provided by 44 World Masters Games competitors (23 women; 21 men; aged 56'90 years; M =72). Four themes emerged: 'There's no such thing as old' (a story of avoiding old age); 'Keep moving' (a story of fighting the ageing process); 'Fun, fitness, friendship ' [an…
Meanings of Aging Among Older Canadian Women of Varying Physical Activity Levels
This study examines how older women's meanings of successful aging differ depending on their attitudes towards old age and current leisure practices. Twenty-one women aged 75–92 completed in-depth interviews and were divided into three groups (inactive, moderately active, or highly active). Comparisons were made across groups to determine how meanings of “old” and “successful aging” differed. Findings were interpreted using biographical, biomedic…
The nature of family influences on sport participation in Masters athletes
The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the nature and source of family influences on sport participation in Masters athletes of varying skill and training commitment levels (from recreational to elite competitors). Participants were 14 married adults (nine men and five women) aged 46–61 years (M=50) from Ontario, Canada. Ten from the group had teenaged or university-aged children. Semi-structured interviews were aimed at understandi…
How do Older Masters Athletes Account for their Performance Preservation? A Qualitative Analysis
The purpose of this study was to examine how older people make sense of their capacity to maintain sports performance. Performance maintenance is predominantly examined from a quantitative perspective, with little attention given to how people themselves account for it. We interviewed 44 competitors (23 females, 21 males) from the 2009 Sydney World Masters Games (aged 56–90 years; mean = 72 years). The major themes were: ‘Use it or lose it’ (perf…
Stereotypes of Aging
The purpose of this review is to present findings on the effects of stereotypes of aging on health outcomes related to older adults, such as physical and mental functioning (specifically) and overall well-being and perceived quality of life (more broadly). This review shows that both positive and negative stereotypes of aging can have enabling and constraining effects on the actions, performance, decisions, attitudes, and, consequently, holistic …
Introduction to critical perspectives on physical activity, sport, play and leisure in later life
The normalization of sport for older people
Opportunities for older adults in Western countries, particularly women, to participate in physically demanding, competitive sports have increased since the 1960s. Now, coinciding with the neoliberal shift in social policy, older adults live at a time when physical activity is highly encouraged through ‘healthy or active ageing’ discourses in media, policy policies and the sport/exercise sciences. This study sought to understand how 63 Masters at…
Part two
We are excited to introduce part two to the “Special Issue on Critical Perspectives on Physical Activity, Sport, Play and Leisure in Later Life” (for part one, see Dionigi and Son 2017). The call f
My desire to play was stronger than my fear of re-injury’
The aims of this qualitative study were to understand how athletes (a) defined psychological readiness and (b) knew when they were ready to return to soccer following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery. Data were collected from a group of 21 (male and female) athletes who had undergone ACL reconstruction surgery and returned to playing soccer. An open-ended, in-depth online survey was created to gather data on athlete underst…
Psychological barriers negotiated by athletes returning to soccer (football) after anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery
The aim of this qualitative study was to understand the psychological barriers that athletes returning to soccer (football) following anterior cruciate ligament knee reconstruction surgery faced and how they negotiated these barriers. Thematic analysis was used analyse online, open-ended survey data within the framework of self-determination theory. Two themes of ‘Fear of Re-injury' and ‘Self-Help’ respectively represented what barriers athletes …
Exclusion, belonging and mental wellness
This study examined how access to, and experiences in, physically active leisure and/or sport impact on women’s physical, social, and emotional health and mental wellness in rural or remote communities across Australia. The online, open-ended survey participants were 92 females, aged 18–76 years (M = 44 years), including 64 women who were university educated, 20 aged 60 years and over, 10 from diverse sexual orientations and gender identities (SO…
Everyone has a weight complex
There are many complex and interrelated personal and structural benefits and constraints to being physically active. In this research, we invited people living in regional, rural and remote (RRR) environments of Australia to share their experiences of being active both currently and historically via an in-depth open-ended online survey. This study focuses on the perspectives of 139 participants, 92 of whom identified as female, 43 identified as m…
Women participating in sport
These findings challenge responsibility-centred narratives and call for inclusive sport policies that account for the socio-cultural and institutional barriers shaping older women's experiences in sport and exercise contexts
First Nations women’s experiences of sport and physical activity in rural and regional Australia
First Nations women’s experiences of sport and physical activity in rural and regional Australia, and perceived impacts on health and wellbeing, were examined within an interpretivist paradigm. Data were collected across two anonymous, online, open-ended surveys, between mid-2020 to mid-2021, from 15 First Nations women aged 20–63 years (M = 40.5 years). The study applied a novel theoretical framework which combined a strengths-based, decolonised…
Psychology (20 works) · Medicine (17 works) · Sociology (17 works) · Social Psychology (13 works) · Political science (11 works) · Social Psychology (11 works) · Sport and Mega-Event Impacts (10 works) · Athletes (9 works) · Physical therapy (9 works) · Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management (9 works)