Consensus Map of the Athlete Experience Metaphor Based on an Overseas Sporting Event Journey

Abstract

Every large sporting event can be used as a metaphor to convey various meanings in sports field. This study aimed to explore the core thoughts, feelings and expectations of athletes throughout the course of an overseas competition. Therefore, narrative inquiry methods and the Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET) were employed to identify the key constructs formulated in the athletes' minds and to create a consensus map. The results indicated that 43 key constructs were identified, including 10 originator constructs, 25 connector constructs and 8 destination constructs. The final values comprised professional attitude, athletic goals, training concepts, coach behavior, ties of affection, cultural confusion, self-learning, and self-reflection. This study concluded that athletes produced their experiences, combining the 2 abilities of determination and action to sustain selfexploration during the sporting event journey. The dynamic process of self-integration involving the 3 elements of consciousness, activation, and reflection was a learning continuum of learning-by-doing, thinking-by-learning, and changing-by-thinking. Finally, it is suggested that the findings derived from this study verify that the consensus map created through the ZMET can be used as a reference for designing the athletic training programs, marketing strategies for cities sponsoring major events, and government policies.