Volume 8 (2014) of the Journal of Qualitative Research in Sports Studies (JQRSS) comprises papers from first-time authors alongside more experienced writers, all wishing to share their ideas stemming from primary research or through critical discussion articles. There are a range of contributions which may be informative and thought provoking for people at different points on their journey through education. Reviewers' comments have been incorporated at the end of papers, after the JQRSS Acknowledgement Footnotes, with a view to stimulating critical discussion about a given topic or research idea. A thematic trend across JQRSS volume 8 is elevating the status of data for its capacity to lead research ideas from which new insights on a topic might be gleaned. Across the papers, data is harvested directly from the field and presented in honest, interesting and challenging ways that may indicate not only a primacy of voice but a greater 'yield' in what might be learned about the lived experience they report upon.