This paper explores the perceived benefits and challenges of sport, recreation and physical education participation of culturally diverse adolescent girls and boys who are recent arrivals to Canada. The aim of the research was to further our understanding of the attitudes and experiences of English as a second language (ESL) students. Following from the Ethnicity and Public Recreation Participation Model (Gomez, 2002), we examined the language acculturation, sub-cultural identity and perceived discrimination of ESL students, as well as the perceived benefits and challenges to participation in physical education, sport and recreation. To that end, a questionnaire was completed by 87 upper-level ESL students, and focus group interviews were conducted with a further sub-sample of 40 students, from three metropolitan schools. Drawing on both sets of data, we discuss how perceptions of benefits, challenges and other considerations interplay with gender, ethnicity and participation in sport, recreation and physical education. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)