published_or_final_version / Sports Science / Master / Master of Science in Sports Science

This study explored the preparation methods, qualifications and criteria that both university and athletic directors deemed necessary when searching for athletic directors. Participants completed a survey via Qualtrics online software. Two different populations were sampled for this study: 651 university presidents and 651 athletic directors whose schools compete in either Division I or II in the NCAA, resulting in 96 and 150 usable responses respectively. Participants in both groups were primarily white males with mean ages of 62 for presidents and 52 for the athletic directors. The study provided demographic information, educational history, professional experience, and prior careers of athletic directors. The rankings of the athletic were compared to the rankings of the presidents and identified consistencies of opinions. The respondent groups were in agreement on the qualities and ranking of many dimensions of leadership in this role. The top seven, for both groups, in order, were ethics, budgeting and finances skills, fundraising, communications, sport leadership, strategic management and policy, and athletic administration. This information could be used as a guide for people who want to strategically maneuver up the ranks in athletics administration. Presidents might use the information as they prepare to hire candidates for the athletic director position.

The purpose of this study was to examine the availability, credentials, and qualifications of nutrition providers for Division IA intercollegiate athletic programs that have competitive women's gymnastics, women's swimming and women's cross country, or a combination of two of these sports. It was also the purpose of the study to identify if relationships exists between demographic factors and 1). The employer of the nutrition provider, 2) the title of the nutrition provider and 3) the availability of nutrition education.Surveys were sent to 161 Division IA Athletic Directors. The institutions selected in the study have competitive women's gymnastics, women's swimming and women's cross country, or a combination of tow of these sports. The National Directory of College Athletics was used for selection of the universities participating in this study. A 69% return rate was achieved and all surveys were deemed useable. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Notre Dame, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 326-332). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Notre Dame, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 326-332).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references ( p. 133-138). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Dr. Jerome Quarterman, Florida State University, College of Education, Dept. of Sport Management, Recreation Management, and Physical Education. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 22, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains xiv, 117 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 39-40).

Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the Masters Degree in Technology: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2011. / The aim of this study was to investigate customer service quality at DUT. The objectives were: to identify students’ expectations of service quality in sport at the DUT; to determine students’ perceptions of the service quality in sport at DUT; to determine the gap between expectations and perceptions; and to analyse the relationship between selected biographical characteristics and expectations and perceptions of students, using a questionnaire developed from the SERVQUAL instrument. A total of 400 students have completed the survey during the period May 2010 to June 2010. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. Several service quality dimensions were identified and as expected, students’ experiences of service delivery fell short of their expectations particularly for the dimension. All the service quality dimensions in the students’ surveys of sport at the DUT contain negative mean gap scores. From these findings the Sports department at the DUT can identify more specifically the failures in its service quality and seek to improve upon them. Service quality dimensions that are deemed to be good predictors of service quality for students of the DUT sport offering have been related to factors such as the “Tangibility”, Reliability”, “Responsiveness”, “Assurance” and “Empathy. It can be observed that all these dimensions have highly negative mean gap scores. Consequently, the Durban University of Technology will have to address these dimensions more precisely in its attempt to improve its service quality, especially the “Reliability” Dimension, which has emerged as the most important service quality predictor. / M

This dissertation explores the topic of intercollegiate athletics at public community colleges in the United States. This study is national in scope and includes members of the three major community college athletic associations: the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), Commission on Athletics (COA), and the Northwest Athletic Association for Community Colleges (NWAACC). Community colleges that were not members of any of these organizations are also included. The sources of data are the Institutional Postsecondary Educational Data System (IPEDS) surveys as well as Equity in Athletic Disclosure Act (EADA) survey data and the Katsinas Community College Classification Scheme. The population for this study was the 567 public community colleges which submitted IPEDS data in 2001 and 2002 and EADA data in 2002. The geographic classification scheme for public community colleges used in this study revealed differences in the role of athletics in rural, suburban, and urban colleges. Rural community colleges place a larger emphasis on intercollegiate athletics. Urban colleges had a lesser emphasis on intercollegiate athletics. Topics that are examined include the extent of college sponsorship of athletics, athletic associations, student participation, sport sponsorship, athletically-related aid, divisions of competition, athletic revenues and expenses, state reimbursement, recruitment expenses, and staffing requirements. The dissertation includes six findings and four conclusions. There are fifteen recommendations for further research and eight recommendations for practice. Maps showing the locations of teams for each men's and women's sport played in the NJCAA, COA, and NWAACC are included in an appendix.