The purpose of this study was to examine African-American Division I football players’ perceptions of their ability to balance their roles as “students” and “athletes”. Three major questions were addressed: Can student-athletes balance both the roles of “student” and “athlete”? If so, how are they able to do so? And, are they truly successful at it? Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with eight African-American football players at a Division I university. Six themes emerged which included: (a) parental emphasis on education and sport; (b) “childhood dreams” versus sport realities; (c) reality check; (d) perceptions of student-athletes; (e) pressure to become a “man”; and (f) being a student-athlete. Future directions for research, sport psychology consultants and athletic department staff are also given.

The research seeks to determine which motivational factors influence international student athletes in committing to an American institution in order to participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The study will examine which factors play an important role in college choice for these individuals. Most research indicates that the primary motivation for international student-athletes to come to American colleges is to receive an education while being on athletic scholarships (Bale, 1991, Ridinger, 1996; Stidwell, 1984). The research will serve to support previous findings and to reveal other motivational factors which influence college choice for international student-athletes. By exploratory factor analysis the major influences which play a role in the student-athlete’s decision to commit to an American university or college will be identified. Due to the controversial and opinionated nature of the topic of international student-athletes, the need for research is supported. Questionnaires will be conducted online by both male and female international student-athletes participating in all NCAA sports at universities and colleges of three BCS Conferences. Data on motivational factors will be collected in order to identify which motives drive athletes to participate in their respective NCAA institutions. Once the questionnaires are collected, the major motivational factors will be identified and comparisons of findings will be made between male and female athletes and athletes participating in different sports. Expected results should support previous findings that student-athletes are influenced highly by academic factors, as well as by the chance to participate in highly competitive leagues (Bale, 1991; Garbert, Hale & Montalyo, 1999). Literature on international student-athletes is limited and due to the increase in numbers and popularity of recruiting international athletes to the NCAA, it is important to examine the issues concerning the topic. Without knowing why the international student-athletes come to American colleges and universities, recruiting could become more challenging and retaining these students through matriculation of their degree could become difficult. This study will provide a significant contribution to the literature regarding influencing factors in college choice and will be vital to athletic departments at NCAA institutions in order to aid in recruiting international student-athletes.

PURPOSE: To compare vertical jump height and power and sprint time in African- American and Caucasian college-aged males, to compare isokinetic knee extension and flexion torques between the two groups, and to examine correlations between these variables. METHODS: The participants were fifty recreationally active, college-aged males (23 African-American and 27 Caucasian). Physical activity was assessed using the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) Physical Activity module, body composition was determined using the Bod Pod, and anthropometric measures (height, weight, and thigh circumference) were taken. Subjects performed a 100-m sprint on an outdoor track and a countermovement vertical jump. Vertical jump power was calculated using both the Lewis and Sayers equations. Isokinetic knee extension and flexion testing were performed on a Biodex System 3 at angular velocities of 60, 120, 210, 300, and 400 degrees per second. Peak torques and relative torques (using torque generated at 60 degrees per second as the reference) were used in data analysis. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between African-Americans and Caucasians in anthropometric variables, physical activity, wind velocity measured during the 100-m dash, or isokinetic extension and flexion peak and relative torques. When controlling for body fat percentage, there were significant differences between the two groups with African- Americans having greater jump heights (p<.001), greater vertical jump power using the Sayers equation (p<.05), and faster 100-m sprint times (p<.05). In the entire sample, vertical jump height significantly correlated with 100-m sprint time (r = -.769, p<.001). Vertical jump power using both equations significantly correlated with isokinetic knee extension peak torque at all angular velocities and with knee flexion at 120, 300 and 400 degrees per second. There were no significant correlations between 100-m sprint times and isokinetic knee extension and flexion variables. CONCLUSION: African- Americans performed better than Caucasians in the vertical jump and 100-m dash but not in isokinetic knee flexion and extension testing. However, African-Americans showed a trend towards greater peak torques at high angular velocities indicative of faster speeds of muscle contraction.

This study examines the print media’s representation of African-American sportswomen’s femininity on the covers of Sport Illustrated. Sport is considered a male-dominated institution; a place where masculinity is expressed. Therefore, in spite of the increased participation for women in sport due to Title IX; the media’s coverage has been minimal and their representation of female athletes has been ambivalent at best, and trivializing at worse. The conveyance of African-American female athletes remains even more complex. Due to historical experiences, African-American women have developed a femininity that falls outside that of mainstream society. Therefore, the lack of coverage African-American female athletes receive may be a combination of racist and sexist ideology. Moreover, the lack of literature on African-American female athletes justifies the need for this study. This study uses a hegemonic framing theory to explore the topic. According to this theory, messages communicated in the media reflect the values and beliefs of those in charge in society. These messages have an influence on the consciousness, perceptions, and beliefs of their audience (Entman, 1993). The study employs a content analysis to examine all 2,865 covers of Sports Illustrated from 1954 to 2008. Content including the gender, race, sport represented, pose, and clothing of the individual(s) on the cover were analyzed. Additionally, a sample of feature articles was analyzed for themes when African-American women appeared on the cover. Results revealed that over the course of the magazine’s history, 35 African-American females appeared on 26 Sports Illustrated covers. Results of those representations on 16 covers could be coded as African-American females. Results confirm that African-American females have had very limited coverage on the covers of Sports Illustrated. In some way their coverage is similar to Caucasian women in that significant portions of feature articles included non-athletic information that reinforced feminine ideology. On the other hand, the African-American females on the cover were more likely found in action poses and representing sports that are oftentimes considered masculine. Results fit with the Afrocentric-Feminist epistemology that states that African-American females’ experiences sometimes correspond more closely with Caucasian women and other times with African-American men

Ericsson, Krampe, and Tesch-Römer (1993) forwarded a general framework to account for the characteristics and developmental experiences of individuals who have acquired exceptional performance in any domain. This framework proposed that experts undergo an extensive acquisition period involving the accumulation of thousands of hours of deliberate practice while overcoming various constraints that serve as functional barriers to the achievement of expertise. The purpose of this study was to examine expert disability-sport athletes to determine how well their experiences and characteristics were captured by Ericsson et al.’s (1993) framework. In Part I, quad rugby players recalled the amount of time spent in individual and team practice activities, quad rugby related activities, and daily life activities at the start of their career and every two years since. In Part II, these activities were rated with respect to relevance to improving performance, effort and concentration required, and enjoyment of participation. Findings revealed that quad rugby athletes engaged in similar amounts of practice throughout their career to those observed in superior performers across domains, including Ericsson et al.’s musicians and expert performers in the able-bodied sport domain (e.g., Helsen, Starkes, & Hodges, 1998). Contrary to the original deliberate practice framework as described by Ericsson et al. (1993), results indicated that disability-sport athletes did not rate the most relevant and effortful activities as low on enjoyment..

This study examined the relationship between family leisure and physical activity in seventh and eighth grade students. The sample was self-selected from a population of students from a Midwest junior high school (N=526). Data were collected through a survey instrument sent home with students via their homeroom teacher. The instrument was accompanied by: (a) minor assent form, (b) parental informed consent form, and (c) survey instrument for the parent respondents including relevant demographic questions. The survey instrument comprised the Family Leisure Activity Profile (Zabriskie, 2000), Satisfaction with Family Life Scale, and six physical activity questions. The physical activity questions were from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Center for Disease Control, 2006b). Pearson product-moment correlations were used to examine the relationships between the research variables. Findings from the data indicated a positive relationship between family leisure and physical activity in adolescents. Findings also indicated significant relationships between youth satisfaction with family life and both family leisure and physical activity.

There has always been a great deal of interest in the measurement of playing ability in team games and many researchers concerned with physical education have made efforts to measure individual aspects of games in relation to the total game situation. However, any objective measurement of skill in a team game will present difficulties, for in many instances the final battery of tests bears little resemblance to the game situation. Games are usually broken down into a number of component parts for the purpose of testing, but the sum of these parts seldom adds up to the total game. Tests to predict basketball playing ability have been used by researchers in the United States of America but they have varied considerably in content and design. This has occurred because researchers are seemingly not of the same opinion as to what are the most important "core-elements" of the game. Therefore, it is believed that there is a need to determine what are the main constituents of the game of basketball, as well as to use these criteria in a battery of tests which could predict basketball playing ability.

The following hypotheses will be tested in this study: 1. There is no significant difference of single left hand reaction times between the athlete and non-athlete groups. 2. There is no significant difference of single right hand reaction times between the athlete and non-athlete groups. 3. There are no significant differences of the refractory time means at the various time intervals between stimulus presentation of athletes and non-athletes.

Through the years there has been increasing interest in the investigation of the athlete's personality. Much emphasis has been placed on the psychological characteristics of athletes of a given age group and ability level. Coaches, trainers, and others involved with athletics believe that personality is an essential ingredient in developing a highly skilled individual. However, the ones in leadership seldom put forth explicit statements of such beliefs into a meaningful theory structure that can be assessed and therefore verified. Statement of the Problem: The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences in personality factors existed between groups of outstanding and less outstanding collegiate football players. The problem was further investigated: (1) in an effort to determine the personality differences between the various groups studied; and (2) to determine if there were distinct group personality profiles present. Need for the Study: The apparent interest of coaches, and others concerned with the relationship between personality and athletic achievement, initiated research in this area; however, the few studies conducted show conflicting results, but leave the impression that a relationship does exist. If a connection could be established, one could differentiate, for selective purposes, between players of equal skill. Also, it would enhance the coaches' ability in facilitating better interpersonal relations, behavior control, and predictions of behaviorial performances. It was the intent of the writer to add to the present body of knowledge in this area so that scientific applications could be made. Underlying Hypotheses The hypotheses investigated in this study were as follows: 1. Offensive players have personality profiles which will not differentiate them from defensive players. 2. Personality profiles of successful football players (letter winners) exhibit characteristics not distinguishable from those possessed by the non-letter winners. 3. When age is considered in personality factor analysis, the age element does not differentiate the groups. Limitations of the Study The following limitations were placed on the study: 1. The study was limited to forty-four collegiate football players at Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Kentucky. 2. The subjects were not selected by random procedures, but were the athletes available for the study. 3. It is assumed that the subjects answered the questionnaire in an honest and truthful manner.

Ericsson, Krampe, and Tesch-Römer (1993) forwarded a general framework to account for the characteristics and developmental experiences of individuals who have acquired exceptional performance in any domain. This framework proposed that experts undergo an extensive acquisition period involving the accumulation of thousands of hours of deliberate practice while overcoming various constraints that serve as functional barriers to the achievement of expertise. The purpose of this study was to examine expert disability-sport athletes to determine how well their experiences and characteristics were captured by Ericsson et al.’s (1993) framework. In Part I, quad rugby players recalled the amount of time spent in individual and team practice activities, quad rugby related activities, and daily life activities at the start of their career and every two years since. In Part II, these activities were rated with respect to relevance to improving performance, effort and concentration required, and enjoyment of participation. Findings revealed that quad rugby athletes engaged in similar amounts of practice throughout their career to those observed in superior performers across domains, including Ericsson et al.’s musicians and expert performers in the able-bodied sport domain (e.g., Helsen, Starkes, & Hodges, 1998). Contrary to the original deliberate practice framework as described by Ericsson et al. (1993), results indicated that disability-sport athletes did not rate the most relevant and effortful activities as low on enjoyment..