This study investigated the academic and athletic experiences of African-American males in a Division I football bowl subdivision football program. Critical race theory, identity development model, and social learning model were the theoretical frameworks used as the critical lenses in a qualitative design to examine the participants. The participants’ responses were analyzed and interpreted using thematic analysis. A qualitative research design, which included individual interviews with 10 second year African-American male football players, was used to address this research problem. The goal was to bring together both the psychological and sociological perspectives and to challenge participants to candidly describe their academic and athletic experiences and attitudes toward obtaining an undergraduate degree. Four themes were determined in the data analysis: differential treatment and determining oneself, time management, relationships, and career aspirations. In relation to the theoretical frameworks, the development of self-confidence and knowledge of balancing their academic and athletic schedules was critical for all participants. The sense of feeling different and challenged because of the differences in culture and experience was evident. From this study, university and collegiate athletics administrators may better understand the backgrounds, challenges, and learning needs of this population. As a result, higher education personnel may improve the services they provide these young men in hopes of educating and developing whole persons—physically, emotionally, intellectually, socially, and spiritually—to become well-rounded and functional in contemporary society.

The objectives in the study were to examine: (1) factors that contributes to successful athletic performance across career stages; (2) factors that contributes to poor athletic performance across career stages. The theoretical frameworks included: model of psychological preparation for peak performance (Hardy, Jones, & Gould, 1996); the developmental model on transitions faced by athletes (Wylleman & Lavallee, 2004). Ten participants took part of the study (N=10) and consisted of five individual sport athletes and five team sport athletes from local to international competitive level. Semi-structured interviews were conducted derived from the semi-structured interview guide specially created for this study, which was based on the theoretical frameworks. The results are presented in three parts, and 8 category profiles describing the factors contributing to successful and poor athletic performance on the initiation-, development-, mastery- and maintenance stage. The results showed a list of factors contributing to both successful and poor athletic performance across different career stages for example, social support, family, coach, teammates, athletic ability, athletic experience and, athletic achievements. The results also showed that the factors seems to play a different role depending on the different athletic career stage for instance, supportive significant others and sporting environment turned out to be a more important contributing factor to athletes successful athletic performance on the initiation stage, where athletic ability turned out to be a more important contributing factor to athletes successful athletic performance on the mastery stage. The results are discussed based on the theoretical frameworks and previous research. Suggestions on future research and implications are given. / Syftena med föreliggande studie var att undersöka: (1) faktorer som bidrar till framgångsrika idrottsprestationer genom idrottskarriären, (2) faktorer som bidrar till dåliga idrottsprestationer genom idrottskarriären. De teoretiska ramverk som ingår i studien är: model of psychological preparation for peak performance (Hardy, Jones, & Gould, 1996); the developmental model on transitions faced by athletes (Wylleman & Lavallee, 2004). Tio deltagare deltog i studien (N=10) och bestod av fem individuella idrottare och fem lag idrottare från lokal till internationell tävlingsnivå. Semi-strukturerade intervjuer genomfördes utifrån en framtagen intervjuguide speciellt skapad för denna studie, som byggde på teoretiska ramverk. Resultaten presenteras i tre delar, och 8 kategori profiler beskriver de faktorer som bidrar till framgångsrika och dåliga idrottsprestationer i inledningsstadiet-, specialiseringsstadiet-, toppstadiet- och underhållsstadiet. Resultaten visade att faktorer som bidrar till både framgångsrik och dåliga idrottsprestationer förekom under olika skeden av idrottskarriären som, t.ex. socialt stöd, familj, tränare, lagkamrater, idrottslig förmåga, idrottsliga erfarenheter och idrottsprestationer. Resultaten visade också att de olika faktorerna verkade spela olika betydelse beroende på det specifika karriärsteget inom idrotten. Ett exempel är stödjande närstående och idrottsmiljö som visade sig ha störst betydelse för bidragandet av framgångsrika idrottsprestationer i inledningsfasen. Idrottslig förmåga visade sig ha störst betydelse för bidragandet av framgångsrika idrottsprestationer i toppfasen av idrottskarriären. Resultaten diskuteras utifrån teoretiska ramverk och tidigare forskning. Förslag på framtida forskning samt implikationer ges.

<p> Qualitative research exploring the development of coaching skills and knowledge suggests that this development begins with early athletic involvement. Unfortunately, the quantitative research exploring the association between athletic involvement and coaching abilities has not been able to identify a clear and causal relationship. This thesis investigates the relationship between previous athletic experience and current perceptual-cognitive coaching skills in novice and experienced gymnastics coaches using a quantitative experimental paradigm. Novice and experienced provincial and national level gymnastics coaches with and without experience competing at the provincial or national level participated in this study. In Experiment 1, twenty-three coaches completed a Knowledgebase Task and an Error Identification task. The data demonstrated that experienced coaches performed better on the knowledgebase task (F(1,19)=7.113, p. =0.016) and the Error Identification task than the novice coaches (F(1,18)=14.916, p. =0.001). While there were no performance differences on either task for experienced coaches with either significant or minimal athletic histories, novice coaches without previous athletic experience outperformed the novice coaches with previous athletic experience when asked to identify the initial error in a flawed gymnastics sequence (F(1,18)=5.338,p. =0.03). This counterintuitive result was further explored in Experiment 2. It was hypothesized that the nature of the knowledge on which the novice coaches rely differed based on their athletic histories. Specifically, novice coaches without athletic experience would rely to a greater degree on explicit knowledge whereas novice coaches with previous athletic experience would rely upon implicit knowledge acquired while an athlete. The results of Experiment 2 did not support this hypothesis. While this thesis was able to develop further insight into the relationship between previous athletic experience and current perceptual-cognitive coaching abilities, no clear and causal conclusions were drawn. Additional research is required to fully understand this complex and multi-dimensional relationship.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Applied sport psychology consultation is a relatively new phenomenon with limited empirical underpinnings. The purpose of the study was to evaluate three applied sport psychology consultant personal and professional characteristics within Strong's social influence model that have been suggested to impact consultants' effectiveness in working directly with athletes and their performance problems. The three consultant characteristics were academic training, past athletic experience, and interpersonal skill. Division I female athletes (N = 187) read written preconsultation information and watched a 10- minute vignette between a consultant and an athlete. Participants completed the Counselor Rating Form-Short (CRFS), the Sport Psychology Consultant Evaluation Form (CEF), and questions concerning willingness to work with the consultant. The data from the dependent measures were analyzed by a 2 (level of consultant academic training) X 2 (level of consultant past athletic experience) X 2 (level of consultant interpersonal skill) MANOVA. Results indicated that applied sport psychology consultants' academic training and past athletic experience had only limited influence on the participants' perceptions about the consultants. The Division I female athletes unambiguously rated consultants with positive interpersonal skills more favorably on all dependent measures regardless of the consultants' level of academic training or past athletic experience. Directions for future research and implication of the findings on training and certification in applied sport psychology are discussed.