Magister Artium (Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science) - MA(SRES) / University student-athlete dropout continues to be a concern for many universities and has been the focus of many researchers globally. This qualitative study explored the factors that influenced students to dropout of a cricket and development programme at a university in the Western Cape metropole. Seven former student-athletes and two current administrators participated in this study. This study was guided by the Student Athlete Retention Model by Rivera (2004).

A Thesis submitted to The University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Medicine. / Background and Significance: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Barrow Brainbook (BBB) concussion education program as a tool to increase concussion knowledge among Arizona high school athletes and to modify attitudes and behaviors regarding concussion. Methods: This was a cross sectional study of Arizona high school athletes utilizing a 31 question multiple‐choice de‐identified survey. Attitude, knowledge, and behavior questions, as well as sport and level of participation were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. Means between groups were analyzed using a two‐way ANOVA. Linear regression was used to determine if there was a relationship between number of years since completing BBB and concussion knowledge. Results: Surveys were distributed to 382 student athletes with 363 of those being completed. 224 students participated in BBB (62%). Knowledge and behaviors regarding concussion were not statistically significant when comparing students who had and had not participated in BBB. Those who participated in BBB scored more poorly on questions regarding attitudes about concussion than those who had not (p=0.033). Subsequent two‐way ANOVA testing showed that students who sustained a concussion scored worse (p<0.01) while completing BBB did not significantly affect attitude (p=0.399) when history of a concussion was brought in to the analysis. 90 students (25%) reported sustaining a concussion. Football and varsity level participation were significant for a higher mean number of concussions (p<0.05, p<0.05). There was no relationship between time since taking BBB and concussion knowledge (R2 was 0.007). Conclusions: In this study, there was no evidence to show that participating in the BBB program improved concussion knowledge, attitudes, or behaviors. Number of years since taking BBB was not a good predictor of concussion knowledge. Students who played football and participated at a varsity level were significantly more likely to sustain a concussion. Sustaining a concussion was associated with a higher attitude risk sum score. This is an evaluation of an educational tool specifically designed for adolescents that demonstrated no statistically significant change in increasing knowledge or modifying attitudes and behaviors in a population of high school athletes in Arizona.

Female student-athletes are a growing population on most college campuses. While incorporated into a historically male model, their experiences and outcomes are unique. This report guides potential female student-athletes in the process of deciding to participate by providing information about the female student-athlete experience. Issues to be explored include decision-making, academics, health, and stress. Sports can be a rewarding experience despite the challenge of balancing academics with athletic commitments. / text

Within Canada, high school sport is the most popular extracurricular activity (Statistics Canada, 2008). Previous research has found that teachers who take additional roles may increase their chances of role conflict and occupational dissatisfaction (Richards & Templin, 2012). Little research has examined the motivations teacher-coaches have for taking on a dual-role. Further, researchers assert that high school sport can facilitate positive youth development (Camiré, & Trudel, 2010). The purpose of this thesis was to gain a more in-depth understanding of this dual-role as well as perceptions related positive youth development. Results of the research are presented in two articles. The first article examines teacher-coaches motives for taking on a dual role position. The second article examines the perceptions teacher-coaches have related to the impact of participation in high school sport. Overall, the results produced rich insight into the world of volunteer teacher-coaches and student-athlete development in high school sport.

Within Canada, high school sport is the most popular extracurricular activity (Statistics Canada, 2008). Previous research has found that teachers who take additional roles may increase their chances of role conflict and occupational dissatisfaction (Richards & Templin, 2012). Little research has examined the motivations teacher-coaches have for taking on a dual-role. Further, researchers assert that high school sport can facilitate positive youth development (Camiré, & Trudel, 2010). The purpose of this thesis was to gain a more in-depth understanding of this dual-role as well as perceptions related positive youth development. Results of the research are presented in two articles. The first article examines teacher-coaches motives for taking on a dual role position. The second article examines the perceptions teacher-coaches have related to the impact of participation in high school sport. Overall, the results produced rich insight into the world of volunteer teacher-coaches and student-athlete development in high school sport.

No description available.

Major college recruitment of high school athletes is a very competitive process. There are one hundred and seventeen Division I - A NCAA schools for athletes to choose among. Up to this point, coaches and administrators have speculated what is important to the prospective student-athlete in an attempt to improve certain potential factors like facilities, equipment, coaching changes, etc. The purpose of this study was to determine what factors were important in the decision-making process of prospective student-athletes and discover, as freshman, were they satisfied with their ultimate decision. Eighty-Eight freshmen student-athletes responded to the questionnaire in the months May through July of 2005. The questionnaire was grouped into three main areas of content: Team History, Facilities and Equipment, and Departmental Services. These areas were investigated by means of utilizing a Likert scale and analyzing data by scholarship status, by gender and by team affiliation. The results revealed that the most important factors in one's decision-making process are Education, Coaches, Success of the Program, and Facilities. From these factors, besides Education itself, the main area of focus for a prospective student-athlete is related to Team History, followed by Facilities and Equipment, with Departmental Services being the final area of concern. Also revealed by this study is the fact that there are some differences between the factors a scholarship student-athlete considers and the factors a non-scholarship student-athlete considers in their decision-making process. Finally, this study showed that of those polled, they were satisfied with their decision to participate in collegiate athletics. / Ph. D.

Student-athletes often miss class due to travel and competitions (Diersen, 2005; F. Wiseman, personal communication, September 30, 2010; Hosick, 2010; NCAA On-line, 2008; Rhatigan, 1984). Missing class is negatively associated with grades (Park & Kerr, 1990; Romer, 1993; Schmidt, 1983). Therefore, as classroom instruction time is replaced by athletic-related commitments, student-athletes may be negatively affected academically. As technological advancements continue to evolve, it is possible to mitigate the effects of missed class time. One such technology being employed in 2012 is lecture capture. This case study examined the academic effect of lecture capture on student-athletes at Big Time University using a mixed-method approach with an online questionnaire, individual interviews, and a focus group. Findings indicate that 52.7% (n=19) of student-athletes who participated in the questionnaire are accessing recorded lectures, 60% (n=18) reported lecture capture had made learning more enjoyable and 92.9% (n=39) reported that their grades had improved since having had access to recorded lectures. Additionally, participants reported preferring to have class recordings available, even if they choose not to watch them, as they provide a sense of security. Lastly, student-athletes reported to prefer physically being in the classroom and that recorded lectures should only be used as a supplement, not a replacement, for classroom lectures. Themes, implications, and areas for future research are discussed.

Student-athletes enter higher education in the United States with diverse backgrounds and academic preparation. In some cases, student-athletes are underprepared for the academic rigor, social structure, and ethical expectations of these institutions. Athletic coaches are charged with the recruitment of highly skilled, competitive, and prepared student-athletes, while other athletic officials are responsible to provide the proper academic support, care, and overall well-being of student-athletes. If coaches, athletic administrators, advisors, and learning specialists could identify educational and demographic patterns related to student-athletes' propensity to trust, they would be better equipped to gain these students' trust and help them navigate the stress related to athletic participation and academic demands. This quantitative study investigates the influence of individual student-athletes' propensity to trust and the relationship between academic success, measured by grade point average (GPA). This study also examines the relationship between propensity to trust and demographic and educational variables that may assist athletic coaches, athletic administrators, and athletic support staff, such as advisors and learning specialists, in better understanding the impact propensity to trust has on student-athletes. To determine propensity to trust, the current study used the validated Propensity to Trust Scale by Frazier, Johnson, and Fainshmidt (2013) as well as a demographic questionnaire developed to measure students' background and educational attributes. Responses to an online survey from 221 student-athletes were collected from a large, private research institution that participates in Division I National Collegiate Athletic Association athletics. Statistical analyses, including t-test, analysis of variance, and Fisher's Least Significant Difference post hoc test, were used to identify between-group differences, while multiple regression analyses identified differences in propensity to trust among demographic and educational variables. Findings indicate there was no significant differences in propensity to trust among scholarship and non-scholarship student-athletes, sex, or marital status, but significant differences did exist among student-athletes who are members of the church affiliated with the university, returned missionaries from the predominate religion, minority, and transfer students. In addition, differences in propensity to trust between different athletic teams were found. Finally, findings also indicate propensity to trust is related to current GPA. Implications from this study suggest that propensity to trust can be a valuable consideration when assessing how to provide proper support to current student-athletes. This research also suggests that a propensity to trust measure may be useful when recruiting prospective college student-athletes. Schools should not assume that propensity to trust is consistent among each team and each individual student-athlete.

The purpose of this study was to examine athletic and academic identity and athletic and academic motivation in DIII student-athletes. An additional purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which identity and motivation variables could predict GPA. This study also qualitatively explored students’ perceptions of their success, identity and motivation. Using Expectancy-Value and Identity theories as a theoretical framework, participants (n = 358) were administered an online survey that included AAIS and SAMSAQ scales along with open-ended qualitative questions. Quantitative data were used to conduct confirmatory factor analyses, bivariate correlations, hierarchical multiple regression, and multivariate analyses of variance. Qualitative analyses were used to extract major themes from the data, and a Mixed Methods analysis was used to analyze quantitative and qualitative data in a side-by-side comparison.