Journal of Student-Athlete Educational Development and Success
Contents & Abstracts, Volume 6, 2024

ISBN 978-0-89641-635-2
$55.00 (Includes shipping)

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    Effects of Innovative Learning Activities on Cohesion and Self-Efficacy in Women’s Sports — Warren K. Simpson, Veronica Snow, Avery McNeme — This pilot study aimed to evaluate the extent to which specific innovative learning activities would result in the desired outcomes of stronger self-efficacy and team cohesion among women’s athletic team members through the design of team leadership groups. The study used a research design that involved semi-structured interviews for qualitative research. As anticipated, the research revealed that the implementation of innovative activities served to bridge existing gaps and enhance our understanding of the influence of female student-athletes' leadership development on team cohesion and the self-efficacy of their teammates. Keywords: leadership, female, student-athlete, cohesion, self-efficacy (1-19)

  • The Mindful Athletic Program: A Holistic Approach to Addressing Student-Athlete Mental Health Needs and Enhancing Self-Awareness — JoAnne Bullard, SoJung Kim, Scott Dankel — There is an apparent need to assist collegiate student-athletes in addressing mental health concerns, but research has lacked suggestions of specific programming to implement among campuses. The Mindful Athlete Program (MAP) was developed to implement and evaluate a 12-week mindfulness-based program composed of yoga and education designed for Division III off-season student-athletes. The focus included mental health and well-being, stress management, time management, mental exhaustion, and healthy coping mechanisms. Participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF Questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF), and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale- 21 Item (DASS-21) at baseline, six week-mark and 12 week-mark, as well as three-months post-program. The interpreted results indicate that most participants (98.3%) remained engaged throughout the program. According to the three-month post-program data, participants continued to apply program educational components as they transitioned into their competition season for their respective sport. Keywords: mindfulness, collegiate student-athletes, mental health, yoga programming (20-47)

  • The Global Game: Recruiting International Athletes in American Collegiate Sports — E. Su Jara-Pazmino, Simon M. Pack — This qualitative study explores the strategies employed by National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I and II coaches for recruiting international athletes (IAs), drawing on semi-structured interviews with 10 coaches. Guided by Social Network Theory (SNT) and adopting a phenomenological approach, the study explores evolving trends in IA recruitment amidst technological advancements. Major findings emphasize the critical role of coaches’ personal networks, or Ego Networks, in identifying prospective recruits. While top Division I programs utilize a Scale-Free Network approach by investing significantly in early tracking and extensive scouting, they often become hubs with numerous connections. In contrast, lower Division I and Division II institutions employ more cost-effective methods, leveraging Star Networks where a central coach acts as a hub using personal connections and digital communication tools. The study also identifies several challenges in the recruitment of IAs, including managing athletes' mental health, navigating the effects of the transfer portal, and ensuring athletes' commitment to the program. Addressing these complexities requires a comprehensive understanding of the Complete Network of all participants, including support staff and athletes, within a collegiate sports program. Keywords: college athletics, international student-athletes, international recruiting, NCAA DI & DII, coaches’ network. (46-75)

  • Communicative Relationships among Advisors and Learning Specialists in Student-Athlete Support Services — Lauren L. Kirby, Patricia Amason — The current study explored how perceptions of academic success are socially constructed during interactions between athletic academic support professionals and academically at-risk college student-athletes. Increases continue in academic support services provided to student athletes, particularly those academically at-risk for failure, such as learning specialists, academic advisors, and the construction of academic support facilities and buildings dedicated to student athletes. Extant research shows a significant relationship between support services and more successful academic output for student-athletes, yet the communicative dynamics among these individuals lacks investigation. Founded on social construction theory, the current research used a grounded theory approach of one-on-one interviews with a group of academically at-risk student-athletes enrolled in formerly Division I, Power Five FBS institutions, their learning specialists, and their academic advisors to gain insights into their socially constructed views of success. Keywords: Socially constructed perceptions of success, at-risk student athletes, grounded theory, learning specialists, athletic academic advisors (76-120)

  • The Misalignment of Athletics and Career: Division II Student-Athletes — Lauren J. Johnson — Student-athletes busy schedules often prevent them from engaging in career development activities that can impact their career maturity and transition into the world of work, further making their experiences as students and athletes complex. Therefore, sustainable change is needed to increase student-athletes’ career maturity and aid their transition from athletics. This paper is part of a larger manuscript that reports findings from a study and serves as a platform to promote such a change within Division II institutions. Combining Bandura’s (1977) Self-Efficacy and Schlossberg’s (1984) Transition Theories, the researcher conceptually framed a study to examine the problem’s complexity. An action research methodology, focus groups, and Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE) self-assessment tool were utilized to measure student-athletes’ career maturity levels. (121-143)

  • NCAA Division II Athlete Perceptions of Academic Performance and Faculty Interactions during COVID-19 Pandemic — Eric G. Kramer, Sergio L. Molina, Regan Dodd — The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a disruptive event (COVID-19 pandemic), on academic pursuits of intercollegiate athletes and their relationships with faculty members. A modified version of the Academic Experiences of Student-Athlete Survey was used to collect data from 303 student athletes in the fall of 2019 and 305 student-athletes in the spring of 2021. Overall, women and men felt their academic performance had been impacted and most felt relationships were shaped more negatively than positively. More men tended to respond that the relationship with faculty was negatively influenced when compared to women. The findings, in concert with previous research, present both challenges and opportunities for critical stakeholders (e.g., coaches, athletic administrators, faculty). It is recommended that key stakeholders build a conceptual framework on comprehensive support systems for intercollegiate athletes to ensure they are best positioned to successfully navigate future disruptive events. Keywords: Student-Athletes, Academic Performance, Faculty Interactions, Perceptions, COVID-19 (144-172)

    • BOOK REVIEW

  • After the Game: Bridging the Gap
    from Winning Athlete to Thriving Entrepeneur
    Reviewed by Robert McDermand (173)

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