Our research with student-athletes has provided revealing insights for athletics directors and their staffs. Many athletics administrators believe they have the pulse of their student-athletes and many may have a good relationship with them. However, we’ve found that some areas are often missed because these are not typically a part of conversations between student-athletes and administrators or a part of any annual assessment instrument.
Themes typically emerge with on all campuses related to the following:
- Integration into campus life, the student body and how they are perceived and received;
- Time management;
- Communication with athletics administration, or lack thereof;
- Identity as a student and an athlete.
Integration into Campus
- STIGMA. Many student-athletes feel a stigma attached to athletics, especially at highly academic institutions. They feel this in the form of prejudice from other students and even faculty. The most common feedback is that others on campus think that they are not capable of performing academically on par with other students. They also hear that other students think student-athletes are admitted under lower academic standards than other students.
- PRESSURE TO PARTICIPATE. Student-athletes are involved in the activities that interest them. Athletics and academics typically dominates their time, but most student-athletes do not feel they are missing out on campus activities. However, on many campuses student-athletes are viewed as anti-social or not engaged in campus life activities. It’s simply because they don’t have enough time.
- MISUNDERSTOOD. Student-athletes feel that most people on campus (faculty, staff and other students) have no idea the time commitment required for athletics. They almost feel there is a lack of respect for what student-athletes do: all the same academic requirements while committing substantial time to athletics.
Time
- LITTLE TIME TO SPARE. Class and studying take up the most time for student-athletes. Athletics activities are next in line. This leaves little time for anything else, except sleep.
- TIME MANAGEMENT EXPERTS. Their rigid and busy schedules force student-athletes to become exceptional managers of their time. In fact, many say that during their off season they get a bit too lazy.
- THEIR PASSION IS THE PRIORITY. If somehow two more hours could be created in each day, the priorities for using the extra time are sleep and working out. Few student-athletes feel they are missing out on essential campus life opportunities. They want to perform at the highest levels athletically and academically.
Communication
- DECISION-MAKING PROCESS. Most student-athletes do not understand how decisions are made within the athletics department. In fact, many have conflicting opinions on priorities and prejudices based on their own interpretations.
- INDIVIDUAL INTERPRETATION. With little or no communication, student-athletes make judgements about how athletics administrators feel about their sport and its importance in the overall department plan. Then, they often will discuss things with their teammates which can lead to more misinformation and misinterpretation.
- INEFFECTIVE SAAC. Most student-athletes do not understand the role of SAAC and feel that SAAC does not communicate any meaningful information.
- THEY WANT TO FEEL VALUED. The simple act of engaging student-athletes in a discussion, focus group or survey about their experiences validates their existence and acknowledges their importance to the athletics department. Student-athletes want to be heard and more importantly want to feel understood.
Identity as Students and Athletes
- PRIDE. Student-athletes are tremendously proud of being athletes, but they typically take pride in their academic performance as well.
- BIAS AND PREJUDICE. At many highly selective institutions, student-athletes feel faculty and other students make assumptions about their academic ability and admissions credentials.
- MISGUIDED PASSION. Student-athletes feel that others on campus (students, faculty) discount their passion for athletics as a waste of time, or at least something that occupies too much of student-athletes’ valuable time. Student-athletes feel others do not understand how important athletics is to their overall educational experience.
Each campus is different and there are varying significance of these themes. However, most campuses do not engage in any kind of activity to help understand their student-athlete experiences. Involving your student-athletes in the assessment of their own experiences will open a few eyes, provide valuable information and give you a different perspective on how your department operates.
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