Analytical results

There are over 450,000 athletes competing at the collegiate level across 24 different sports in the United States (NCAA, 2012). Many children are coerced into sports as children, by their parents, to get involved and find a passion or hobby in life. But should parents be encouraging their children into a life full of sports or are the effects of sports too negative to keep pursuing? Many athletes aren’t allowed the opportunity to continue their athletic endeavors at the collegiate level, but as stated above today there are almost 500,000 student athletes in the NCAA that have continued to pursue their athletic careers in college. The term “jock” is a well-known stereotype of athletes in high school and college. The term “jock” has negatively been associated with the average athlete who seems solely concerned with athletics, but the name is living up to the academic ambitions of athletes today.

One previous study by Pascarella, Bohr, Nora, and Terenzini (1995) found that collegiate athletes are indeed suffering in the classroom and in cognitive knowledge compared to their peers. On the contrary, studies are recognizing the positives of athletic involvement, such as increased time management, satisfaction with school, and acknowledgement that the positives outcomes may outweigh the negative outcomes (Maloney & McCormick, 1993; Byrd & Ross, 1991; Pascarella, Truckenmiller & Terenzini, 1999). The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of the involvement in athletics at the collegiate level at South Dakota State University. Every athlete dreams of moving onto the professional level and getting paid to play the game that they love, but in reality a majority of the 450,000 NCAA student athletes will not continue onto the professional level. This is causing people to ponder if the sacrifice to the academic progress of athletes is worth the energy to continue playing sports for four more years in college. Many people argue that the academic performance of athletes is troubling considering that after sports they only have their education to fall back on and make a life out of that knowledge. In a study conducted by Pascarella et al. (1995), the results found compelling results about the cognitive developments of first year athletes.

The study was conducted to determine the effects of college athletics on reading comprehension, math and critical thinking skills. There were 2,416 first year students who took part in the National Study of Student Learning evaluation of the factors that affect learning and cognitive developments in college. They discovered that male athletes, in revenue sports such as football and basketball, suffered in reading comprehension and math. They found that this revenue sport athletes struggled compared to non- athletes, and male athletes in other sports tested the same as non-athletes in reading comprehension and math. On the contrary, female athletes lagged behind their peers in reading comprehension. Both male and female athletes fell behind non-student athletes in critical thinking skills such as open mindedness, Clemson University of 595 student athletes in determination of finding the effect of athletics on academic success. They found that academically, athletes do three-tenths of a grade point worse than regular students in three out of 10 classes. They also discovered athletes in revenue sports are lagging behind their peers. Athletes in football and basketball do one-tenth of a grade point worse than their fellow student athletes (Maloney & McCormick, 1993). Concerns for revenue sports are extreme with suggestions that these major sports do not allow time for their athletes to be students. Some people are even voicing their opinion that these athletes are employees of the athletic department (Feezell, 2001).

The concern over student athlete success has culminated into millions of dollars being spent at universities for academic support of their athletes along with new NCAA regulations over academic affairs, hours spent practicing, and days off. Burns, Jasinski, Dunn and Fletcher (2013) conducted a survey focused on determining the effects of academic support services on career decision-making skills for athletes. They conducted a study of 158 Division 1 student athletes from 11 different universities. All student athletes in this study were required to attend academic support programs at their universities during their freshman and sophomore years. All programs were based on the NCAA Challenging Athlete’s Minds for Personal Success (CHAMPS) program and contained an online vocational assessment, access to career counselors, and workshops on career planning, resume writing and internships.

The results were calculated by surveys that were distributed by coaches to the specific athletes. Satisfaction with academic support services was measured with the Reimer and Chelladurai’s Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire whereas the Betz, between people who believed academic support services were helpful with confidence in careered direction. These CHAMP programs make people feel more confident about their life skills, and certain of their career decisions through resume development and experience in that specific field through internships (Burns athletics and academics to create a situation that helps athletes succeed in both fields. But, many people are firm believers that the positives of athletic participation outweigh the negatives. Studies have shown that participation has a positive impact on learning and development (Bonfiglio, 2011). A study conducted by Byrd and Ross (1991) focused on the influence of athletic participation at the junior high level and showed that, even at a young age, athletics is motivating student athletes in the classroom. Their study was conducted in a rural county in Tennessee and Competing at the collegiate level results in substantial missed class time, but when they are not traveling, athletes are attending classes to ultimately stay eligible to continue playing the sport that they love. Athletic involvement promotes more efficient use of time and higher motivation to excel at different school endeavors (Byrd & Ross, 1991).

Time management skills are important for future jobs and endeavors. Competing at the NCAA level for four years and still managing to graduate prepares athletes with the skills to help them be successful in life. Although some athletes stumble academically, parents still continue to see athletics as a positive involvement for their children. Byrd and Ross (1991) conducted a second survey of the parents, principals, are: enhancing school identity, attracting community support, decreasing racial prejudice, promoting physical fitness and wholesome participation, and increasing revenue. Through sports involvement these athletes get to meet new people from differing backgrounds, become involved with their community, create a sense of pride for their school, and lead physically acceptable lifestyles (Byrd & Ross, 1991). Studies by Pascarella, Truckenmiller, Nora and Terenzini (1999) and Pascarella, Bohr, Nora, and Terenzini (1995) focus on what the positive impacts of athletics have on non- cognitive development. Using the national sample from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program to help with the study, Pascarella et al. (1999) found positive correlations with the their degree, receive good grades to stay eligible and meet graduation requirements.

These statistics shed light on the success of upper level college students, but what is the impact for first year college students on getting acquainted with the university? Pascarella’s 1995 study focused on the study of 23 two-year and four-year colleges in sixteen states around the country. This study was conducted to look at the positive outcomes for first year students from participation in collegiate athletics. The study found that participation in intercollegiate sports positively influenced gains in success during their first year of college their athletic capabilities. Burns et al. (2013) revealed that student-athletes who believed academic support systems were helpful and attended enroll their children in athletic programs. The results showed that parents believe that athletics enhances school identity, decreases racial prejudice, increases revenue, and promotes physical fitness and wholesome participation. Many of the negatives about collegiate athletic involvement center on academics, but Pascarella, Truckenmiller, Nora and Terenzini fire back by finding that athletes have great satisfaction with their college experience, motivation to complete their degree, bachelor’s degree completion, and persistence in college (Pascarella their lives.