Before, During, and After Eligibility: A Narrative and Descriptive Exploratory Study of Selected Viewpoints of Former Student-Athletes and Current or Former Professional Athletes
Abstract
This mixed methods study was an exploratory investigation of the world of athletics. The journey towards greatness, excellence, or personal success is often accompanied by countless triumphs and tribulations. Athletes, driven by their relentless pursuit of success, often become fixated on the ultimate goal, involuntarily overlooking the crucial steps and processes that may contribute to the showcasing and manifestation of their unique talents. A web-based survey was deployed to analyze the experiences of former, current, and professional athletes. Participants (N=57) were included in the study, forming a diverse cohort of individuals who had traversed varying stages of their athletic careers.This study incorporated a narrative design and recorded interviews with former student-athletes and current or aspiring professional athletes. The data collection procedures aimed to illuminate the complex relationships that exist within the trajectories of student-athletes and current or future professional athletes, ranging from before, during, and after eligibility. Upon conducting data analyses, the researcher discovered a remarkable junction of themes and perspectives across the different cohorts. The methodically coded responses shed light on the athletes’ viewpoint of their respective processes, emphasizing the presence of common elements such as Difficulty and Responsibility. Research limitations around this study include the difficulties of identifying participants who met the qualifications. The researcher used universities as a foundation for locating current athletes; however, locating former athletes was challenging. From the finding of this study, the limitations include the participation was not a representative sample size from across multiple sports. Additionally, future research studies could benefit from the representations of gender equity among current and former athletes at the collegiate and professional levels. Identifying how to speak with these potential participants may cause a challenge due to their fame or status.
Subject Area
Educational leadership|Sports Management|Educational administration
Recommended Citation
Baxter, Jarmel Terrique, "Before, During, and After Eligibility: A Narrative and Descriptive Exploratory Study of Selected Viewpoints of Former Student-Athletes and Current or Former Professional Athletes" (2023). ETD Collection for Fayetteville State University. AAI30813900.
https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/dissertations/AAI30813900