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ERIC Number: ED238841
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1983-Oct
Pages: 21
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Transition into College Sports: The Freshman Student-Athlete.
Purdy, Dean; And Others
Changes in attitude, motivation, and values take place in the academic, athletic, and social areas of student-athletes' lives during their freshman year of college. Twenty incoming college freshman athletes involved in "revenue" sports (football, basketball, and ice hockey) participated in this study and were interviewed in the fall and again in the spring. Between interviews an increase was noted in the number of athletes who considered their roles as students as being of foremost importance, and a heightened awareness among the student-athletes of the possibility of personal injury. In the spring interview, there was evidence that the student-athletes had a more realistic assessment of individual academic ability and chances of getting a degree, as well as chances of a professional career in sport. In the fall, 70 percent of the incoming student-athletes felt they needed tutoring in math and English. This need was largely alleviated in the course of the year, and by spring they relied less on the coaching staff for academic advice and guidance. There was an increased perception among the student athletes that the overriding concern of the institution and coaches was the success of the "team" rather than the individual athlete. While this perception did not alienate the students, they tended to question their role in the university. (JD)
Publication Type: Speeches/Meeting Papers; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: Paper presented at a Meeting of the North American Society of Sport Sociology (St. Louis, MO, October 27-30, 1983).