Do Student-Athletes’ Identity and Sense of Belonging Change Over Time?

• In Event: Research That Improves Education in the Context of Sport: “To Know Is Not Enough”

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine the nature of the student-athlete identity and how it impacts performance in the classroom across their first year of college. Also, student-athlete’s sense of university belonging will be assessed as this has been indicated to impact academic performance. Ninety-three first- year student-athletes from a private university located in the southwest United States were followed throughout their academic year beginning in fall of 2010. Statistical procedures were employed to examine relationships, predictors and the trajectory of their identities and sense of belonging. Results revealed that athletic identity and sense of belonging changed over time and that sense of belonging and social identity (component of athletic identity) were significant predictors of academic performance.

Authors

• Danielle D. Fearon, Baylor University

• Lucy Barnard-Brak, Texas Tech University

• Eric L. Robinson, Baylor University

• Tracey Nicole Sulak, Baylor University