Recruitment of International College Athletes (ICAs) to the United States: A Bordieuan Examination of Pathways to Success

• In Event: Diversity, Identity, and Equity in College Athletics: Perspectives on Recruitment, Experience, and Labor

Abstract

International college athletes (ICAs) recruitment pathways to success remain understudied. We use Bourdieu’s capital exchange theory to examine ways in which ICAs acquire and deploy forms of capital to navigate the American recruitment process. Bourdieu posits that individuals accumulate different forms of capital, including economic, social, and cultural capital, which they can use to gain access to resources and opportunities. In the context of athletic recruitment, ICAs may need to acquire different forms of capital than their domestic counterparts. Thus, we use a qualitative research design to explore how ICAs navigate the recruitment process. Findings from this study provide valuable insights into recruitment experiences of ICAs and factors that influence their success in the US recruitment process.

Authors

• Simran Kaur Sethi, University of Kentucky

• Kirsten Hextrum, Oregon State University