Global Recruitment Fields: International College Athletes, Regulatory Bodies, and Opportunities to Play US Intercollegiate Athletics

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Not So Black and White: Centering and Supporting Marginalized College Athletes' Experiences in College Athletics (Table 3)

Abstract

International college athletes (ICAs) are a growing portion of U.S. higher education undergraduates. Those coming to the U.S. to play a sport and earn their degree face myriad regulatory agencies and restrictive policies that uniquely structure their path to higher education. Yet little is known about how ICAs persist through the extensive U.S. immigration laws, NCAA requirements, and institutional standards all of which create barriers to entry. Through qualitative interviews with successfully recruited former ICAs, we explore the policies, regulations, and norms that compose the global athletic recruitment field. Findings suggest that opportunities to play for U.S. teams remain unequal and may favor those from North America and Europe, with high economic capital and English proficiency.

Authors

• Simran Kaur Sethi, University of Kentucky

• Kirsten Hextrum, Oregon State University

• Kaitlin Pericak, University of Oklahoma