Jesselyn Mortejo
580 California St., Suite 400
San Francisco, CA, 94104
Key takeaways
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- The study identifies seven key needs for student athletes: self-development, time management, financial management, relationships, team building, physical needs, and studies.
- Two hundred student athletes, along with trainers and coaches, participated in the needs assessment to inform support program development.
- Self-development and studies ranked highest among athletes' perceived needs, emphasizing the importance of academic performance alongside sports.
- The proposed support program is based on the ASCA national model and focuses on holistic development for student athletes.
- The study highlights the necessity of personalized interventions, such as counseling and life skills training, to address unique student athlete challenges.
FAQs
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What are the key needs identified for student athletes in the study?
The study identifies self-development, time management, financial management, and physical needs as extremely important for student athletes’ holistic development. This was assessed through a needs inventory among 200 student athletes, trainers, coaches, and sports administrators.
How was the needs assessment conducted in this study?
A descriptive research design was utilized, employing quantitative measures such as frequency count, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The Student Athlete Needs Inventory, featuring 50 items on a Likert scale, gathered perceptions systematically, achieving a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.958.
What variations were observed between student athletes and coaches regarding perceived needs?
Both groups rated academic needs as highest; however, student athletes prioritized physical needs while coaches focused on communication and relationship skills among athletes. Notably, team building and emotional support were also recognized as crucial across all respondents.
What implications do the findings have for designing support programs for athletes?
The findings suggest a need for support programs incorporating counseling interventions tailored to address identified priorities like studies and time management. A collaborative effort involving counselors and trainers is deemed essential for effective program implementation.
How do student athletes view their academic responsibilities according to the study?
Student athletes expressed that studies are extremely important, often prioritizing academic success alongside athletic performance. Despite challenges such as time constraints, athletes emphasized the necessity of maintaining good academic standing for participation in sports.