Balancing Sports and Academics: The Impact of Student-Athlete Performance

Athletes Research Paper Student’s Name: Institution: Table of Contents Introduction3 Background of the Study3 Statement of the Problem4 Purpose of the Study4 Literature Review Methodology5 Findings from Review of Literature6 Factors Promoting the Academic Performance of Student-Athletes6 Athletic Performance and Academic Motivation6 Access to Tutoring Programs7 Athletics Facilitate Disciplined Allocation of Time to Studies.9 Social and Emotional Satisfaction11 Greater academic Oversight from their Coaches11 Support Programs Offered to Student-Athletes12 Higher Grades and Low Drop-Out Rates in High School14 Programs Targeting High School Student Athletes15 The Role Parental and Romantic Relationships16 Limitations that Athlete Students Encounter18 Lower Average Performance Measures18 College Responsibilities20 Prospects of an Athletic Career22 Managing Emotional Toll of Athletics23 Setting Priorities25 Summary of Findings and Conclusion26 Summary of Findings26 Conclusion27 References28 Athletes Research Paper Introduction Background of the Study The 21st century education has focused on the holistic provision development of students rather than limiting programs to cognitive skills. Sports have become a central part of the services provided learning institutions to their students. In particular, organized sports have had an increase in the level of participation and the proportion of students participating in practice and competitions. Learning institutions have increased the allocation of resources to their athletic departments to cater for staffing, resources, and the services offered to the student-athletes. Additionally, the past two decades have experienced in an increase in the interest in research on how participation in sports affect the students’ academic performance (Brecht & Burnett, 2019). On the one hand, the proponents of increasing the participation of students in sports have cited the role this has on the holistic development of students’ skills. However, opponents have claimed that the time spent by student-athletes in practice and competitions should be directed to activities related to academics including classroom activities and assignments. Determining the impact of the students’ involvement in sports could have positive contributions to the development of effective athletic programs in learning institutions. The primary goal of learning institutions is to prepare students for their future careers. The skills gained inside and outside the classroom add up to the ability of students to be responsible adults and contribute to the welfare of their community. Education contributes to the skills that prepare learners for their careers and ensuring their academic success is the most fundamental role of any learning institution. The risk of sports having negative effects on education is a critical issue for administrators and educators in learning institutions. On the other hand, the benefits of participation in athletics are diverse and include physical and mental welfare. In spite of these advantages, however, the overall impact of education on academic success is critical as it would determine policies necessary to facilitate the academic performance of student athletes. Statement of the Problem The effect of participation in athletics on students is not clear as positive and negative effects have been identified in research. While student-athletes have the potential to access professional careers from their skills in the field, it is critical to determine how their involvement in sports affects their grades. With the disputed impact on the overall benefits and disadvantages of sports on participants, there are no conclusive findings on the relationship between these services as provided by learning institutions. The goal of the current literature review is to determine the effect of participation in sports on student-athletes’ academic performance. Purpose of the Study The purpose of the current study is to determine the implications of participation in organized sports on academic performance. Studies have identified positive and negative effects of involvement in athletics on education. The study will compare the academic performance of student-athletes and non-athletes to inform policies on athletics departments. Through the current review of literature, stakeholders including students, educators, coaches, and parents will make informed decisions on the impact that sports have on education. The findings of the literature review will identify the programs that could help students navigate barriers to improving their grades while participating in athletics. Literature Review Methodology The aim of the current review of literature was to compare the academic performance of student-athletes and non-athletes. Research articles obtained from Google Scholar were used to compile the literature on how the two groups of students performed academically. Current sources were used for the purpose of this literature review research dated from 2010-2022 to ensure that the information was updated. Additionally, the literature review was conducted from sources published on recognized journals including; Educational Foundations, NACADA Journal, Journal of athletic training, and the Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics. Search libraries included JSTOR, Academic Journals, and ProQuest. The key words used for the literature review search were; student-athlete, non-athlete, academic performance, GPA, and collegiate athletics. The literature review findings were organized based on the topics and chronologically withing each area. The first section shows the positive factors associated with participation in collegiate athletics while the second section lists the limitations of organized sports in college. Within each section are subsections each addressing a particular issue in literature showing the results chronologically by the dates of the sources’ publication. Findings from Review of Literature Factors Promoting the Academic Performance of Student-Athletes Athletic Performance and Academic Motivation In addition to grades, athletic performance is a key factor of consideration for entry in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) colleges. Fortes, Rodrigues, & Tchantchane (2010) investigated the role of athletic involvement as a motivating factor for academic performance and found the variables had a positive correlation. Students who believed that their performance in sports would increase their chances of admission in college were motivated to gain higher grades. However, the findings demonstrated that students were also likely to focus on their future athletic careers as opposed to having a career related to their academic performance. The findings of the study demonstrate that the performance of students in colleges would be improved by knowledge of the possibility of a career in professional athletic competitions. Increasing athletic motivation among high school and college students would contribute to a rise in their focus on academics. According to the findings, the advisors and counselors of student-athletes play a vital role in motivating the participants of sports in colleges to improve their grades. Contrary to traditional assumptions, scholarship student-athletes perform as well as their non-scholarship counterparts. According to Milton, Freeman, & Williamson (2012), stereotypic assumptions have led to doubts on the value that scholarships have to colleges and universities. The cost of scholarships offered to student-athletes has included the assumption-based view that the students will have lower grades than their non-scholarship counterparts. According to Milton et al. (2012), the contrary is true as student-athletes on scholarships had higher average GPAs than their non-scholarship counterparts. The findings demonstrated that both male and female scholarship students performed significantly higher than their non-scholarship counterparts. Consequently, the performance of students in athletics led to scholarships and higher GPAs for the participants in the study. Increasing the value of funding for athletics scholarships is critical in facilitating the access to higher education among talented students. Since the students on such scholarships performed better than other student-athletes academically, there is justification for more resources for the athletic departments of NCAA colleges. Access to Tutoring Programs The academic engagement of student-athletes improves performance when facilitated by educators, parents, and school administrators. Harris et al. (2014) conducted interviews on two successful black student-athletes to determine the success factors leading to their academic performance. The findings of their research demonstrated a positive relationship between the cultural empowerment of student athletes and their classroom performance. Student athletes performed better in the classroom when they were aware of the limitations and challenges associated with their admission and retention in school. In particular, the concept of race and inequality in athletics and academics led to positive study behavior among minority student athletes. Participation in organized sports in education increased the access to resources that promoted the academic success of the students. Harris et al. (2014) observed that student-athletes were likely to focus on their studies when a team approach inclusive of all stakeholders worked towards this goal. The support provided to student-athletes by their educators, parents, and coaches was critical in facilitating their cultural competence. Tutoring programs organized by coaches, parents, and educators allow students to work on their weakest areas and improve on their grades in high school or college. Both student-athletes and non-athletes can benefit from tutoring outside the classroom activities. However, it is more likely that a student-athlete enters into a program aimed at improving their grades than a student not participating in sports at school. The motivation for the students in organized sports to pass their examinations is greater than that of a non-athlete since they need to be in the team. Individuals who fail to meet the grades requirements, particularly in elite schools, may be kicked out of their teams (Erickson et al., 2019). Therefore, they have to work harder since the repercussions of failure in the classroom are greater than those of non-athletes. Students and coaches organize programs that help the students work on their weakest academic areas with the intention of meeting the minimum grade require