Predicting Positive Career Planning Attitudes Among NCAA Division I College Student-Athletes

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between athletic identity, race, gender, sport, and expectation to play professionally and career planning attitudes (career optimism, career adaptability, and career knowledge) among NCAA Division I college student-athletes. Participants of this study consisted of 538 Division I student-athletes from four Bowl Championship Series institutions. Results of this study found that Division I student-athletes with higher athletic identities had lower levels of career optimism; Division I student-athletes who participated in revenue-producing sports had lower levels of career optimism; and student-athletes with a higher expectation to play professional sports were more likely to be optimistic regarding their future career and displayed higher athletic identities. Statistically significant findings indicated the following gender differences: male Division I student-athletes believed they had a better understanding of the job market and employment trends; males had more career optimism; and females had higher levels of athletic identity than their male counterparts. Implications for counseling student-athletes are addressed.

Career maturity and college students : a case study comparison of student-athletes and non-athletes at a Division I institution

“…More recent findings are consistent with this earlier finding, suggesting that excluding practices and games, college student-athletes spend in the range of 20 to 30 hours weekly in their given sports (Tyrance, 2010). These findings are further validated, showing that college student-athletes spend up to four hours daily in meetings and practices, while still trying to make satisfactory progress towards meeting their academic requirements (Cox et al, 2009).…”

“…Thus, less than two percent of college studentathletes will be drafted to play a professional sport (NCAA, 2017b). Additionally, being drafted by a professional sports franchise does not guarantee that a college student-athlete will make a team's roster (Tyrance, Harris, & Post, 2013). With such high odds against them successfully transitioning into careers as professional athletes, it is imperative for college student-athletes to develop greater levels of career decision-making aptitude in preparing for life after sports.…”

“…The combination of college student-athletes neglecting to engage themselves in the process of preparing for life after sports and institutions' failure to engage college studentathletes in the career development process is serious cause for alarm. This is especially the case given the fact that few college student-athletes will actually transition into professional sports careers upon the culmination of their college careers (Educators Reference Complete, 2005;Kennedy & Dimick, 1987;Mirabile & Witte, 2013;NCAA, 2014b;Tyrance et al, 2013).…”

“…A primary reason for college student-athletes' lack of engagement is the high level of demand placed on them in their given sports, which significantly limits the time they have available to take advantage of career development services and programs (Ogilvie & Howe, 1982 ;"Springfield College Psychology Professors," 2015). In fact, a majority of college student-athletes report spending an inordinate amount of time participating in their respective sports when compared to the time they have available to dedicate to academics and other endeavors (Brower, 2015;Brown, Glastetter-Fender, & Sheldon, 2000;Cox, Sadberry, McGuire, & McBride, 2009;Jolly, 2008;Martens & Lee, 1998;NCAA, 2016;Simiyu, 2010;Tyrance et al, 2013;Wilson & Pritchard, 2005). Thus, the time college student-athletes spend in their sports isolates them from the hub of campus life, which stifles their ability to meet many of their developmental needs outside of athletics.…”

“…Given the low probability of a college student-athlete being drafted to play professional sports (Brower, 2015;Educators Reference Complete, 2005;Kennedy & Dimick, 1987;Mirabile & Witte, 2013;Tyrance et al, 2013), what happens to those who fail to realize their dreams of playing professionally? Perhaps what can be referred to as potentially the National Collegiate Athletic Association's most popular and powerful advertising campaign sums up the response to this question: most of them will pursue careers in something other than sports (NCAA, 2014b).…”