Digital Commons Network^™

The Value Of Cosma Outcomes: Student Learning Outcomes, Transferable Skills And Taxonomy Levels, Coral Bender, Lindsey Maxwell

The COSMA Journal

Using a content analysis of all published Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) of Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) accredited programs, the current study analyzes SLOs to assess the most frequently used measurable verbs (utilizing a revised version of Blooms’ Taxonomy) and transferable skills (utilizing the definitions provided by AAC&U’s VALUE Outcomes and their corresponding rubrics) emphasized by accredited programs. An analysis of the most common Taxonomy Levels is presented at the aggregate level as well as a comparison between undergraduate and graduate education to provide a case study of SLO measurable verb alignment across accredited sport management programs. Further, content …

Sport Social Hub: Using The Power Of Collaboration To Develop Hands-On Social Media Competencies, Alisa Agozzino, Brendan O'Hallarn, Peyton Stensland, James Strode

The COSMA Journal

This paper introduces Sport Social Hub, a collaborative, multi-institutional social media exchange inspired by the Commission on Public Relations Education's (CPRE) emphasis on key knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) in public relations education. Sport Social Hub engaged students from four universities in topical, sports-themed assignments. These assignments involved creating memes, analyzing historical and contemporary sports photographs, profiling industry professionals with infographics, and developing engagement contests. The paper outlines how Sport Social Hub addresses CPRE's recommended KSAs within social media, collaboration, and creative thinking. Utilizing social media platforms as pedagogical tools, Sport Social Hub aimed to enhance students' social media competencies, …

A Survey Of High School Athletic Directors And Implications For Sport Management Programs, Jon Coles Phd, Sally Ross Phd, Dana Munk Phd, Brian Roberts Ma

Findings in Sport, Hospitality, Entertainment, and Event Management

Many undergraduate sport management students are interested in a career in interscholastic athletics; some students complete degree required internships in school settings, where they receive receiving mentoring from athletic directors (ADs) and assistant athletic directors. To best prepare sport management students for these jobs, it is necessary to obtain clarity about requisite job skills for interscholastic ADs. In addition, examining the academic training and career paths of current ADs can help sport management educators advise students who wish to work in interscholastic athletic administration. As a field with a diverse array of career options, it is imperative to know how …

A Linkedin Analysis: Job Placement For Students In Sport Management Program Of An Eastern Kentucky Public University, Jose Garcia, Steve S. Chen, Christy L. Trent

Findings in Sport, Hospitality, Entertainment, and Event Management

In addition to standardized tests and program assessments of academic programs, tracking college alums’ employment is also deemed an effective method for measuring student learning and success. In this case study, the authors examined 251 students’ LinkedIn profiles by using main keywords such as the name of the institution and sport management to gather information about current employment status, degree of program completion, and primary self-identified skills of observed individuals. The results indicated that about 72.3% of 347 graduates (n = 251) from 2007 to 2022 had a completed profile and job employment. However, only about 37% held a …

Exploring The Influence Of Company Sport Club Involvement On Employee Outcomes, Paul Yuseung Doh, Chanwook Do, Minjung Kim

Journal of Applied Sport Management

This study investigates the influence of company sport club involvement on employee outcomes, including cultural intelligence (CQ), organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and task performance. Drawing upon the theoretical frameworks of self-determination theory and spillover theory, the research examines how participation in company sport clubs enhances intrinsic motivation and promotes positive workplace attitudes and behaviors. Data were collected from 320 employees in Korea who were involved in various company sport clubs. Structural equation modeling analysis confirms significant positive relationships between company sport club involvement and CQ, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and task performance. The findings underscore the significance of integrating company …

Understanding The Big Picture Before Assigning Full Blame: The Lost Opportunity With The Oakland A’S, Mark S. Nagel

The COSMA Journal

Despite operating in Oakland, California since the 1960s, the A’s have received Major League Baseball (MLB) approval to permanently move operations to Las Vegas in 2028. Though most fans and media members have placed the blame for the move on A’s primary owner John Fisher, a detailed analysis indicates that at least some of the blame for the A’s leaving their long-time home should be attributed to MLB and the MLB Players’ Association as they failed to recognize opportunities for the A’s to remain in the Bay Area and for the entire baseball industry to increase their short and long-term …

Ua80/1 Memorandum Of Understanding, W Club, Athletics (Wku)

University Organizations

Memorandum of Understanding between the W Club and WKU Athletics regarding support offered by WKU Athletics to W Club.

Ua80/1 Agenda, W Club

University Organizations

Agenda of the August 2024 W Club Board of Directors meeting.

Enhancing Fan Engagement In Medium-Sized University Athletics: A Case Study Of The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga, Colin Thompson

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore how medium-sized universities, specifically the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), can mimic the successful fan engagement strategies of other universities to build a sustainable and engaged fan base. This study analyzes previous research into the factors that contribute to fan engagement, including the segmentation of attendees into fans or spectators, and compares financial records of selected peer institutions. Peer institutions were contacted in an effort to gain insights from their marketing departments. A randomized survey of the current student population was conducted to analyze what factors motivate athletic event attendance. The …

Exploring Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy In The Lived Experiences Of African-American Male Former Division I Basketball Players: A Phenomenological Study, James Jameel Pugh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the self-perceived career goal achievement capabilities of African-American former Division I basketball players through the lens of Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE) and its impact on their post-athletic career decisions. Through a phenomenological approach, this study aims to contribute a nuanced understanding of the experiences, behaviors, and perceptions of these athletes' post-collegiate sports career transitions. Embedded within the literature review framework, this study illuminates likely factors influencing CDMSE by examining Self-Efficacy, Athlete Identity, Identity Foreclosure, and Career Maturity. Additionally presented is an overview of the unique culture within revenue-generating collegiate sports and, specifically, previous research on the experiences …

Faculty Diversity, Accreditation, And Sport Management, B. Nalani Butler, Thomas Aicher, Ryan Turcott

The COSMA Journal

The lack of racial and gender diversity of faculty within sport management programs has been an area of concern for years. This is an exploratory longitudinal study that compared sport management faculty diversity over the course of five-years to investigate and understand how racial and gender diversity within Commission on Sport Management Accreditation (COSMA) accredited sport management programs has evolved over the years. A content analysis based on the Racial and Gender Report Card (RGRC) created by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) was used to determine faculty diversity amongst COSMA accredited sport management programs. Results indicated …

Ncaa Division I Collegiate Athletes’ Motivational Perspectives Pertaining To Their Academic And Athletic Roles, Jeongwon Choi, Allison B. Smith

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Research continues to point to collegiate athletes need to navigate their conflicting roles of academics and athletics simultaneously to be successful in their collegiate experience. Thus, in order to traverse these dual roles, collegiate athletes need to be both intrinsically and extrinsically motivated to balance both academic and athletic responsibilities. The purpose of this study is to explore and understand collegiate athletes’ perceptions of motivation through a qualitative design based on Self Determination Theory (SDT). Ten collegiate athletes who competed at the NCAA Division I level in a variety of sports were interviewed for this study. Three meaningful themes emerged …

An Examination Of Sport Retirement Through Concept Analysis Of Occupational Retirement, Andrea Cota Powell, Patti J. Berg, Andrew C. Pickett, Moses N. Ikiugu, Whitney Lucas Molitor

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Occupational retirement is a major life transition that involves extensive planning, preparation, and coping strategies. Concept analysis was completed to explore adaptation to occupational retirement as a way to further understand sport retirement. Thirty-nine occupational-related articles were included in the final analysis. The primary antecedent to occupational retirement is financial stability, followed by age and family life. Antecedents to sport retirement include graduation, exhaustion of NCAA eligibility, and possibly injury. The antecedents are unique to each type of retirement, but the consequences are similar. Retirees of both types often experience feeling of loss, grief, depression, and identity crisis while adjusting …

The Role Of Athlete Identity, Motivation, And Satisfaction On The Mental Well-Being Of Division I Collegiate Athletes, Ronnie D. Watson, Khirey B. Walker, Jean-Charles Lebeau, Robert Turick, Matthew Allen Moore, James Johnson

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Concerns about the mental well-being of collegiate athletes, given high reports of psychological issues, have prompted a survey-based study among NCAA Division I student-athletes. The research explores the influence of athlete identity, motivation, and satisfaction on mental well-being, and how it varies among different NCAA classifications (i.e., G5, FCS, DI-NO). Instruments used include the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale (AIMS), the Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire (ASQ), the Student-Athlete’s Motivation Towards Sports and Academics Questionnaire (SAMSAQ), and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS). The secondary aim investigates differences in these factors across Division I competition levels (i.e., G5, FCS, DI-NO). This study provides …

“The Game Was Ruined For Me There:” Examining The Mental Health Byproducts Of The Transfer Portal And Nil On Student-Athletes, Ethan Madden, Brendan O'Hallarn

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Two rule changes have brought seismic changes to collegiate sports in the United States—the right for college athletes to monetize their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), and the Transfer Portal for athletes looking to switch schools. Qualitative interviews with 16 college athletes, explored the mental health byproducts of these new athlete opportunities. The interviews suggest that many athletes are hesitant to participate in NIL due to a lack of guidance. The study also found that college athletes believe entering the Transfer Portal to be a highly stressful experience, comparing the process to being recruited out of high school. However, the …

The Moderating Effect Of Leadership Style On The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Organizational Justice And The Performance Appraisal Satisfaction Of Sport Employees, Jeffrey S. White

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation is an examination of how leadership style influences the relationship between sport employee perceptions of organizational justice and their satisfaction with performance appraisals. Sport employees are integral to the sport ecosystem, contributing to the physical, mental, and professional development of athletes, the operational success.

Focusing on these crucial constructs, the purpose of this study is to examine the moderating effect of leadership style on the relationship between organizational justice and performance appraisal satisfaction among sport employees. This quantitative empirical research utilizes PLS-SEM and multiple regression analysis with an aim to confirm the relationship between organizational justice and PAS …

Hard Or Soft: An Exploration Of What Skills A Sport Management Student Is Lacking, Ashley Ryder, Jillian Mcniff Villemaire, Taylor Behl

The COSMA Journal

An important measure of success of sport management programs in higher education is how prepared students are for their professional careers. Programs often include various experiential learning opportunities such as internships in their curriculum to improve student employability. However, there is still concern that students may not be prepared for success in their internships and in the field. The purpose of this study was to identify which skills sport management student interns needed the most improvement, according to their intern supervisor. Using a single institution, this study analyzed intern supervisor’s questionnaire responses from 2017-2022 at a small, private college in …

How Passion Functions In Sport Applicant Attraction: A Biometric Approach, Jiayao Qi

Theses and Dissertations

Passion has been extensively researched from the perspective of athletes, entrepreneurs, and employees. In this dissertation, the researcher conducted an in-depth investigation of the way passion functions in sport job attraction. The two-stage experimental design combines the pioneer biometric methodology with qualitative inquiry, and 25 job seekers selected from a larger sample participated in the biometric lab. Results indicate that the interplay between cognitive and affective appraisals is critical in explaining sport job seekers’ highly individualistic and discriminative attraction toward work opportunities in sport. In particular, sports job seekers foster work passion through their multiple identifications with sport (playing history, …

Faith, Trust, And Pixie Dust: Understanding The Visions And Responsibilities Of The Varsity Esports Program Director, William Alan Fisackerly

Theses and Dissertations

The budding esports scene has drawn attention from higher education institutions in North America, who are growing community, competitive, and pedagogical esports initiatives. Varsity Esports Programs (VEPs) have proliferated since Robert Morris launched the first varsity program in 2014, with over 12,800 players from 650 institutions competing in the Spring 2023 National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) Starleague season alone (Butler University Set To Host NACE Starleague’s Spring 2023 Grand Finals, 2023). Despite this growth, little is known about the Varsity Esports Program (VEP), specifically from the perspective of the directors that oversee their operations. Previous work exploring the creation …

How Organizational Structure And Power Dynamics Impact Decision Making—An Empirical Investigation Of General Manager Turnover In The National Basketball Association, Xiaoan Huang

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the factors affecting GM dismissals in the NBA. Although there is limited consideration of executives in sport, scholars argue that GMs play a critical role within professional sport organizations, as they are generally involved in both business and on-field operations of the team. While there is some understanding of the impact that GMs have on organizational performance in sports, there is a lack of consideration of the tenure of executives and the factors that lead to turnover in these positions. As such, there is a critical need for further examination of GMs in sport. Following power theory …

Ua80/1 Agenda, W Club

University Organizations

Agenda of the June 2024 W Club Board of Directors meeting.

Knock And The Door Shall Be Opened Unto You, Using Strength And Conditioning As A Tool To Open Doors For Ministry, Tim Dornemann

CSKLS Annual Conference

This professional presentation will discuss how the power of meeting a need can open doors for ministry. Christian Sports Performance Ministry utilizes strength and conditioning to encourage, equip, and enable athletes, coaches, and educators to create relationships through which the Gospel can be shared. In areas of the world where current conditioning methods are not commonplace, education on how to enhance physical performance can be very attractive.

In conjunction with Athletes in Action Philippines, Christian Sports Performance has successfully been using strength and conditioning to open doors for ministry since 2011. Initially, a skill-based training system was developed and used …

Ncaa Division Iii Student-Athletes’ Perceptions Of Faith Informed Coaching, Sean M. Strehlow, Nadia Huggard, Ethan Kiggins, Caleb Narber

CSKLS Annual Conference

Over the past several decades, increased scholarly attention has been placed on the role of faith in coaching pedagogy within Christian contexts. However, research on faith and coaching has yet to include student-athletes’ perceptions of their own coach’s ability to integrate their faith. Without the student-athlete perspective on faith and coaching, questions remain about the efficacy of faith informed coaching practices and whether those practices are experienced as intended by athletes. This presentation offers some preliminary findings from a case study conducted on one athletic program at a small, Christian liberal arts institution. These findings include qualitative data from coaches …

Mukha Bhastrika On Reaction Time In Male High School Athletes: A Pilot Study, Malachi D. Ruiz, Matthew D. Ruiz

CSKLS Annual Conference

This pilot study investigates the potential impact of yoga (Mukha Bhastrika) practice on reaction time in male high school athletes. While existing literature emphasizes the importance of reaction time in contact sports and the potential of calming exercises like yoga to reduce it, there remains a gap in the literature focusing on male high school athletes in contact sports. This pilot study utilized a randomized controlled trial with ten male high school athletes. The participants were divided into two groups: one practicing Mukha Bhastrika and the other serving as a control group which simply rested between reaction time tests. Reaction …

Immersive Training: Elevating Athlete Performance And Cognitive Focus With Vr And Eeg Integration, Calvin Lopez, Jordan Schools

CSKLS Annual Conference

The pursuit of optimal athletic performance and mental focus has long been a central focus in sports science research. In recent years, the integration of virtual reality (VR) technology has emerged as a promising avenue for enhancing athlete development. This abstract presents findings from a case study investigating the efficacy of using Meta Quest 2 VR headsets coupled with EEG headbands to track and improve focus and mental preparedness levels in athletes. The study employed a case study methodology, focusing on the use of VR technology to enhance athlete performance and mental focus. Specifically, the research aimed to assess the …

Cultivating Gratitude In Christian Sport Professionals, Julie Powell

CSKLS Annual Conference

Using the framework of the eight dimensions of wellness and the five habits of a flourishing life, this presentation will focus on how to cultivate the virtue of gratitude and thanksgiving in order to combat the undesirable vice of entitlement. This presentation will outline what gratitude is, how we express it, and how to embody it as a part of our character. Cultivating a grateful disposition can be the result of practicing spiritual disciplines and the session will brainstorm ideas of how this might look in our current profession and in our personal lives.

Tough Conversations In The Classroom, Dale Connally, David Waddell

CSKLS Annual Conference

There are quite a few topics of discussion that can be difficult within the curricula for Recreation and Leisure, Health Professions, Sport and other disciplines within CSKLS. These might include environmental stewardship, immigration, political funding for programs, LGTBQ matters, racial discrimination, and DEI. We will explore some approaches gleaned from secular pedagogy sources. We will present useful techniques for planning discussions, facilitating, and following up after discussion. We will discuss differences between teaching at a public institution and a faith-based institution. The presenters will give a couple of examples from their classes for discussion. Attendees will be encouraged to engage …

They've Got Game

DePaul Magazine

DePaul alumni occupy positions across the sports industry. Specialized business and communication programs aim to increase those stats.

2024 Sport Science Forum Abstracts

Findings in Sport, Hospitality, Entertainment, and Event Management

These are abstracts from the 2024 Sport Science Forum, hosted by Dr. Rick Grieve and Western Kentucky University. The Forum was held April 5th snd 6th.

Fan Networks In Women’S Sport: An Egocentric Analysis Of Social Fans And Isofans, Matthew Katz, Nicole E. Melton, Risa F. Isard, Nola Agha

Sport Management

Guided by network theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore the consumption networks of Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) fans. Through an egocentric network analysis, the authors utilize hierarchical linear modeling to examine the strength of consumption ties among WNBA fans during the 2019 season. Initial results revealed an unexpected finding – the presence of participants who reported having no fan-to-fan ties, whom we term IsoFans. A second sample of men’s basketball fans was then collected to serve as a comparative confirmation of the unexpected result, whereby IsoFans occurred in the men’s sport sample at a much lower …