Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

A Study Of Mental Health Conditions Among Elite Level Athletes, Sawyer Magnett

Senior Honors Theses

This paper examines the effects of stigmatization on elite level athletes’ mental health and overall wellbeing. Within this study, elite level athletes will be defined as those that participate in collegiate programs and the levels beyond that. Stigma is generally defined as negative beliefs towards a particular group of people or a state of being. When stigma is prevalent within athletic settings, many athletes tend to be silent about the struggles they face daily. Stigma is manifested either publicly or personally in the arena of elite level athletics due to preconceived notions within this demographic. Through close examination of current …

Examining The Difference In Engagement Between Men’S And Women’S Instagram Accounts Of The Same Sport, Austin Farr, Glauber Bernardes Oliveira

Liberty University Research Week

Graduate

Applied

The Effects Of Social Support On The Sport Motivation Of Ncaa Division Iii Athletes Through The Lens Of Self-Determination Theory: A Correlational Study, Stephanie Dawn Roby

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental correlational survey study was to evaluate the relationship between sport motivation and the types of support received from coaches, parents, and peers for NCAA Division III athletes. NCAA Division III athletes (n= 74) who participated in baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, and men’s and women's soccer during the 2021-2022 school year completed a demographic survey, the Sport Motivation Scale-II (SMS-II), and the Athlete Received Support Questionnaire (ARSQ). Scores for the SMS-II and the ARSQ were calculated, and a multiple linear regression was used to analyze the data. Athlete’s scores for the SMS-II averaged …

Pay-To-Play: A Quantitative Analysis Of Opportunity, Achievement, And Parental Motivation In Youth Club Soccer, Alec Joseph Golini

Masters Theses

In the last twenty years, the youth sport experience in the United States has been shaped by a family’s ability to pay. Under the pay-to-play model in American youth sports, advancing to the highest levels of the game not only requires the standard expenditures, but significant investment which accounts for coaching, equipment, travel, training, and other resources. Previous research on the topic has analyzed the impact of income, educational attainment, and race and ethnicity on access to elite-level sports opportunities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pay-to-play model and factors associated with athletic outcomes at three youth …

Participation In Collision, Contact, And Noncontact Sports And Academic Outcomes At A United States Service Academy, Benjamin Thomas Showman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The present study seeks to determine whether significant differences exist in the academic outcomes, specifically grade point averages (GPA), between college students who participate in collision, contact, or noncontact sports. Additionally, this study seeks to understand whether sport contact levels are predictive of a student’s GPA when sport competition levels and demographic variables are also taken into account. Current research suggests links between sports participation, aggression, brain injuries, and academic outcomes. Along these lines, a significant amount of research has investigated relationships between student aggression and academic outcomes, between aggression and sport contact levels, and between sports participation and academic …

What's In A Name: Examining What Sports Team Names Communicate, Bridget Danielle Lewis

Masters Theses

For years, there have been controversy and discussion regarding high school, college, and professional sports team name changes. Professional sports teams have gained the most attention regarding team name changes or lack thereof. This study can bring an understanding of the message communicated through the chosen names and logos of sports teams as well as the effects of financial, political, and fan base changes on team name changes in the sports industry. Extensive research is provided to show the previous content on the topic as well as areas where further research would be beneficial. This includes previous and current sport …

Tight Trip Vs. Loose Grip On Russian Kettlebell Swing Work Capacity, Austin Deshner, Abigail Mccarty, Jerrell C. Campbell, Andrew Fields, Will W. Peveler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a tight grip(TG) and a loose grip(LG) on work capacity while performing Russian kettlebell swings(KBS). It was hypothesized that LG would result in an ability to perform more work. Thirty fit adults (16 male; 14 female) were tested. Two (TG and LG) separate counterbalanced trials for each subject were collected, counting the number of repetitions completed until volitional exhaustion. RPE for forearms and overall exhaustion were collected post-trial. SPSS was used to run a paired samples t-test. There was a significant difference between the two grips (p = 0.013)(TG …

A Predictive Correlation Study Examining Attrition Among Ncaa Diii Student-Athletes Based On Roster Gender, Sport-Type, And Sport-Attrition, Rebecca Jean Kayda

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, correlational study examined whether gender, sport-type, and sport attrition can predict university attrition of student-athletes from a small, private, NCAA DIII institution. Student-athletes attending DIII institutions are considered a vulnerable population and are largely under-studied. Participation in extra-curricular activities, such as belonging to an athletics team, has been linked to higher rates of social integration on campus and smoother transitions into college life overall. This participation has not been shown to decrease academic performance; however, university attrition of student-athletes remains a problem. This problem is especially relevant in smaller schools, where a small percentage of student attrition can …

Exploring The Essence Of Participation Of The Female Puerto Rican Basketball Athlete, Roberto Medina

Masters Theses

In Puerto Rico, little is known regarding how female collegiate and professional basketball players perceive and experience their playing participation. The population of girls playing basketball has experienced recent increases. However, the culture in Puerto Rico has yet to embrace the participation of female basketball athletes. Attempting to address the void in scholarly literature, this study explored female athlete participation perceptions in competitive basketball within the Puerto Rican sport culture. The investigation implemented a qualitative approach using a phenomenological methodology to form descriptive themes. Data was obtained from 14 female basketball athletes, of which 10 were student-athletes, and four were …

Fostering Whole Person Development Through High School Football: A Case Study, Joshua Daniel Cassidy

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to describe how Coach Clark (pseudonym) addressed the development of the whole person during adolescence through high school football at County High School (pseudonym). Whole person development (WPD) during adolescence was generally defined as human development that was meant to involve all the parts (i.e., cognitive, social, spiritual, emotional, and physical) of a person. This study answered the following central research question: How does Coach Clark address the development of the whole person during adolescence through high school football at County High School? The results of this study showed that Coach Clark addressed the …

Leading By Example: Coaches’ Perspectives Of The Nonverbal Leaders On Sport Teams, Alicia Finnigan

Senior Honors Theses

Within the last century, scholars in sociology and psychology have begun to research roles in society. In recent decades, industrial/organizational psychology research sparked an interest in informal roles, and now sport psychology is beginning to adopt that investigation of informal roles as they appear on sport teams. Current research is sparse, but some early work has determined several informal roles, and one of these has been individually investigated. The purpose of this study was to contribute to the expansion of knowledge concerning individual informal roles by investigating collegiate coaches’ perspectives of a second role: the nonverbal leader. Analysis revealed ideas …

The Issue Of Compensation: Should Ncaa Athletes Be Compensated Above Their Scholarships, Justen Cook

Senior Honors Theses

There is an issue of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) student-athletes being exploited by their respective universities and a need for change in the way the student-athletes are being compensated for their efforts. The history of the NCAA has established the landscape of the organization today. The ways in which NCAA student-athletes are exploited can be investigated through a review of the history of the NCAA, court cases involving compensation of student-athletes, including the legal aspects of compensating the athletes, and a plan to potentially alleviate the turmoil that has taken place within the NCAA.

The Effect Of Team Sports In Classical, Christian Education, Hannah Grey

Masters Theses

Antoine de Saint-Exupery once noted if you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea (“A quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupery,” n.d.). This quote embodies the goal of classical education, but it also parallels the values taught in sport. There has been a resurgence of classical education in recent years, and these new schools are focusing on instilling in students a love for learning, a passion for truth and beauty, and a simultaneous prudent understanding of and appreciation …

The Greatest Basketball Player Of All Time: Lebron Vs. Jordan, Austin Jacobson

Senior Honors Theses

LeBron James is one of the greatest athletes of this generation. I am seeking to determine what he needs to do to surpass Michael Jordan as the greatest of all time. Considering individual statistics, team success, and personal achievements as well as factors such as political and racial activism and involvement, media coverage (including social media), and generational difference, I am hoping to show what is left to accomplish for LeBron to reach and surpass Jordan.

Consumer Perception Of Sport Event Sponsors, Omar Olando Brown

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore sport consumer’s perceptions of sport event sponsors, specifically concerning the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. This quantitative research surveyed 119 participants, employing a 24-questions survey instrument composed of Likert type and demographic questions. The data was analyzed to answer three specific research questions. The analysis of the data indicated although respondents fully supported the Olympics and believed athletes are using the product they endorsed, they believed the products must be beneficial to athletes. The findings also indicated respondents felt it was necessary for companies to support the Olympics, however they did not find …

Human Performance Assessments In Cadet Populations, Donald P. Meckley, Kendall M. Warr, Jeremy Miller, Joshua Boyle, Jared H. Hornsby, James E. Schoffstall

Montview Journal of Research & Scholarship

This study assessed potential physiological differences between the Ranger Challenge (RC) Competition team and junior year cadets in an Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program. The method included: RC (m = 11, f = 2) and junior year cadets (m = 7, f = 3) were assessed in the following areas: 1) quickness and agility (5-10-5 shuttle run), 2) total-body power (standing broad jump), and 3) grip strength (hand grip dynamometry) assessed. The 5-10-5 shuttle run was performed twice (opening once to the left and once to the right). The standing broad jump required that cadets stand with their …

Muscular Christianity: A Comparison And Analysis Of The Historic And Modern Muscular Christian Movements, Chase H. Stevens

Senior Honors Theses

“Muscular Christianity” is a scholarly term that is used to define the general view of Christians in Europe and the United States that arose in the 1800s toward sport involvement. Muscular Christian beliefs have progressed throughout the past century and are still influential in the modern world. This thesis seeks to outline the historic progression of muscular Christian beliefs and practices and then explores similarities and differences of modern muscular Christian beliefs with its historic positions. It concludes with a future perspective on the globalization of muscular Christianity and provides suggestions for proper Christian attitudes toward sport.

Is The Nfl Responsible For Concussions Sustained By Players?, Lindsey Reid

Masters Theses

National Football League (NFL) players have sustained concussions while playing football (Casson & Viano, 2010). There is a growing controversy between NFL players, their immediate families, and the league regarding alleged claims that management should be held responsible for the physical deterioration of former players including compensatory damages for suffering. Family members of current and past NFL players claim league officials provided inadequate education regarding risks associated with playing professional football. Former players are experiencing health issues such as dementia, early Alzheimer's, chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), trouble concentrating and inability to work; in some cases these debilitating life-changing events have …

Major League Baseball's Antitrust Exemption And The Impact Of The Curt Flood Act, Gina Scalzo

Senior Honors Theses

For many years, professional baseball has enjoyed a privileged antitrust exemption apart from other professional sports. With the passing of the Curt Flood Act in 1998 this exemption was removed; however, the act may not be as influential as it seems. Court rulings were prominent in initiating and maintaining the antitrust exemption for professional baseball. These include the Supreme Court Trilogy, especially the case of Curt Flood, a baseball player who fought against the reserve clause system which limited his and other players’ employment options. Collective bargaining as well as arbitration became dominant in professional baseball labor relations under the …

An Exploration Of The Impact That Postmodernism Has On Competition In Sport, Shara Crow

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact that postmodernism has on competition in sport. Previous studies compartmentalized social thought and competition in sport. This study appreciates that the two are connected, and it is through this connectedness that the impact emerges. By describing, finding, and analyzing relationships through text as well as notating text iteratively, it was found through a postmodernist critical awareness to meta-narratives that sport is expressed in two main themes: (a) identity (b) and hierarchy/authority. Moreover, both of these themes are interrelated to social interaction. These findings indicate that social interpretation impacts the complex …

A Quantitative Analysis Of Collegiate Athletic Involvement And Academic Achievement Among Sport Management Students, Christopher Amos

Masters Theses

Within the last several decades, more attention has been focused on the academic success of college athletes. It has been documented from several studies that high school athletes perform better academically than their non-athlete peers (American Sports Institute, 1995; Brand, 2007; Dilley-Knoles, Burnett, & Peak, 2010; Foltz, 1992; Fox, Barr-Anderson, Neumark-Sztainer, & Wall, 2010; Slear, 2005). However, at the collegiate level, this heightened academic achievement trend among student-athletes is not so clear. Lapchick often releases data regarding graduation rates among a select group of highly achieving teams in certain sports but not much exists in the way of a comparison …

Retired National Football League Players' Perceptions Of Financial Decisions Made: A Phenomenological Study, John Karaffa

Faculty Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research study was to examine the lived experiences and perceptions of 25 former National Football League (“NFL”) players regarding the financial decisions they made when active as players for information that could lead to an appropriate model for making good financial decisions. Determined in the qualitative phenomenological study were the influential factors identified by the participants in the study that focused on financial decisions made by former NFL players. The study revealed five themes: (1) wealth enablers, (2) wealth killers, (3) challenges, (4) attitudes, and (5) wealth weak spots. The results of the study …

Tax Planning For Incoming Professional Team Athletes, John Karaffa

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.