The Relationship between Academic Success and Neighborhood Recreational Sports Use

Abstract

In an effort to improve student living and learning experiences, Michigan State University (MSU) has developed neighborhoods within on-campus residential housing. Neighborhoods provide students with localized health, wellness, and academic resources. MSU Recreational Sports and Fitness Services provide free group fitness classes within each neighborhood. Research indicates campus wide recreational sports participation is positively associated with academic success. However, this relationship has not been assessed among students participating in neighborhood specific recreational sports. PURPOSE: To determine the differences in semester grade point average (GPA) and semester credits completed between neighborhood specific recreational sports group fitness users and non-users. METHODS: Subjects included all neighborhood specific group fitness users enrolled at MSU in the Spring 2014 semester (n=388, 97% female, 84% Caucasian, 26% Pell grant eligible) and a randomly chosen group of non-users (n=383, 67% female, 77% Caucasian, 25% Pell grant eligible). Means±SD were calculated for all variables of interest. Univariate Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) was used to assess differences in GPA and semester credits completed between group fitness users and non-users, controlling for high school GPA (4.0 scale), race (Caucasian/Non-Caucasian), socioeconomic status (Pell grant eligible/not eligible), and gender (male/female). RESULTS: Overall mean±SD semester GPA was 3.12±0.87 and completed credits was 13.29±3.14. GPA was higher in users (3.26±0.68) than non-users (2.98±1.00) and users completed more credits than non-users, 13.83±2.39 and 12.73±3.67, respectively. After controlling for high school GPA, race, socioeconomic status, and gender, no statistical differences were found between users an non-users in semester GPA (F(1,754)=0.53, p=0.465) or credits completed (F(1,754)=1.67, p=0.20). CONCLUSIONS: Participation in neighborhood specific group fitness is not related to semester GPA or semester credits completed. Future research should further investigate the relationship by assessing group fitness use as a continuous variable. In addition, the role of confounders used in our analyses should be explored further.