International Student-athletes Research Articles

Leaders beyond sport: an exploratory comparative analysis of international and domestic college athletes’ leadership competencies

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore the leadership competencies of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) college athletes and assess the potential differences between domestic and international college athletes.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative, non-experimental research design was employed, including the use of an electronic survey to collect data. Survey research allows for extensive data management and a quick data collection method (Creswell & Creswell, 2018). The survey was conducted using online Qualtrics software, which allowed convenience in administration, maintenance, nationwide distribution and data export and analysis.FindingsThe findings of this study suggest that domestic college athletes develop greater leadership competencies than their international peers.Practical implicationsThe study implications include both practical and academic contributions. The research in the area of leadership development in college athletes has been growing. Previous research has focused on the benefits of the leadership development (Lewis, 2023); however, minimal research has been dedicated to exploring actual leadership constructs within the college athlete population. Moreover, this study focused on the differences between domestic and international college athletes’ leadership constructs. International college athletes go through additional challenges while balancing the academic part of being college athletes (Ridpath, Rudd, & Stokowski, 2020).Originality/valueMinimal research has been dedicated to exploring actual leadership constructs within the student-athlete population. This study is the first study that explored leadership constructs from the quantitative lens and focusing on both domestic and international student-athletes. The literature on international student-athletes mainly focuses on the motivation arriving to the United States of America (Love & Kim, 2011) and their transitional experiences (Popp, Pierce, & Hums, 2011; Jolly, Stokowski, Paule-Koba, Arthur-Banning, & Fridley, 2022). However, limited literature focuses on the preparation of international student-athlete for life beyond their sport.

International Student-Athletes' Psychological and Sociocultural Adjustment Experiences

International college students face psychosocial adjustment challenges transitioning into college, which may be heightened for international student-athletes (ISAs) who also have to adjust to Division I (DI) athletics. Even so, there are limited articles that synthesize the research on this population. Thus, we sought to fill this gap by examining studies focused on the adjustment experiences of ISAs. A qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis is a method used in social work research to synthesize the findings of qualitative studies (Aguirre & Bolton, 2014). We used qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis to conduct an exhaustive search of the literature, construct themes, and synthesize themes of qualitative research regarding ISAs and their adjustment experiences. We identified 11 articles with three overarching themes: (a) acculturative stress, (b) adjustment to the college experience, and (c) adjustment to athletics in the United States. Findings suggest ISAs experience not only transitional stress related to their identities as a student and as an athlete but also from their acculturation experiences. Thus, we propose ISAs transitioning to college experience a ternary-or three way-role negotiation of student identity, athlete identity, and cultural identity. Social workers employed at Division I institutions and within Division I athletic departments have the opportunity to advocate for the needs of this population.

Relevance of university dual career support services – student–athletes’ perspectives

ABSTRACT Rationale/Purpose Universities provide various services supporting athletes pursuing a dual career. This paper focuses on the preconditions of being simultaneously included in elite sport and educational system, aiming to analyse the assessment of such services from the student–athletes’ perspective. Design/Methodology/Approach The data originate from an online survey of 1055 international student–athletes, who participated in the 2019 Winter and Summer Universiades. Based on exploratory factor analysis, support services were grouped into categories. Implementing probit models, the respondents’ perceptions were regressed with their sporting and academic background by controlling for socio-demographic factors. Findings The study identifies three factors of dual career support services in the context of higher education and reveals statistically significant associations between socio-demographic, academic, and sporting career-related factors and the perceived relevance of support services. Practical Implications To get the university context functionalised in favour of student–athletes’ dual careers, tailor-made support should particularly address differences regarding gender, university levels, and types of sport. Research Contribution The study enhances the understanding of dual career challenges, related to the student–athletes’ conflicting roles. It provides evidence that adequate dual career support services at the interfaces of elite sport and higher education need to be individualised according to the athletes’ needs.

“What am I doing here?” Experiences of unsuccessful and delayed successful crisis transitions during athlete migration

ABSTRACT While the performance and lifestyle motivations of student-athletes to embark on transnational migration have been the focus of increasing research, challenging and problematic aspects of their migration have received surprisingly limited exploration. In response, the aims of the current research were: (1) to further explore the athlete’s experience of crisis migration transition, and (2) to understand the socio-psychological mechanisms that precede and feature in crisis transitions. To achieve these aims, this study addressed the crisis transitions and cultural migration experiences of eight female basketball players, who moved from the United Kingdom to the United States to take up a university-based sports scholarship. Retrospective, in-depth interviews were analysed using narrative thematic analysis and two realist accounts were developed to emphasise the social structures that can meaningfully impact the participants’ experiences of this transition. The analysis illuminates the importance of pre-transition planning, understanding the environment before transition, and an accommodating host environment in supporting coping for international student-athletes. Relatedly, the findings highlight the importance of support from national governing bodies to prepare athletes for migration, and US college sports programmes in recognising crisis transition in international student-athletes. Furthermore, through the focus on the crisis transition process, the findings help to advance the cultural transition model and provide the basis for future inquiry.

"Sorry, I'm not from here!": Female international student-athletes' transitions into college athletics in the United States.

The number of NCAA international student-athletes (ISAs) on US college campuses has increased to upwards of 20,000. This current study sought to investigate their transition experiences into colleges, based on the ISA transition adjustment model. More specifically, this study sought to better understand how recent changes in the NCAA have impacted the ISA population and if the antecedent factors in the transition adjustment model (personal, inter-personal, perceptual, and cultural distance) still represent the best indicators of successful transition for ISAs. To conduct this study, semi-structured interviews were completed with 10 current and former female Division I ISAs from six separate schools and seven countries. The results from this study suggest the core antecedents of the model - personal, inter-personal, perceptual, and cultural distance - were all still relevant. However, the factors included among these antecedents have shifted over time, with this study finding the importance of faculty and students (inter-personal) and nutrition (cultural distance) as significant factors in the transition of ISAs into US colleges. The results provide insights to administrators of US college athletics regarding how to help international student-athletes' adaptation.

Japanese international student-athletes’ adjustment experience at the National Collegiate Athletic Association

Currently, the number of International-Student Athletes (ISAs) in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is increasing over time and Japan is the biggest market for recruiting in Asia. Whereas international students are playing an increasingly important role in the NCAA, several studies have reported that ISAs face challenges in adjusting to their dual identities as students and athletes at universities in the US. Furthermore, it has been cleared Asian students studying at US universities have some challenges because of cultural and linguistic differences. However, it remains unclear whether the difficulties experienced by Japanese ISAs are the same as or different to the adjustment-related challenges experienced by other ISAs or Asian students. The purpose of this study is to clarify challenges for ISAs from Japan in adjusting to the United States’ universities. Situating in the ISA adjustment model and using a unique case study design, 13 Japanese ISAs at the NCAA Division I universities were interviewed, and data were coded by a continuous comparative analysis method. The results revealed that Japanese ISAs who participated in this study faced academic, social, athletic, personal-emotional, and institutional adjustment challenges. Particularly, Japanese ISAs differed from ISAs from other countries in several points; cultural differences, differences in communication styles, and systemic differences in academia and athletics between Japan and the US. For promoting adjustment of Japanese ISAs, this study suggests; gaining experience and getting information to understand and familiarize with the differences, building relationships with linguistic and culturally diverse people to understand various cultures, encouraging universities and coaches to understand specific difficulties for Japanese ISAs.

Recognition of Leading Factors that Affect the Outcome of Japanese International Student Athletes During the Adaptation Period at a US University: Qualitative Research on Students belonging to NCAA D1

Recognition of Leading Factors that Affect the Outcome of Japanese International Student Athletes During the Adaptation Period at a US University: Qualitative Research on Students belonging to NCAA D1

A Post-Pandemic Exploration of International Student-Athlete Personal Branding and Fan Interaction via Social Media

The population of international student-athletes (ISAs) at the collegiate level has dramatically impacted the sporting landscape in North America. Whereas a passionate group of fans is vital to the success of a sports team, the development of that athlete–fan relationship has grown due to the increased media attention on athlete personal branding and social media presence. The present study explores ISAs’ perceptions of social media use for personal branding, the challenges they face, and the extent to which they interact with fans through social media in a post-pandemic context. Athletes have pivoted more recently from personal appearances and other face-to-face interactions to more virtual means of interacting with fans. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted with ISAs from various sports within Divisions I and II of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Four main themes emerged: (1) social media consumption versus content creation, (2) effects of name, image, and likeness regulations, (3) personal brand building on social media, and (4) fan interaction on social media for ISAs. The study aims to inform various collegiate athletics stakeholders on the potential value of ISAs’ personal branding for fan interaction and how this has been impacted by current name, image, and likeness restrictions.

Who Is NIL Leaving Out?

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) adopted name, image and likeness (NIL) legislation in July 2021. The expectation was for all NCAA student-athletes to have the opportunity to seek compensation for their NIL, but the reality is quite different. International student-athletes are not easily able to benefit from their NIL due to restrictions placed on off-campus work under the terms of their entrance visas to the United States. This paper explores the need for the NCAA, NCAA member institutions, and government agencies to re-evaluate policies in an effort to ensure all student-athletes have the right to profit off their NIL. It is crucial that the membership is aware of how international student-athletes are confined by student visa regulations. In order to create a fair and equitable experience for all student-athletes, the NCAA and athletic departments need to understand off-campus work regulations and exceptions for international student visas (F-1 visa). Additionally, there is a need to advocate for this specific sub-population of student-athletes. We explore the idea of creating the opportunity for NIL to be on considered on-campus work for international student-athletes, or perhaps even assisting this population in filing exceptions within the constructs of the law. With domestic student-athletes already benefiting from NIL, it is time to find ways to allow international student-athletes to do the same. In essence, such opportunities would create one less barrier for international student-athletes who already face difficulty adjusting to life in the US.

The International Student-Athlete Experience

This article discusses a research study undertaken in order to better understand what the NCAA, institutions, administrators, and coaches can do in order to enhance the experiences of international student-athletes (ISAs). Quantitative and qualitative primary survey data was gathered from a sample of ISAs representing several countries and a wide range of sports. One of the key findings was that when provided with a platform from which to express their opinions, the respondents highlighted concerning issues such as discrimination, negligence, and a lack of support and/or guidance. Significant findings were also reached regarding steps to be taken in order to improve the transition process, and the specific challenges that are not currently being met by the NCAA, institutions, staff, or coaches. It is recommended that the NCAA carefully considers the results found in this study and undertakes further investigation to help stakeholders in the college sport experience better meet the needs of their ISAs.

Welcome to America! How can athletic departments better assist international student-athletes with their transition into the American university setting?

The current study examined how athletic stakeholders (e.g., coaches and support staff) at a NCAA Division I mid-major university attempt to assist international student-athletes (ISAs) with their transition into the American university setting. Semi-structured interviews with 10 athletic administrators and coaches discussed common transition issues ISAs typically encounter (e.g., cultural changes, dietary/nutritional adjustments, financial misunderstandings, homesickness, etc.), as well as resources (e.g., consistent on-boarding checklists) and a training (e.g., cultural competency training) that should be provided to practitioners that assist/coach ISAs. Additionally, programmatic offerings that might provide support systems and improve the student-athlete experience for ISAs were discussed. Our findings highlight the considerations that athletic administrators and coaches should know when attempting to support ISAs during the beginning stages of their transition to America. Due to the growing number of ISAs competing in college sport, understanding how best to support this population is crucial for athletic departments that are hoping to attract and retain ISAs.

Pitfalls for Prospective International Student-Athletes Planning to Play for NCAA-DIII

More than 20,000 international student-athletes are currently competing at the NCAA level and the numbers are expected to rise (NCAA, 2019), which illustrates the successful combination of higher education and sports in North America since the 1990s (Danylchuk & Grbac, 2016). Some studies have addressed international student-athletes’ experiences at NCAA Division I and II levels (Popp, 2007, Bentzinger, 2016, Hong, 2018), but few have investigated the Division III (DIII) level on the struggles faced by international student-athletes. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore the experiences of former international student-athletes (ISAs) in order to gain understanding of the potential pitfalls for prospective international student-athletes (PISA) who plan to pursue college sports at NCAA DIII schools. The significance of this study is to provide suggestions for better international college athletic experiences and prevent dropout. Two former international student-athletes were recruited via purposeful sampling strategy in the Midwest, U.S. Human Subject Institute Review Board approval was granted. Data were collected through approximately 60-minute, semi-structured interviews and transcribed using Otter software. Three-dimensional inquiry model (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000) and Leisure Constraint Theory (LCT, Crane & Temple, 2015) guided this study. A non-linear process was utilized to describe, analyze and interpret the data. Two first level approaches were supplied: an inductive approach based on the LCT and a deductive open coding in-vivo. To reduce researchers bias, epoche and bracketing were employed. Applying LCT, pitfalls related to intrapersonal constraints would be negative perspectives on teams or coaches, lack of enjoyment, the mindset change of playing for school rather than for themselves and their failed expectations. For interpersonal constraints, pitfalls would be negative recruiting experiences, difficulties in adapting to cultural differences, academic challenges, and interest shift away from sports to more sustainable career development. For structural constraints, pitfalls would be less time commitment, less practice and game play, dissatisfaction with their academic programs, and lack of outside interest in their sports. To avoid pitfalls and pursue better athletic and academic international experiences, prospective international student-athletes may need to be more open-minded to adapt to the coaching and team culture and adjust to circumstances different than their expectations. They also need to study more about the recruiting process and devote greater efforts in the relationship with coaches, teammates and classmates. Lastly, they should not be in a rush to make a decision before a thorough study of institutions’ athletic and academic programs, and careers.

Successfully Assimilating International Student-Athletes in the College Setting

Research has focused on the process of assimilation that international student-athletes experience when they move to a different country to play their sport as well as continue their education. What mechanisms do these athletes develop and implement to facilitate or ease their experience while going through this process? What opportunities do their new environments provide them to assist with this process? In the present study, ten international athletes were interviewed on their personal experience through this process of assimilation to the United States college setting as student-athletes and conclusions have been drawn regarding what helped them overcome this stage of assimilation and what added more stress to this process. This research will focus on the challenges that international student-athletes face when arriving in college in the United States and what they can do to overcome these challenges, as well as what colleges can do to provide support. Key recommendations to improve integration and accommodations into the American collegiate academic and athletic campus culture are presented.

“It isn’t always easy to handle”: Qualitatively Exploring the Experiences of International Student-Athletes at a Mid-Major University

Introduction: International student-athletes (ISA) face unique challenges during their transition to life on an American university campus. It is critical to understand these challenges to enhance their academic and athletic experiences. Thus, the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of the specific challenges ISA at a mid-major, Division I university face and their perceptions of how those challenges are currently being met by their university. Methods: Focus groups were completed with 24 ISA. Participants were asked to discuss their transition experiences. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed by a four-person research team. Each team member coded independently, and then the group met to discuss the codes and determine emerging themes. Results: Three themes and subsequent subthemes were found: (1) Adjusting to university life (subthemes: Navigating the structure of the athletics program; The importance of teammates; Academic unfamiliarity; Adapting to American living); (2) Unexpected challenges (subthemes: Financial concerns; Discontent with available resources; Disconnects in communication); and (3) Recommendations for ISA transitions. Conclusions: ISA continue to face numerous challenges during their transition and many needs are currently unmet. Universities need to create programs that incorporate the voices of ISA to best serve their unique needs.

International student-athletes’ perceptions of the long-term impact of the NCAA experience

ABSTRACT Research exploring international student-athletes’ (ISA’s) perceptions of their National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) experience has been limited to studies conducted prior to, during, or immediately following their college careers. Notably lacking has been research conducted with ISA’s who have been removed from college sport for a significant time period. Twenty-three former NCAA Division I athletes representing 16 countries and eight sports participated in semi-structured interviews 30–60 minutes in duration to address this gap in the literature. Each participant had been removed from college sport for a minimum of five years to allow sufficient time to assess the long-term impact of college sport on their lives. Three primary themes emerged from the analysis of data: (1) thinking globally, (2) development and application of life skills, and (3) preparation for sport careers over non-sport careers. Implications of each theme are discussed and recommendations are offered for prospective ISA’s and American post-secondary institutions.

Talent migration in NCAA division I tennis: an exploratory study

ABSTRACT The recruitment of international-student athletes (ISAs) to NCAA schools in the United States has been a feature of intercollegiate athletics since the late 1940’s and an influx of foreign-born athletes became evident from the late 1960s and through the 1970s. More recently, the number of ISAs increased drastically from the 1990s to the 2000s and this growth trend has continued. Similar to previous research on migration patterns of ISAs in NCAA basketball and soccer, the purpose of this study was to explore talent migration in NCAA Division I (DI) tennis. The authors incorporate discussions on globalization and world-system theory to explicate global sport labor migration and analyze descriptive player and coach data to understand: (1) the extent of ISAs competing in NCAA DI tennis in comparison to other sports; (2) distribution of tennis ISAs across three DI categories and thirty-one conferences; (3) migration patterns of DI tennis ISAs with respect to country and city of origin; and, (4) the percentage of international tennis coaches in DI. Findings indicate tennis has the highest percentage of ISAs among all NCAA sports, ISAs make up the majority of all men’s and women’s tennis players at the DI level, Spain is the top donor nation, and the percentage of international coaches for DI teams is approximately 30%. The authors conclude the paper with commentary informed by veteran DI tennis coaches regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the future of college tennis.

The transitioning process: A qualitative case study of international swimming and diving student-athletes competing in the NCAA

Prior studies examining international student-athletes’ transition experiences to life on American colleges campuses have generally focused on outcomes related to their recruiting experience and change adaptation. Few studies included the adjustment process and challenges faced by the individuals. The primary purpose of this case study was to add to the existing literature by expanding on the psychological transition process of international swimming and diving student-athletes experience after joining an American intercollegiate athletics team. Utilizing Bridges (1986) model, the present study employed semi-structured interviews amongst 10 international student-athletes from a large NCAA Division I university. A thematic analysis revealed seven major themes, which were: realization that change was necessary, reflecting on the decision, language barrier, education system, cultural adjustment and valuable lessons,international bond, and words of wisdom. The findings suggested transition is a multi-stage process that occurs throughout student-athletes’ experiences on campus.
 
 Key words: college athletics, international student-athletes, transitioning process

International student-athlete transition into collegiate sport in the United States

BackgroundResearchers have explored international student-athletes’ (ISA) transitions within the NCAA, often focusing on physical and psychological difficulties, barriers, coping, and influences on performance. The transition into US collegiate sport for ISA not only includes the typical obstacles associated with adapting to college, such as nav-igating socialization opportunities, experiences of homesickness, or interpreting differences in academic struc-ture, but also those related to joining a new system within sport in an unfamiliar cultural setting. However, most of the published work has focused on barriers and problems. Investigations of positive elements in athlete ca-reer transition have been limited, yet are an important element in understanding how to support ISA.Participants and procedureThe current exploratory qualitative study examined the perceptions of the types of resources, training, and posi-tive interventions reported to be most helpful for international student-athletes transitioning into collegiate sport in the United States. Five NCAA Division I athletes (three females and two males, from 4 different countries) and two NCAA Division I male coaches participated in individual in-depth interviews.ResultsThe central themes that emerged focused on: supportive resources, coping processes, adjustment to team, and adjustment to culture.ConclusionsThese results have implications for understanding effective responses to the obstacles that arise for ISA, as well as purposeful implementation of strategies to help athletes adjust during what is typically a challenging transition period.

Junior College or the NCAA: The Case of a U.S. Women’s Tennis Team with No U.S. Players

United States (U.S.) colleges and universities attract thousands of international student-athletes from around the world. This research study presented data on a qualitative exploratory case study (Yin, 2009) in which participants of a U.S. junior college women’s tennis team were observed and interviewed. Participants were asked questions about their motivations to come to the U.S. to play intercollegiate tennis and obtain a degree in higher education. The world systems theoretical framework was used to examine the motivations of the participants in this study, who chose to pursue tennis at the junior college level in the U.S. Please note that this was an exploratory qualitative case study with a small sample size of participants and responses from participants reflect the motivations of a few international student-athletes who participated in this study.

Dual-career through the elite university student-athletes' lenses: The international FISU-EAS survey.

Athletes have the right to combine their sport and higher education careers (e.g., dual career), but differences in the recognition of the student-athlete’s status and availability of dual career programmes and services exist worldwide. The purpose of this study was to investigate the dual career phenomenon through the international student-athletes’ views. Student-athletes competing at the 2017 Summer Universiade were recruited to respond a 31-item online survey encompassing demographic characteristics (Q1-8), sport and university engagement (Q9-13), student-athletes’ knowledge and possible sources of information regarding dual career (Q14-22); and dual career support at personal, sport, and academic levels (Q23-31). Four hundred twenty-six respondents (males: 46%, females 54%), competing in 22 different sports (individual: 74%, team: 26%) from Africa (4%), America (20%), Asia (34%), Europe (39%), and Oceania (3), had experienced previous international sports events (94%). Differences among continents emerged for sport (p<0.001) and university (p = 0.039) engagement, and transfer time from home to the training venue (p = 0.030). Individual sports student-athletes showed higher sport engagement (p = 0.003) compared to team sports counterparts. Differences among university majors emerged for university engagement (p<0.001). Long absence from classes (57%), limited leisure time (50%), financial uncertainty (44%), reduction of training due to education (42%), and overload feelings (37%) emerged. The majority of the sample resulted not familiar with dual career programmes (60%) and public authorities (69%), envisaging national dual career policies at university (37%) and sport (25%) levels. Multiple relevant dual career supporters at personal, sport, and university levels were identified, mainly parents (86%) and coaches (65%). To strengthen the potential of the student-athletes of the future, a dual career network should be established among several stakeholders, for transnational cooperation and sharing of knowledge and best practices through extensive communication between policy-makers, practitioners and those having a strong supportive dual career role (e.g., parents, coaches, and university sport staff).