The Transitional Experiences of Division I Freshman Collegiate Athletes and How it Relates to Perceived Athletic Performance
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Authors
Irwin, Katherine M.
Issue Date
2010
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
As a young adult transitions into college, they are introduced to new experiences, for example, a new level of academics, living without the supervision of their parents or guardians, and, if they are also an athlete, playing on a whole new level. Each student-athlete's transition into college and college athletics is a unique experience that is necessary to be examined. This study explored the collegiate student-athlete's transition as a Division I swimmer during the freshman year. This study also examined how this transition affects the perceptions of the student-athlete's performance. The researcher interviewed 13 Division I collegiate swimmers after they had completed their first season of collegiate swimming and had either completed their first academic school year or were near completion. These participants came from Division I schools within the Bay Area, or were from the Bay Area and traveled elsewhere for school. Content analysis was the methodology used to analyze the interviews that were held with each participant. By using a semi-structured interview, the participants were able to go in depth about their experiences during this transitional phase. The participants discussed how academics, swimming and their social lives may have influenced or impacted their experience. Most of the participants found their transition to be a positive experience overall and found that their performance improved during their first year. Several of the participants found the transition specifically into Division I swimming to be quite different than what they expected and found their performance to decrease during the first year due to that change. By understanding the various experiences a Division I freshman swimmer may be faced with, sport psychology consultants working with this population can better understand how to work efficiently prepare the student-athletes for this transition and provide effective consulting throughout the freshman year.