How the Perception of Athletic Academic Services affects the overall College Experience of Freshmen Student-Athletes

• Main Authors: Marcella G. Otto, J. Michael Martinez, Christopher R. Barnhill
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bowling Green State University 2019-03-01
• Series: Journal of Athlete Development and Experience
• Online Access: https://scholarworks.bgsu.edu/jade/vol1/iss1/5/

More and more intercollegiate athletics programs are allocating strategic resources towards building attractive athletics facilities, lavish training and academic complexes, and high-quality support services. Strategic investments in these areas continue to be a high priority for major college athletics programs, all with the hopes of enhancing the overall college experience for student-athletes. As such, researchers have begun to examine the role these various support services play in the overall athletic program. In this aim, the present study seeks to understand how academic support services are successful in enhancing this experience. Findings indicate that freshmen student-athletes’ perceptions of service quality provided by their academic athletic services, influence satisfaction, student involvement, and emotional adjustment. Building from these findings, university athletic departments should reevaluate and adjust their academic services based on the perception of student-athletes and how the provided services influence their overall college experience.