Perception of School Athletes

Perception of School Athletes to the Academic Performance of
College Students
School athletes have traditionally been thought of as a unique subpopulation of

college students who may be "at risk" for both academic and psychological issues (Clift
& Mower, 2013; Huml et al., 2019; Watson & Kissinger, 2007; Wilson & Pritchard,
2005). They are a highly noticeable and closely watched group of students who might
require special support to ensure their academic and personal success. As they
manage their responsibilities as students and athletics, school athletes face a special
set of difficulties. These difficulties range from overcoming the pressure of competition,
preventing injuries, and maintaining peak physical condition to creating social and
leisure activities outside of their responsibilities as student-athletes (Simon & Docherty,
2014). (Giacobbi et al., 2004). Additionally, they must manage the pressure from
coaches and other performance-related demands (Anderson & Dixon, 2019; Huml et al.,
2019; Raabe et al., 2017). These responsibilities are quite different from those of non-
athletes and have the potential to have diverse effects on each group's sense of general
wellbeing and academic performance. One must be aware of school athletes' individual
ideas and experiences in order to effectively advocate on their behalf. The goal of
current study is to provide access to these beliefs and experiences.
There has been considerable research and discussion over how much
involvement in school athletics affects academic performance. Some have argued that
school athletes may not have to meet the same entrance requirements as their
classmates who do not participate in athletics, which leaves them underprepared and
causes them to do worse in the classroom (Bowen & Levin, 2003; Shulman & Bowen,
2001). According to research by Umbach and colleagues (2006), male Division III
athletes had poorer self-reported grades than non-athletes. Male athletes scored worse
academically than male non-athletes, according to the College Sports Project (2009, as
cited in Barlow & Hickey, 2014), a longitudinal comparison of athletes and non-athletes
in Division III colleges. Although there were disparities between female athletes and
non-athletes, they were not as apparent as they were for males in terms of self-reported
grades (Emerson et al., 2009). Others have found conflicting results, stating that school
athletes generally are satisfied with their college experiences, have similar educational
practices, and perform similarly as those who are not athletes (Aries et al., 2004;
Pascarella et al., 1999; Potuto & O’Hanlon, 2006; Robst & Keil, 2010; Umbach et al.,
2006). Others report that school athletes are more likely to graduate and have higher
grade point averages than non-athletes (Hildenbrand et al., 2009).
Regardless of these contradictory results, academic success might be hampered

by the special social and psychological challenges that school athletes’ experience. For
instance, Demirel (2016) found that athletes suffer higher levels of stress than non-
athletes, and that these stresses are associated with worse academic results (Heelis &
Shield, 2015; Hwang & Choi, 2016; Papanikolaou et al., 2003; Perry et al., 2001).
School athletes frequently express stress owing to disagreements with teammates and
coaches, the additional time demands of sports activities, and pressure from coaches to
succeed athletically and academically (Huml et al., 2019; Hwang & Choi, 2016; Paule &
Gilson, 2010; Vargas et al., 2015). In addition, athletes have mentioned feeling more
stressed due to lack of sleep and increasing obligations from extracurricular activities
(Hwang & Choi, 2016; Wilson & Pritchard, 2005). Overall, research shows that the
accumulation of obligations specific to school athletes on top of those that apply to
regular college students can overwhelm school athletes, which can result in poor
academic performance as well as an elevated risk of transition issues and psychological
discomfort (Huml, et al., 2019; Watson & Kissinger, 2007).
Comeaux and Harrison (2011) established a theoretical model that stresses the
integration of individual characteristics and social and academic systems that may
impact academic performance in order to better understand and integrate the multiplicity
of elements that affect school athletes' academic achievement. This model includes
personal characteristics such as academic motivation, family background, and previous
educational experiences. It is suggested that these characteristics have an indirect
impact on college academic achievement. For instance, social position and parent
education both affect academic performance (Eason-Brooks & Davis, 2007; Higdem et
al., 2016; von Stumm et al., 2020). Additionally, students with development mindsets
and internal drive for learning typically have GPAs that are higher than those with fixed
mindsets and external incentive. (Deci et al., 1999; Guiffrida et al., 2013; Nichols et al.,
2019; Taylor et al., 2014). Comeaux and Harrison (2011) refer to this first phase as
having "precollege characteristics," and they contend that these traits have an impact
on other aspects of an individual's life, such as how committed school athletes are to
their sport, the institution, and their own aspirations. These commitments are crucial in
determining how high school athletes would behave in a college setting and ultimately
succeed academically. For instance, a student-athlete with specific professional
objectives or graduate school ambitions may be more dedicated to academic
performance than a student who attends college only out of social pressure (from
parents, friends, coaches, etc.) or a sense of duty.
The second stage of this concept contends that school athletes' integration into
the academic and social structures is what ultimately leads to their success in the
classroom (Comeaux & Harrison, 2011). In other words, academic achievement is
correlated with school athletes' capacity to form fruitful peer connections and grow
intellectually. Gaston-Gayles and Hu's (2009) findings that peer engagement,
particularly with non-teammates, is positively correlated with personal growth and
academic performance give credibility to this notion. Others have discovered that
communication with faculty predicts academic performance (Rankin et al., 2016).
Academic integration is described in the Comeaux and Harrison (2011) paradigm in
terms of both external, explicit norms (such as institution grades) and individual, intrinsic
intellectual growth (Comeaux & Harrison, 2011). Researchers' findings that sport activity
in general is favorably correlated with GPA (Dyer et al., 2017) and that student athletes
frequently perform better academically than nonathletes give credibility to this notion
(Hildenbrand et al., 2009). School athletes report additional social and cognitive benefits
in adjusting to life after graduation, as well as improved emotional intelligence and
better mentoring abilities in comparison to non-athletes (Sauer et al., 2013). (Foster &
Lally, 2021; Ofoegbu et al., 2021).
Furthermore, the main focus of this study is the Leyte Colleges students given
the need to further explore their perceptions that influence school athletes’ intellectual
development and academic experience. The primary research aims were to understand
the experiences and perceptions of school athletes to the academic performance of
college students’ grades, academic motivation, and factors that might affect their
success.

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Perception of School Athletes to the Academic Performance of

School athletes have traditionally been thought of as a unique subpopulation of

Regardless of these contradictory results, academic success might be hampered

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