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Transition out of College Sports: Impacts of Athlete Identity and Strategies for Support

Description

The main scope of this study was to analyze the impact support and identity have on the collegiate athletic career transition process. While student-athletes undergo a variety of transitions, this study focused on the career transition out of collegiate athletics regardless of their reason for leaving or their next steps. The motivation for conducting this research is to take the challenges and recommendations to the next steps and reform the common practice of career transition and provide assistance to athletes facing adversity in this position. A study on 32 voluntary student-athletes in different phases of the transition process ranging from current student-athletes to graduated student-athletes years detached from their sport was conducted via electronic questionnaire. Questions about demographics and their personal experiences relating to identity, support, and transition as a whole were asked regarding their time as student-athletes through their transition (if applicable). Through analyzing the responses and previous literature, it is evident that support is necessary from the early stages as a student-athlete through their transition out of the sport to minimize the negative impact. It is also apparent that one's athletic identity is established early on in their career and is difficult to dissociate from to rediscover a personal identity not connected to athletic performance. Knowing what we do now, there are limitations in the findings such as within the demographics, questionnaire, and clarity. This would be beneficial to research and study further to optimize a solution to assist in the athletic career transition process and alleviate additional barriers athletes face when no longer having their sport.

ContributorsBernhard, MacKenzie (Author) / Hoffner, Kristin (Thesis director) / Miossi, Lindsey (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Chemical Engineering Program (Contributor)

Created2023-05

Validity of Combined Measurements to Estimate Urine Concentration

Description

A Venn Diagram model has been proposed to assist athletes with self-monitoring daily changes in fluid intake by combining three of the simplest hydration markers: weight, urine color, and thirst (WUT). No study to date has examined relationships between WUT markers and urine hydration indices using a new, recently validated lavatory urine color (LUC) chart. Furthermore, this is the first study to investigate an adaptation of the WUT model for identifying low vs. high urine concentration, which is useful for athletes to determine whether they are drinking enough water on a daily basis. For five consecutive days, n=19 participants collected a first-morning urine sample before assessing body weight and thirst at home. The urine sample was later scored by each participant at the testing site after 3 mL was extracted to measure urine specific gravity (USG). Participants could score thirst as yes (1) or no (0), and urine color as darker than (1) or similar to/lighter than (0) when comparing their sample to the reference color on the LUC chart. The researchers calculated body weight change (%) from a predetermined baseline to score body weight as >-0.5% change (1) or <-0.5% change (0). Combined outcomes for the three assessments were assigned a score of 0, 1, 2, or 3 and categorized in the Venn Diagram. Scores of 0 or 1 suggest euhydration (USG <1.020) and scores of 2 or 3 suggest underhydration (USG >1.020). Median USG was 1.021 (ranging 1.003-1.035). WUT outcomes for all cases were: 5% (score 3), 33% (score 2), 53% (score 1), and 9% (score 0). WUT score 3 had optimal accuracy (100%) and WUT score 2 had fair accuracy (67%) for identifying a high urine concentration, but only 38% of cases were scored in this way. Based on the assumption that scores 2+3 should have USG >1.020 and scores 0+1 should have USG <1.020, the total accuracy of the WUT model to correctly classify urine concentration was 60%. The results indicated that athletes can use this approach to identify high urine concentration by monitoring simple hydration markers, but misclassifications may occur up to 33%.

ContributorsWhitenack, Lauren (Author) / Wardenaar, Floris C (Thesis advisor) / Kavouras, Stavros A (Committee member) / Siegler, Jason C (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)

Created2022

Maximizing the Talent of Athletes Transitioning from Collegiate and Amateur to Professional Sports Careers

Description

This thesis aims to properly prepare athletes for the significant life changes that will impact them as they transition from college or amateur athletics to professional sports careers. This thesis also identifies the benefits that reap from early education on expectations of learning what to expect at an earlier point in their amateur career. Certain areas are struck as having increasing importance in the transition: financial preparation, mental health and mental strengthening, public relations practice, nutritional needs, and other lifestyle choices that can help athletes reach their potential. Improving education in these areas, preparing athletes for these changes, and showing examples of what to expect as they transition into professional sports can benefit the athletes, the universities and colleges in which they are educated, the franchises in which they are drafted, and the communities where they reside. This information can be delivered through a handbook while having in-person training that can build upon each session to dive deeper into each given topic while building relationships with the athletes.

ContributorsSpies, Lindsey (Author) / Murphy, Flynn (Co-author) / Eaton, John (Thesis director) / McIntosh, Daniel (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)

Created2023-05