Are They Athletes? A Self-Assessment of Athletic Identity Measurement and Perceived Benefits of Collegiate Esports Participants

Collegiate esports is a rapidly growing entity that is managed differently across campuses, with oversight taking place in athletic departments, campus recreation departments, student affairs, and to a lesser degree, academic departments. Esports has the potential to support the recruitment and retention of students while supporting the academic mission of universities through co-curricular opportunities in a variety of subject areas. Despite the broad existence of peer-reviewed research debating the consideration of esports as a sport, limited research is available that asks esports participants if they view themselves as athletes. A total of 120 participants completed a survey instrument that included items from the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale-Plus and the Quality and Importance of Recreational Services instruments. From the collegiate esports players included in this research, we see a complex picture of student-athletes emerging.

Conceptual Frameworks for Evaluating Diversity and Inclusion in Collegiate Recreation

Persistent evidence of inequitable experiences within collegiate recreation exists. Within the same field are multiple articulations of diversity and inclusion's high significance. The intersection of these contrasting ideas suggests there is a need to expand understanding of the role of diversity and inclusion in collegiate recreation. Exploring germane theoretical conceptualizations may allow for those stated goals to consistently align with practical outcomes, resulting in more equitable experiences for collegiate recreation's multiple stakeholders. Thus, the purpose of this article was to propose the integration of two conceptual frameworks which can be applied by researchers and practitioners to increase the scope and depth of understanding pertaining to engagement with diversity and inclusion.

Intramural Sport Participation: An Examination of Participant Benefits, Service Quality, Program Satisfaction, and Student Retention

This study investigates whether the benefits of participation in, and perceived service quality of, an intramural sport program contribute to student retention and overall program satisfaction. Health and wellness outcomes, student learning outcomes, service quality, program satisfaction, and student retention in intramural programming were assessed at one Canadian university. The results reveal that participants experience physical, emotional, social and academic outcomes as a result of participation in intramural programming. The results also reveal that benefits of participation (physical health and wellness, emotional wellness, academic learning outcomes, social learning outcomes) and service quality are associated with greater student retention and program satisfaction. The results highlight the unique association between physical health and wellness benefits and student retention. The results also highlight the association between service quality, social and emotional wellness and program satisfaction among participants. Implications for practice and future research are presented.

Passage Through the Leadership Labyrinth: Women’s Journey in the Collegiate Recreation Profession

The metaphor “glass ceiling” does not accurately articulate the complexities of experiences had by women as they progress in their professional career. The leadership labyrinth serves as a theoretical framework to describe the intricacies of women’s journeys throughout their professional career and personal life. The framework implies that there are walls all around and that the journey for women is complex. Human capital, gender differences, and prejudice influence women’s decisions about their professional trajectory in collegiate recreation. Using interviews of 36 women, this qualitative study used a phenomenological approach that concentrated on the direct experience of women. The study explored the trajectory of women working in collegiate recreation to understand their lived experience. Results from this study indicate four distinct themes: barriers, mentorship/allyship, self-efficacy/competence and interventions. The findings for this study provide insight into how mentors and supervisors can address organizational culture and support women’s leadership development while working in collegiate recreation. The study offers discussion and implications for future research and practice to address the complexities women experience while navigating their passage through the leadership labyrinth.

Measuring the Efficacy of a Club Sports New Participant Orientation

This study examines the impact of the University of Vermont Club Sports’ recently implemented new participant orientation. Using program evaluation theory and a survey instrument, this study measured the efficacy of the new program. A survey was designed and sent to all 312 participants with a response rate of 23%. Descriptive statistics from the instrument indicate strong efficacy for participants who completed the program with all outcome measures reporting moderate to considerable growth. T-tests and ANOVAs, in most instances, indicate similar efficacy of outcomes among different groups of respondents. However, statistically significant differences exist based on individual or team gender on three specific outcome measures. Results of this study suggest value in the implementation of the club sports new participant orientation while identifying groups where additional attention may be needed through adjustments to the curriculum or additional outreach strategies.

Initiation and Introduction Into Sport Participation: New Member Experiences With Collegiate Sport Clubs

Participants new to a sporting activity develop initial motivations while being confronted with a variety of constraints that must be successfully negotiated in order to participate. Further, motivations change over time, as do constraints, but there has been little examination of these concepts with regard to new participants. As such, this study examined why new collegiate club sport members were motivated to join a sport club and what constraints they face. Through semistructured interviews ( N = 11) new sport club members reported being motivated by a variety of reasons, while social support acted as a strong facilitator to continued involvement.

An Examination of Social Capital in Outdoor Orientation Programs

Social capital offers campus recreation professionals a framework to conceptualize the impacts of outdoor orientation programming (OOPs). Using data from The Outdoor Orientation Benchmarking Survey (TOOBS), researchers explored results of participants’ ( n = 1,154) responses to two constructs conceptually related to social capital: group trust and network closure. Researchers used factor analysis to examine the psychometric properties of TOOBS, finding group trust and network closure represented different aspects of social capital. Results of the study confirms trust and network closure are related, yet unique aspects of the social capital construct. The results provide an empirically-supported measure for evaluating social capital in outdoor orientation programs.

Impact of an LGBTQ Campus Recreation Student Employee Training Initiative on Professional Competencies

Campus recreational sport programs strive to create an environment that is accessible to diverse participants, including LGBTQ population groups. While improvement has been made in promoting resources and workgroups related to diversity management practices, little empirical evidence exists as it relates to the efficacy of diversity trainings for recreational sport employees. This study analyzed the impact of a diversity training program geared toward the development of affirming recreational sport practices for LGBTQ populations and exploring the professional competencies related to LGBTQ inclusion that are practiced within in a collegiate recreational sport setting. Results indicated that the targeted training initiative was effective in statistically improving employee confidence as it relates to LGBTQ professional competencies ( p < .000), while nonattendance at the training showed no statistically significant differences in such competencies. This study serves as a starting point for investigating the impact of LGBTQ-specific diversity training programs on recreational sport staff members.

Physical Activity and Associated Constraints Following the Transition From High School to University

The considerable changes in physical activity (PA) during the transition to university are likely associated with changes in PA constraints during this transition. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in PA and associated constraints among first-year university students during the transition to university. Data concerning sociodemographic characteristics, PA behaviors, and changes in PA and constraints were collected from 121 first-year New Zealand university students via an online survey. Data were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Findings revealed that following the transition, PA declined significantly, that PA participation patterns/trends had changed (from team/group sports to individual activities and to less competitive and/or more social activities), and that changes in constraints (intrapersonal, interpersonal, and time management) may have influenced changes. Findings shed light on how changes in constraints potentially influence PA following the transition and provide evidence to inform the development of policies and interventions to promote student PA.