Beyond the Game: Club Sports Participation and First Year Retention

Presenter: Mark Justin V. Legarda

Faculty Sponsor: Caryn Brause

School: UMass Amherst

Research Area: Education & Educational Research

Session: Poster Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM, 163, C6

ABSTRACT

Persistence from year-to-year is an area of concern for undergraduate populations, particularly the transition from students’ first to second years of college. Students who dropped out have greater difficulty achieving employment and earn less income than students with a bachelor’s degree. Therefore, universities are interested in methods to increase retention and persistence in students. Two factors that increase retention and persistence are social involvement and a sense of belonging. Key theorists such as Astin and Strayhorn propose that these factors enhance overall well-being and academic success, contributing to higher year-to-year retention rates. Prior research shows that extracurricular involvement, particularly through club sports, promotes these positive factors. However, there is a gap in knowledge regarding the impact the two factors have on first-year retention. This study aims to interpret existing frameworks of involvement and belonging and apply them to club sports participation among students who have completed at least one semester of participation in a club sport within their first year of college. The study will employ a survey featuring Likert scale rankings and short responses to understand the role club sports has on students’ lives. The findings will be of interest to recreation professionals, student affairs, and others interested in promoting club sport participation for retention and persistence. 

RELATED ABSTRACTS