It's All About Relationships

Date of Award

2023

Degree Name

Ed.D. in Leadership for Organizations

Department

Department of Educational Administration

Advisor/Chair

Corinne Brion

Abstract

Coaching, training, and developing are the basic fundamental roles and responsibilities of coaches who are dedicated to helping student-athletes achieve their personal athletic goals. The value of social support, connections, and relationships are underestimated and less visible, within the practices and structure of Athletic Organizations. This phenomenological action research study explores the experiences, challenges, and achievements of seven Black collegiate student-athletes. Their lived experiences are highlighted, not by the degree of athletic coaching or training, but magnified by the quality of robust relationships identified as influential social connections and supportive networks. While society contextualizes coaching in the same manner as mentoring, this research gives significance to the relational connections of coaches and peers, and provides meaning and understanding to the importance of trust, relational interactions and social connections. The presence of influential relationships are depicted in their experiences, challenges and achievements and addresses the question of how Athletic Organizations can use their student athletes lived experiences to decide how to prepare Black student-athletes for college.

Keywords

Education, Department of Educational Administration., Health Sciences, Black Collegiate Student Athlete, Phenomenological Study of Black Collegiate Student Athletes, Black Student Athlete Relationships and Black Student Athletes

Rights Statement

Copyright © 2023, author

Link to Full Text

Share

COinS