PHD, Kent State University, 2021, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

The purpose of this basic interpretive study was to explore the recruitment and enrollment process for Division III athletic recruits. Rather than reflecting on these experiences after going through it, this study provided access into the experience as they were still going through the process as seniors in high school. Perna's (2006) Conceptual Model of College Choice was used as the conceptual framework for this study. Data was collected from prospective Division III student-athletes as they were engaged in their college search during their senior year of high school through individual interviews and a follow-up focus group conversation. The research led to four key findings: the students sought authentic interactions with the colleges that were recruiting them, the students received guidance and feedback from current coaches in their lives, academic offerings provided a foundation to the student college search, and parents were influential participants in each student's college search. If athletic and enrollment administrators can understand the process as a student experiences it while they are being recruited, they will have a more thorough understanding of how to connect the needs of each student with what the institution has to offer. With a better understanding of the process, recruiters can be more genuine with the information they provide and, hopefully, enroll students who are a good fit for the institution athletically and academically.

Committee: Tara Hudson (Committee Chair); Mark Kretovics (Committee Member); Jennifer Kulics (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education Administration

Master of Science in Allied Health (MSAH), Otterbein University, 2016, Health and Sport Sciences

There are an increasing number of opportunities for today's youth to participate in year-round sport organizations that promote early sport specialization before the age of fifteen. Early sport specialization is linked to a higher rate of overuse injury of frequently used muscle groups. The physical, mental, and psychological demands of early sport specialization increase likelihood of burnout and cessation of sport participation. Early sport generalization allows physiological and psychological rest and recovery in youth athletes that lead to decreased injury rates and less burnout with more individuals continuing to participate in competitive sports throughout the collegiate years. The purpose of this research was to determine what effect, if any, early sport specialization in youth has on rate of overuse injury and burnout in NCAA Division III athletes at a small, private University. A 12-question, retrospective, written survey classified each participant as an early sport specialist or early sport generalist and gathered information on frequency of overuse injury and development of burnout during the high school and college competitive sport years. Statistical analysis indicated early sport generalists were more likely to participate in competitive collegiate athletics at the NCAA Division III Institution analyzed in this study (71.8%). Early sport specialists were more likely to experience burnout (P = 0.088) and may be more likely to develop overuse injury during the high school years (P = 0.254) but not the college years (P=0.385). It is unknown if early sport specialists are more likely to develop a greater number of overuse injuries throughout their competitive sport career than early sport generalists. Young athletes are encouraged to participate in multiple competitive sports but the results of this research were not statistically significant and further research needs to be done to support these conclusions.

Committee: Kim Fischer Ph.D. (Advisor); Paul Longenecker Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Health Sciences; Higher Education

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), University of Findlay, 2019, Education

This study examines the non-cognitive factors of motivation, perception, and time management on the abilities of NCAA Division III wrestlers who have become both scholar All-Americans and athletic All-Americans in the same season, an achievement known as Double All-American. The study attempted to determine who and what are the main influences on non-cognitive factors and how these influences affect the daily decisions of the participants who have found success in both athletics and academics. A qualitative research design and phenomenological methods were used to examine the experiences of student athletes who have been successful on and off the mat. Five Division III student wrestlers who have achieved double All-American status at least once in their career were interviewed via Skype. The interview questions focused on the influence of the coaches, parents, peers, professors, and campuses on student wrestler motivation, perception, and time management. It was found that all five participants were highly motivated by their coaches, peers, and parents, and moderately motivated by their professors and the campus in general. Participants were motivated to do well in both academics and athletics, perceived themselves as students and as athletes, and found a way to manage time successfully and in a way that fit their individual personalities. An unexpected finding was that academics and athletics may be beneficial to one another because participants became more disciplined with their time during the competitive season.

Committee: John Cindric Dr (Committee Chair); Michael Scoles Dr (Committee Member); Aaron Huffman Dr (Committee Member) Subjects: Education; Higher Education

MS, Kent State University, 2017, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Health Sciences

The purpose of this study was to examine the dietary intake and recovery status of Division III baseball players during the fall collegiate baseball season. Dietary intake was evaluated using three 24-hour dietary records, while recovery status was evaluated using three Total Quality Recovery (TQR) logs on home, away and non-competition days. The participants in this study were 23 male (mean ± SD: age = 18.6 ± 0.9 years) NCAA Division III baseball student-athletes from a northeast Ohio university. Participants completed the 24-hour dietary records and TQR logs. Dietary intake was analyzed using ESHA food processor software (Elizabeth Stewart Hands and Associates, Salem, OR). The findings of this study were assessed by a One-way repeated measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Bonferroni post hoc (SPSS, version 12). Statistical analysis revealed significant differences between home (2,514 ± 159.56 kcals) and non- competition energy intake (2,104.96 ± 114.99 kcals) (P = 0.004) and home (258.76 ± 118.22 g) and non-competition carbohydrate intake (201.33 ± 71.49 g) (P = 0.015). Recovery status was classified as poor (#14 points) during home (13.69 ± 3.00), away (13.96 ± 2.76) and non-competition (14.04 ± 3.22) days. Division III baseball players did not achieve sport-specific, bodyweight-dependent nutrition recommendations for energy, carbohydrate, fat or fluids. These data suggest Division III baseball players consume suboptimal dietary intakes and experience poor recovery during the fall collegiate baseball season.

Committee: Natalie Caine-Bish (Advisor); Amy Miracle (Committee Member); Karen Gordon (Committee Member) Subjects: Nutrition

PHD, Kent State University, 2016, College of Education, Health and Human Services / School of Foundations, Leadership and Administration

Student-athletes have been shown in the literature to have a defined experience that is different from non-athletes. The challenges student-athletes face at the Division III (DIII) level and a lack of research raises curiosity regarding their career development. The purpose of this qualitative narrative study was to investigate female DIII student-athletes meaning-making regarding major selection using the Career Construction Interview (CCI) and the ways major choices are confirmed or challenged by their own defined life story. The participants of this study included 7 Caucasian traditional-age female student-athletes who exhibited strong athletic identities (utilizing the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale) attending a DIII institution located in the Midwest. Data were collected through semi-structured, open-ended interviews and the CCI, and analyzed using processes of restorying, life design counseling, and holistic-content analysis. The findings of this study indicate that telling, hearing, and retelling their stories were individually impactful and transformative. This study identified three themes across the narratives, which documented the influence of sports, minimal career support, and affirmation of their major decisions as shared experiences among the participants. Implications of the findings point to the need for intentionality surrounding career interventions in DIII post-secondary institutions for athletes and non-athletes. Results of this study revealed that even students with a chosen major can benefit from reflecting on their career stories. These results point to the opportunity to meet the career needs of student-athletes and the general student body with curriculum such as a constructivist career course designed around the CCI.

Committee: Tracy Lara Hilton (Committee Chair); Jennifer Kulics (Committee Member); Mark Savickas (Committee Member); Kevin Glavin (Committee Member) Subjects: Higher Education; Higher Education Administration

Master of Science in Allied Health (MSAH), Otterbein University, 2016, Health and Sport Sciences

There are an increasing number of opportunities for today's youth to participate in year-round sport organizations that promote early sport specialization before the age of fifteen. Early sport specialization is linked to a higher rate of overuse injury of frequently used muscle groups. The physical, mental, and psychological demands of early sport specialization increase likelihood of burnout and cessation of sport participation. Early sport generalization allows physiological and psychological rest and recovery in youth athletes that lead to decreased injury rates and less burnout with more individuals continuing to participate in competitive sports throughout the collegiate years. The purpose of this research was to determine what effect, if any, early sport specialization in youth has on rate of overuse injury and burnout in NCAA Division III athletes at a small, private University. A 12-question, retrospective, written survey classified each participant as an early sport specialist or early sport generalist and gathered information on frequency of overuse injury and development of burnout during the high school and college competitive sport years. Statistical analysis indicated early sport generalists were more likely to participate in competitive collegiate athletics at the NCAA Division III Institution analyzed in this study (71.8%). Early sport specialists were more likely to experience burnout (P = 0.088) and may be more likely to develop overuse injury during the high school years (P = 0.254) but not the college years (P=0.385). It is unknown if early sport specialists are more likely to develop a greater number of overuse injuries throughout their competitive sport career than early sport generalists. Young athletes are encouraged to participate in multiple competitive sports but the results of this research were not statistically significant and further research needs to be done to support these conclusions.

Committee: Kim Fischer Dr. (Advisor); Paul Longenecker Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Health; Health Sciences; Recreation

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2008, Health, Physical Education and Recreation

This study examined the perceptions of leadership style of Division III head basketball coaches and whether it had an effect on the perceived cohesion of the team. The relationships of leadership and cohesion with both success and satisfaction were also explored. In addition, this study also examined variables such as gender and player status (starters or non-starters) to determine if they had an effect on leadership and cohesion. A combination of convenience and random sampling was used to select potential participants for the study. After receiving the agreement to participate, packets containing a questionnaire for each athlete and head coach, as well as an explanation of the study and instructions, were mailed to the teams. Fourteen of the 21 teams returned their questionnaires, with 13 coach and 145 athlete questionnaires being usable. Athlete questionnaires consisted of 35 items from the Leadership Scale for Sport (LSS), examining four behaviors of leadership: Training and Instruction, Social Support, Democratic Behavior, and Positive Feedback. Also on the athlete questionnaire were 18 items from the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ), which measure four dimensions of cohesion: Attraction to Group - Task, Attraction to Group - Social, Group Integration - Task, and Group Integration - Social. One item for measuring overall satisfaction was included, as well as nine demographic items. Coach questionnaires included only the 35 leadership items and seven demographic items. Results showed a significant relationship between leadership and cohesion, specifically between Training and Instruction behaviors and three of the four cohesion dimensions (Attraction to Group - Task, Group Integration - Task, Group Integration - Social). Other noteworthy findings included the significant relationships found between leadership and success, leadership and satisfaction, cohesion and success, and cohesion and satisfaction. Also, there was a significant difference in perceived (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Brian Turner PhD (Advisor); Packianathan Chelladurai PhD (Committee Member); Sarah Fields PhD, JD (Committee Member) Subjects: Gender; Higher Education; Personal Relationships; Recreation; School Administration

Masters in Education, Marietta College, 2005, Education

The purpose of the study was to explore the gains football players achieve over the spring semester of 2005 at Marietta College. The researcher had the football players tested in bench press, squat, and power clean as soon as the spring semester began of ‘05. The researcher then put the players through a vigorous semester workout of lifting and running. The players were again tested at the end of the semester in the same lifts. The researcher evaluated the numbers to better understand if the players met their maximum potential. The researcher then compared results with other college football programs that have similar weight lifting programs. The researcher evaluated the Marietta College's strength and conditioning program and made changes to enhance the strength program at Marietta College.

Committee: William Bauer (Advisor) Subjects: Education, General

Master of Arts in Education, Defiance College, 2011, Education

Ten student-athletes at a NCAA Division III liberal arts college in the Midwest began this study, and seven completed the intervention in full. The purpose of the study was to examine whether weekly use of motor imagery would enhance the athletes' levels of confidence in their sport. Following a six-week intervention period during which the participants engaged in imagery sessions on their own and with the researcher, the majority of athletes scored higher on a measurement of sport confidence than they had prior to the intervention. In addition, all athletes responded that they had experienced an enhancement of their confidence and that they planned to continue their use of motor imagery in the future.

Committee: Matt Lydum M.S. (Advisor); Jo Ann Burkhardt Ph.D. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Physical Education; Psychology; Sports Medicine

Master of Arts in Education, Defiance College, 2008, Education

Eight NCAA Division III female collegiate athletes participated in a study pertaining to Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury prevention education and student athletes. The purpose of this study was to determine if the implementation of an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury prevention education program pertaining to ACL injuries and injury prevention for female athletes at a NCAA Division III college would increase their knowledge of ACL injuries and prevention. The data confirmed that there was an increase in ACL knowledge among the female athletes (participants) following the ACL injury prevention education program.

Committee: Jo Ann Burkhardt (Advisor) Subjects: Sports Medicine

Master of Arts in Education, Defiance College, 2009, Education

This study was conducted with 17 women basketball players of a private, Midwest, NCAA Division III (National Collegiate Athletic Association) college. The purpose of this project was to determine if self-perception of competitiveness among collegiate female basketball players changed after the implementation of competitive drills during practice. The researcher used two instruments for data analysis for this project which were the Sports Orientation Questionnaire and the Sports Orientation Written Prompts. These two instruments were utilized as assessment tools and were administered before and after the intervention period. The intervention period consisted of three weeks of competitive drills conducted daily during basketball practices. The findings from this project indicated a slight increase in the self-perception towards being competitive among the female collegiate basketball players that participated in this research project.

Committee: Jo Ann Burkhardt (Advisor) Subjects: Psychology; Sports Medicine

Master of Arts in Education, Defiance College, 2005, Education

Eight small market newspapers with circulations of 20,000 or less per day in northern Ohio were surveyed about their coverage of local high school graduates participating in athletics at the collegiate level. The purpose of this project was to determine if the amount of print media published about the female varsity volleyball players at a small liberal arts college increased when the sports information office communicated updated information about the team via electronic media at least once per week to the players' hometown newspapers. Through this project this researcher learned that: (a) stewardship of positive relationships with journalists could lead to increased coverage by print media; (b) journalists embraced email and the Internet more and more as means of communication and research; (c) newspapers regularly covered high school graduates participating in sports at the collegiate level, mostly using materials submitted by sports information directors; and (d) coverage of the volleyball team increased considerably with the use of electronic press releases over research by the newspapers.

Committee: Tim Rickabaugh (Advisor); Suzanne McFarland (Committee Member) Subjects: Journalism; Physical Education