Through this dissertation, I seek to examine the sports retirement of Division II Black male student-athletes and how they negotiate their identity as they transition into sports retirement. Consistent with similar research on Black male student-athletes, this dissertation makes the argument that the racialization of many college campuses…

Currently, African American male students' persistence rates in four-year colleges are tremendously low in comparison to students of different ethnicities. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the predictability of selected athletic, demographic, and academic factors on the persistence of African American males attending a four-year…

This study investigated the lived experiences of Black male student-athletes (BMSAs) participating in football and basketball at a community college. Their psycho-social-emotional experiences and development were emphasized before, during, and after college. The study deployed Afropessimism to frame the experiences of BMSAs; as such, I assumed…

This study investigates the predictive validity of lower extremity strength, strength asymmetry, and soccer-specific fitness in talent identification among elite male youth soccer players. Employing a Retrospective Cohort design, we established a cohort consisting of K-League registered youth players, totaling 219 individuals (all males, aged 16…

College football is a significant part of American culture and a revenue source for many schools. At first thought, college football is associated with large Division I programs within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) with fanfare, traditions, and national following. However, most college football athletes do not play at the…

This study investigated the lived experiences of Black male student-athletes (BMSAs) participating in football and basketball at a community college. Their psycho-social-emotional experiences and development were emphasized before, during, and after college. The study deployed Afropessimism to frame the experiences of BMSAs; as such, I assumed…

Patriarchal systems of power, privilege, and oppression are reinforced by college men every day, but there are certain populations of college men who wield a stronger ability to influence change. Student-athlete men at NCAA Division III institutions are often viewed as "culture creators" on their campuses. Moreover, many of these…

Punitive discipline has been utilized in American schools for many years, but restorative justice practices are becoming more common. The researcher examined the literature surrounding punitive discipline and restorative justice practices. The design and purpose of this study was intended to help schools avoid the problems that punitive discipline…

The purpose of this study was to conduct exploratory qualitative research into the perceptions of engagement among Black male football student-athletes at a Midwest university. The researcher used a qualitative single case study method. This study consisted of two research questions: How do Black male football student-athletes make meaning of…

Student-athletes have many commitments during their college experience. Their role as student-athletes impacts their career readiness. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) promotes the fact that most student-athletes will not become professional athletes. However, they do little to help prepare student-athletes for life after…

The expanding opportunities to implement sport science frameworks in elite-level basketball environments coincide with the sport's increasing global prominence. Concomitant to these opportunities is the continual growth of the sport technology market (e.g., wearables, force plates) and computational power (e.g., data management tools, coding…

This dissertation examines the self-perceived career goal achievement capabilities of African-American former Division I basketball players through the lens of Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy (CDMSE) and its impact on their post-athletic career decisions. Through a phenomenological approach, this study aims to contribute a nuanced…

Successful coaches seek different methods and strategies that allow student-athletes to reach their peak performance levels. The problem addressed in this study is Generation Z student-athletes are now in high school, and coaches may not be adapting their behaviors to the characteristics of this generation given that little research exists on how…

This explanatory sequential mixed-methods study examined athletic participation rates between 2016 and 2019 of nine male IHSA-sanctioned sports in Illinois. The quantitative portion examined whether a statistically significant difference exists between low socioeconomic students and non-low-income high school students' participation in high school…

This study looked to determine if being classified as a Cinderella Story team in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, also known as March Madness, led to a statistically significant change in NCAA Division I men's basketball spending for that team's respective institution one, two, and three years after being labeled. The purpose of…