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The purpose of this study was to identify the system components that New Zealand student-athletes found helpful when navigating the demands of elite level sport and university studies. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 former student-athletes (seven females and eleven males). Eight of these athletes participated in a New Zealand based system and ten were at United States based NCAA Division 1 universities. Interview data were analysed through a thematic analysis that drew on systems thinking as an analytical framework. The key themes generated highlighted the structures that supported that student-athlete journey. Student-athletes highlighted academic support staff, access to knowledgeable insiders (such as lecturers and fellow students), as well as study halls and tutoring services, as key structural supports for managing both academic and athletic commitments. While strong relationships with academic staff are crucial to this system, the outcomes of such relationships can vary. This system component requires administrative staff and lecturers to identify student-athletes, and to adopt a thoughtful and informed approach to relationship-building. This study identifies three system components that enable academic success. These structures are most prevalent for student athletes in US universities. Policymakers should face ongoing pressure to evolve student-athlete development systems and adopt governance models that effectively integrate sport and education. Improving educational outcomes may not require entirely new structures, but rather a strategic reconfiguration of existing components to create a more integrated and structured pathway. Clearly defining the roles and expectations of all system stakeholders is essential to achieving this goal.
Roberts et al. (Wed,) studied this question.