The African American male student-athletes' perceptions of their academic support systems from middle/high school through their collegiate experience

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the African American male student-athlete was properly prepared in middle/high school by their mentors to take their ACT/SAT exams, and to also to find out if they had made a successful transition into intercollegiate life. Subjects were comprised of 24 football athletes and 6 track and field athletes which ranged in age from 18-22. The Pearson Chi Square test, crosstabulations, and the independent t-test were used to determine the statistical data for each survey question. The survey used was developed by the researcher. The Questionnaire consisted of 20 items which respondents were rated on a Likert Scale, there were No and Yes questions, and qualitative-type questions. The answers on the Likert-type scale ranged fix)m 1, strongly disagree, to 5, strongly agree. The Qualitative-type items asked the student-athletes particular questions that would allow them to further explain their answer(s). Reliability and validity of the questionnaire was tested by eight graduate students currently apart of the Sport and Physical Activity Department at the University of Tennessee during Spring 1997. Also demographic data was included on the questionnaire for background information concerning the student-athletes previous sport experience(s), and the sport in which they were currently participating on the college level. The questionnaire was administered by the researcher and completed by the track and field athletes after a team meeting scheduled in March 1997. The questionnaire for the football athletes was administered during study hall times also in March 1997. Sub problems 1,2,4,5,6, and 7 was analyzed by using the Pearson Chi square test and crosstabulations, a