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Description:
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The intent of this study was to determine if menâ  s football and menâ  s
basketball coaches at the university or college level utilize an assessment
instrument when recruiting and evaluating potential student -athletes . Specifically
studied through interviews were the characteristics that these coaches look for in
successful and unsuccessful student -athletes , how they currently collect
information during the recruitment period and the importance of collecting data on
student -athletes . Swansonâ  s Performance Diagnosis Matrix and Human Capital
Theory framed the research . The population for this study consisted of current
Division IA menâ  s football and menâ  s basketball coaches in the Big 12 Conference .
Prior to contacting the Big 12 coaches a pilot study was conducted at two Division
IA Universities and with a former head football coach at a Big 12 Conference
University . These interviews were instrumental in the final development of the
questions used to interview the Big 12 Conference coaches . The participants were
sent a letter asking for their participation in the study and then were contacted by phone to set up an interview . The interviews were conducted in the months of July ,
August , and September 2006 by phone . This study found that most coaches do not
have or utilize an assessment instrument . Significant data showed coaches believe
that the evaluation process of student -athletes is the most difficult and critical part
of their job . Using emergent category designation I found seven themes
(characteristics ) of successful student -athletes , as indicated by the coaches :
competitive , a hard worker , has a supportive family , is a leader , has good character ,
and is honest . I also found the themes (characteristics ) of an unsuccessful student -athlete
to be : undisciplined , lacks character , has an unstable family and is not
competitive . The study helps to define through research and development an
assessment instrument to more effectively define the needs of student -athletes prior
to entering universities and coaches will have additional data for meeting the needs
of student -athletes . |