Experiences of Division I Football Black Male Student-Athletes and Their Perceptions of Career and Professional Development
Abstract
The purpose of this dissertation study was to examine the challenges that Black male football student-athletes face as they matriculate through predominantly White institutions of higher learning. I explored the experiences of these student-athletes who, because of their minority status on these historically White campuses, must adjust and adapt to their surroundings in order to survive. The college athletic system, particularly for sports like football and men’s basketball, focuses on winning and generating revenue. Because the current paradigm is centered on generating revenue and not on the overall well-being of the student-athlete, Black male athletes in football and basketball programs often suffer the most in their academic, career, and personal development. Black male athletes in these sports are often socialized into sports at an early age. Parents, family members, coaches, and friends help perpetuate the belief that a career in sports will lead to riches and wealth. More than half the players playing the NFL are Black. Sixty-five percent (1,102) of the (1.696) professional football players in the NFL are Black (Lapchick, Clark & Sarpy, 2011). In the National Football League (NFL), professional football players have a mean career length of 6 years, and in 2011, the median annual salary was $770,000 (Aschburner, 2011; Freeman, 2002). Within 2 years of retirement, 78% of NFL players either file for bankruptcy or report financial stress because of joblessness or divorce (Torre, 2009). Thus, in this qualitative study I explored in depth how Black male football student-athletes define success when football is no longer the main priority. The study is based on the experiences of former Black male football student-athletes at the Division I Power 5 level. I examined the influence that racism and the challenges of being a Division I football student-athlete can have on Black males. The results suggest that college football is a complex institution comprised of numerous variables that make it difficult for a Black male football student-athlete to separate the importance of football participation from academic, career, and personal development.
Citation
Childs Jr, Daniel R (2021). Experiences of Division I Football Black Male Student-Athletes and Their Perceptions of Career and Professional Development. Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /193083.