The Impact of Sport Participation on Academic Standards and Outcomes

Introduction

Three main factors motivate sports participation in high school and college. On the one hand, students look forward to benefiting from the values and discipline taught in sports, which they can then transfer to academic work. On the other hand, sports activities bolster institutional loyalty through ceremonies held to celebrate sports achievements on campuses. Also, sporting activities draw community support for university education as people are entertained and interact with university stakeholders better: The Impact of Sport Participation on Academic Standards and Outcomes.

Over time, college and high school sports have gained significant support, including finances, because stakeholders believe that sports contribute to values that not only bolster academic performance but also make students useful members of society. Although it is the responsibility of faculty to ensure academic standards are upheld, the influence of sports on academics cannot be ignored. It has emerged that in many sports programs, academic excellence is subordinate to sports performance, with coaches and athletes engaging in activities that hinder student-athletes’ academic learning outcomes. Given the connection between academic outcomes and sports participation, coaches are encouraged to embrace practices and value systems that give priority to academic achievement and integrity.

One of the reasons that contributes to academics being subordinated to sports achievements is the financial gains characterized by modern collegiate and high school sports. The American public has become a great consumer of sports content. Today, television networks, the Internet, radio, cinema, and print media are buzzing with sports content due to the high demand for such content among the American public (Sitkowski, 2008). With such demand comes financial gains.

For instance, some collegiate coaches allegedly earn more than regular professors owing to the fact that the sport is quite lucrative. With such high earnings, there is a significant possibility that they will relegate academic pursuits to ensure that sporting achievement takes precedence. On the other hand, students understand that they are likely to earn handsomely if they progress through different developmental stages to become professional athletes. As a result, they may relegate their academic interests and focus on sports.

Similarly, the allure of financial gains has led to the development of a negative reputation with respect to academic performance. Athletes, coaches, and sports directors are constantly pursuing high sports achievement so that they can benefit from the financial gains that accrue from sports (Sitkowski, 2008). In the short run, increased physical activity positively contributes to academic achievement because it makes students active, thus concentrating on their studies more. However, these gains are in the short run, and there is no evidence-based research to indicate the long-term impact of sports participation on academic achievement.

That implies that athletes, sports directors, and coaches should approach sports in a way that ensures that academic goals are given precedence. As the situation is currently, most athletes spend most of their time attending sports training and other sporting-related activities, leaving little time for academics (Sitkowski, 2008). As a result, poor academic practices, including cases of dishonesty and malpractice, may increase as students seek to compensate for the lost time.

Overview and Evaluation of Frameworks

Social Capital Framework

The social capital theory is one of the frameworks that can be used to investigate the relationship between sports participation and academic achievement. According to the theory, people invest in social relationships to derive social capital (White, 2021). The theory is based on the reasoning that when people come together or collaborate, they are likely to produce better outcomes than what may be produced if an individual works alone. This theory can be used to explain the educational achievements that can be derived when students who participate in sports are guided properly.

Based on the social capital theory, there are two sources of motivation/capital resulting from social relationships. On the one hand, the rules and obligations that come with working in groups or being in social relationships may guide individuals to do the right thing (White, 2021). Concerning sports participation by students, coaches can set strict rules that ensure that student-athletes take their academics as seriously as they take their sports objectives.

Another stream that can explain social action based on the social capital theory is the pursuit of individual and collective goals (White, 2021). Once a student becomes a member of a sports team in school, they realize that their colleagues also have objectives, and this may push them toward their goals, which are sports achievement and positive academic outcomes.

Self-Determination Framework

According to Ryan and Deci (2000), the self-determination theory is derived from the argument that humans can be engaged or alienated from social functions based on the social conditions in which they develop and function. To that end, there are intrinsic psychological needs that must be satisfied if humans are to be self-motivated, including autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Social-contextual events such as feedback and communication bolster a sense of competence (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

As coaches interact with student-athletes during training sessions, they bolster students’ sense of competence by offering them useful feedback and communicating appropriately, which will go a long way to encourage students to put more effort into their academic endeavors. For instance, assuring student-athletes about their being fast learners in the field will encourage them to replicate similar efforts in their classroom activities.

Reinforcement Framework

According to McLeod (2025), the reinforcement theory is based on operant conditioning, a framework in which positive behavior is encouraged through positive reinforcement in the form of rewards. On the other hand, negative reinforcement strengthens a behavior by removing a stimulus. Also, punishment may reduce an unpleasant behavior by introducing a negative consequence or removing a positive consequence (McLeod, 2025). Concerning sports participation among students, coaches and sports directors can leverage reinforcement to encourage athletes to uphold high academic standards and take their studies seriously.

Since most behaviors are deeply embedded in an individual’s personality, whatever a student-athlete does in the field of play is likely to be replicated in their classroom activities. Therefore, if a student exhibits cheating tendencies while handling their sports activities, it is likely that they may end up exhibiting similar behavior in the classroom; hence, the need to curb such behavior as early as possible through negative reinforcement and punishment.

Expectancy Framework

The expectancy theory of motivation avers that people are prompted to act if they think doing so will bring positive outcomes. The expectancy here is that hard work will bring positive results (Bandhu et al., 2024). Notably, the expectancy theory avers that individuals are not only looking for positive results but also the fact that such results should be valuable to them individually (Bandhu et al., 2024).

Concerning the impact of sports participation on learning outcomes, expectancy attitudes drawn from sports participation can be replicated in academics. Once coaches make student-athletes believe that they can attain their desired sporting goals if they are committed, these students are likely to replicate such efforts in their academic endeavors. Most importantly, student-athletes must be taught the significance of goal-setting because it is through goal availability that students can have a positive outcome to expect.

Advocacy and Defense of the Selected Framework

For the research on the impact of sports participation on academic achievement, the self-determination theory fits the bill. I have selected this framework because it suggests that human behavior is largely influenced by autonomous factors rather than environmental factors (Bandhu et al., 2024). If behavior comes from one’s internal conviction, it is likely to last longer than if such behavior were to be influenced by external factors.

Whatever students learn while participating in sports should positively influence their behavior such that they can transfer such a positive value system to their classroom activities. Besides, I chose this framework because of its emphasis that optimal motivation is a derivative of an individual’s personal goals, needs, and values (Bandhu et al., 2024). Sporting activities in schools are designed to generate responsible and useful members of society; hence, student-athletes must be self-made.

Additionally, the self-determination theory framework is appropriate for this research because of the intrinsic motivations that make individuals, and in this case, student-athletes, participate in sports. Millions of people are drawn to participate in sporting events because of the joy, interest, and excitement that accompany sporting events (Standage, 2023). The intrinsic motivations make even more sense for students because they do not get external rewards for participating in sports apart from fulfilment, excitement, and joy.

Also, reflecting on the autonomous prototype of the SDT framework, students’ participation in sports benefits them through heightened engagement and personal well-being. To that end, the SDT framework offers insights into what encourages students to participate in sporting events and how such motivations are transferable to academic endeavors.

The SDT framework also provides insights into how sports participants cope with mundane and boring commitments to ensure sports success. Sports are characterized by loads of intensive training, solitude, travel commitments, and drills, all of which are key to enhancing athletes’ capacities (Standage, 2023). The ability of student-athletes to stay committed despite these challenges is attributable to their pursuit of competence, a core element of the SDT theory.

Literature Synthesis Using the Self-Determination Framework

Given the potential financial gains and the possibility of student-athletes pursuing careers in athletics, some students and their coaches may ignore the academic aspect of a student’s life. However, this is not the right way to go, given the uncertainty in athletic career pathways. Some students may shine during their early years but may fail to convince others as they advance through their sporting activities.

That calls for adequate academic preparation for students, such that they will have something to do even if they do not perform well in athletics. For instance, the United States’ National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) takes academics seriously, such that academic failure may disqualify an individual student-athlete and/or their team from participating in NCAA Division One athletics.

To ensure that coaches and student-athletes take their academics seriously, the NCAA conducts eligibility tests based on students’ GPAs to ensure they are eligible for sports participation. Among others, the NCAA checks whether students have attained a minimum GPA before they are allowed to proceed (Yukhymenko-Lescroart, 2023). Besides, there is a mandatory verification meant to determine whether students are gradually progressing toward degree completion, with those showing signs of not progressing well likely to be thrown out of Division 1 participation.

Also, if a student fails to complete their degree within a given number of years, they risk being disqualified from NCAA Division 1 participation or losing the scholarship altogether. The self-determination theory avers that motivation can be derived from a desire to align with one’s values and needs. If a student desires to proceed with sports participation, NCAA guidelines are the social factor that glues the students to their goals.

Yukhymenko-Lescroart (2022) avers that although there are no comprehensive studies that link student-athletes with academic cheating, the student-athletes investigated offer insight into the factors that may motivate them to cheat. Some of the individual factors that make student-athletes cheat are if they are the first from their family to be in university. Such students face difficulties integrating academics into their social sense.

As a result, these students are likely to experience a heightened sense of anxiety while taking tests. To that end, student-athletes who are first-generation university students from their background are likely to practice academic misconduct.

Gatmen (2011) delves into the adverse impacts of sports participation among African American students in the US. This is because a greater number of African American students are likely to participate in sports due to cultural and personal factors. From a cultural perspective, sports participation and subsequent success, especially when one proceeds to professional levels, imparts a sense of identity among African American students.

Besides, familial pressure for students to engage in sports as a way of escaping poverty, which is prevalent among the African American community, pushes African American students to participate in sports. These pressures push student-athletes to put football as their foremost goal in life, hence dedicating less time to education. Ultimately, these students are less likely to achieve highly in their education.

By attaching significant priority to sports achievement, African American students have less time for other equally important aspects of their lives, including education and family. Research has shown that even from their developmental stages, African American students indicate that they would wish to participate in professional sports careers once they graduate from high school or college (Allen et al., 2010). In particular, students from the African American community are particularly interested in participating in professional basketball through the NFL.

While the expression of interest is welcome, these students and their families fail to realize the challenges they have to overcome to reach professional levels. If students fail to reach professional levels and have long relegated their academic objectives, it leads to frustration.

The attachment to sports participation as an identity formation endeavor aligns with the self-determination theory, which avers that intrinsic motivation drives individuals to take action. In this case, intrinsic motivation factors include the desire to escape poverty and the satisfaction of being associated with sports. Even if coaches attempt to influence these students to treat education as their first priority, they will stick to their intrinsic motivations.

Strauss (2021) delves into the pressure student-athletes face as students and as athletes. As stated earlier, academic performance is key for students to be allowed to participate in certain sporting activities. Students face the pressure of excelling in academics and meeting the demands of sporting activities.

The combined stress from academics and sporting activities causes stress, leading to lower energy levels among student-athletes, which can cause injuries. Besides, with reduced energy, students have less motivation to read for tests and exams, which may encourage academic misconduct or lead to failure altogether.

Additionally, Strauss (2021) highlights the specific stressors that student-athletes deal with, which impede their mental ability to handle academics. For instance, athletes are required to do weight lifting, nutritional management, and psychological sessions, all of which come with the pressure to focus, taking time that would otherwise be used for academic pursuits. The time spent in training, competition schedules, and dealing with injuries limits student-athletes dedication to academics, leading to poor academic outcomes.

Also, coaches lack the competence they need to ensure that their athletes manage their stress levels effectively. As a coach, one is expected to advise their athletes on what they can do to alleviate stress caused by commitment to sporting activities. Some of the recommended ways to alleviate stress include deep breathing exercises, positive talk, and developing healthy sleeping habits (Strauss, 2021). Since it is the coaches who are expected to impart these stress management skills to players, they must be competent enough to understand these concepts.

However, it has emerged that most coaches lack the necessary skill set to help players manage stress. Besides, the coaches’ overemphasis on sports success makes them relegate the role they need to play to help athletes manage stress. Although the self-determination theory avers that individuals are motivated by intrinsic factors to engage in activities, environmental factors play a key role. In this case, coaches are expected to help athletes develop positive self-talk, which will not only help them improve their athletic performance but also develop a positive attitude toward academics.

Blowes (2024) offers another perspective regarding students’ sports participation and its impact on their academic performance. According to him, students who engage in active sports are likely to exhibit improved academic performance, including other positive outcomes such as reduced absenteeism and the likelihood of attending university. This argument is based on the reasoning that sports keep students active and engaged, contributing to enhanced memory and better attention.

Although this position seems to go against the argument that sports participation negatively affects academic outcomes, it emphasizes the aspects of self-determination theory that aver that a sense of autonomy drives individuals to perform well. In this case, students should be allowed to participate in the sports they are comfortable with, either with plans to proceed to professional levels or just for social entertainment. However, autonomy is rarely achieved because most schools force student-athletes to take sports seriously.

Blowes (2024) also highlights the downsides of participating in individual sports compared to team sports. While student-athletes in individual sports like swimming mostly train alone, those in team sports benefit from the social advantages of working with a group. By collaborating with others, students in team sports enjoy positive outcomes of socialization and, hence, are likely to transfer similar positive attitudes to academic endeavors. Overall, Blowes (2024) shows that students who participate in solo sports tend to show social withdrawal in the long term, and this may affect their academic success because teamwork is crucial in academics.

Conclusion

In summary, sports participation impacts academic achievement among student-athletes. While a wide body of research shows that physical activity improves educational outcomes among students in the short term, many studies have implied that sports participation has an adverse impact on educational outcomes in the long term. Some of the negative impacts of sports participation in the long term include poor academic achievement, academic misconduct, and malpractice.

The self-determination theory framework can be leveraged to explain why sports participation affects educational outcomes negatively. Among others, it has emerged that student-athletes from the African American community are deeply attached to sports due to cultural and familial factors. By dedicating less time to academic activities, student-athletes are likely to engage in academic malpractice or fail their exams. Additionally, it has emerged that the student sports regulatory requirements that require learners to maintain certain academic standards may influence them to engage in malpractice so that they can continue participating.

References

Allen, J. T., Drane, D. D., Byon, K. K., & Mohn, R. S. (2010). Sport as a vehicle for socialization and maintenance of cultural identity: International students attending American universities. Sport Management Review, 13(4), 421–434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smr.2010.01.004

Bandhu, D., Mohan, M. M., Nittala, N. A. P., Jadhav, P., Bhadauria, A., & Saxena, K. K. (2024). Theories of motivation: A comprehensive analysis of human behavior drivers. Acta Psychologica, 244, 104177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2024.104177

Blowes, M. (2024, February 5). Sticking with sport during school years linked to academic success. The University of Sydney. https://www.sydney.edu.au/news-opinion/news/2024/02/05/sticking-with-sport-during-school-years-linked-to-academic-succe.html

Gatmen, Elisia J.P. (2011) “Academic exploitation: The adverse impact of college athletics on the educational success of minority student-athletes. Seattle Journal for Social Justice Seattle Journal for Social Justice, 10(1), 31. https://digitalcommons.law.seattleu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1030&context=sjsj

McLeod, S. (2025, March 17). Operant conditioning: What it is, how it works, and examples. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.             https://selfdeterminationtheory.org/SDT/documents/2000_RyanDeci_SDT.pdf

Sitkowski, L. S. (2008). The Effects of Participation in Athletics on Academic Performance among          High School Sophomores and Juniors. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1115&context=doctoral

Standage, M. (2023). Self-Determination Theory applied to sport. In Oxford University Press eBooks (pp. 701–723). https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780197600047.013.35

Strauss, M. (2021). The Negative Side of a Student-Athlete. Student Works. 325. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1366&context=studentpub

White, J. S. (2021). THE EFFECTS OF SPORTS PARTICIPATION ON ACADEMIC         ACHIEVEMENT FOR SEVENTH-GRADERS IN URBAN PENNSYLVANIA. https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4306&context=doctoral

Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M. A. (2022). Are college athletes cheaters? What do Division I student-athletes report?. Journal of Issues in Intercollegiate Athletics, 15(1), 6. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/jiia/vol15/iss1/6

Yukhymenko-Lescroart, M. A. (2023). The role of achievement goals and identity in academic performance and misconduct of college athletes: Considering sport-to-school spillover. Heliyon, 9(2), e13435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e13435

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For this assignment, you should compose an 8-10 page research paper with the following components:

• Introduction/brief history and overview of your topic of study. (1-2 pages)
• Overview and evaluation of frameworks commonly used with this topic. (1-2 pages)
• Advocacy and defense of how and why you chose your framework. (1 page)
• Culminating synthesis of literature using the framework selected. (Approx. 5 pages)
• References
  

  The Impact of Sport Participation on Academic Standards and Outcomes

Length: 8-10 pages, not including title and references pages

References: Include a minimum of 7-10 scholarly resources.