Title: Exploration of Barriers and Challenges for Incoming Student-Athletes to Strength and Conditioning Training

Program: Kinesiology MS

Committee Chair: Eric M Martin

Committee: Eric M Martin, Lynda Ransdell, Siduri Haslerig

Abstract: Introduction: The first-year college experience for student-athletes (SAs) provides opportunities for growth, but also several challenges. One of these challenges is the adaptation to the greater frequency and intensity of collegiate strength and conditioning (S&C) training. Purpose: This project aimed to investigate how SAs perceived the S&C environment in terms of benefits and challenges in their transition to collegiate athletics. Methods: A qualitative research design with individual semi-structured interviews was used for the project. Eleven participants (7 males and 4 females) who had less than 24 months of collegiate sport experience and from a variety of collegiate sports were interviewed. We used thematic analysis and found multiple themes over three research questions based around benefits, challenges, and support mechanisms in the collegiate S&C training. Results: In terms of benefits, SAs perceptions aligned in themes that included Physical Benefits, Sport Performance, Psychological Benefits, and Injury Prevention/Recovery. Challenges identified by SAs included Increased Physical Demands, Poor Prior Knowledge, External Demands, Inter/Intrapersonal Concerns, and Lack of Resources. And support mechanisms were identified as Motivation, Support, Physical Support, and Positive Relationships/Emotions. Discussion and Conclusions: S&C coaches should understand what the most apparent challenges are and how to best address these challenges to support SAs needs. When comparing individuals, there is a nuance and uniqueness to every SA, and these results are a first step in understanding the challenges SAs perceive and to provide guidelines for S&C coaches to follow.