UC Riverside

This dissertation examines the obstacles college student-athletes face with respect to academic achievement. Through 37 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 20 former student-athletes and 17 current student-athletes, it asks student-athletes how they define success academically, athletically, and professionally, and examines ways to help student-athletes succeed as well as challenge the narrative that student-athletes disengage with their coursework as a result of apathy. Instead, it suggests that the challenges of juggling a full academic course-load, combined with time spent for practices, travel, and competitions, and in some cases, additional employment, may be too stressful for student-athletes to be able to consistently succeed in all areas. Further, they are encouraged to succeed academically by their families and significant others, but not always by their coaches, some of whom emphasize eligibility over excellence. I suggest an alternate way of viewing the apathetic student-athlete as an overwhelmed student-athlete who does not want to show weakness, and has a role that is accessible to them and to instructors, and this veneer of apathy allows the student-athlete to save face by not admitting needing help.