Tenth International Conference on Sport & Society

Abstract

Reaching athletes with life-skills and mental-wellness support is a daunting task for sports administrators working within the rigid confines of sports tradition. A clear need for programming that attends to developing athletes as whole, multi-faceted people has been established; the lives of athletes and those close to them may be profoundly affected by their participation in a competitive sport. Thus, sports program administrators have an ethical and perhaps legal responsibility to provide competent support for their athletes. Consequently, universities and professional clubs have developed athlete life-skills programming and support staff in an attempt to address those needs. However, program rate of utilization is variable, as participation is dependent on coach and athlete interest and availability. Also, the efficacy and relevancy of program content may not reflect athlete needs or present material in a way that resonates with their audience. Learning and self-efficacy theories can validate methods with which programs are implemented. Meanwhile, using a systems-based approach to athlete well-being can help administration detect athlete needs and respond to sports’ ever-changing culture and context. Further, it can aid in establishing a structure for widespread use of life-skills and athlete-wellness resources, challenge power dynamics that undermine those efforts, and lay the groundwork for positive relationships between athletes and administration.