Profile of community college athletes in selected sports

Dr. Miller is a Professor of Higher Education in the College of Education and Health Professions at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. Nearly 60% of all community colleges field athletic teams with over 72,000 students participating in these sports. That represents approximately 11% of all community college male students (5% of female students). Additionally, community colleges invest nearly $50 million dollars annually in financial aid to student athletes. With such a strong presence on community college campuses, accurate profiles of student athletes and an understanding of how they perceive themselves is crucial. Subsequently, a 22-item survey was developed to profile student athletes in the most common community college sports, and to identify how these student athletes identity themselves and the role of sports in their lives. Through a purposeful distribution of surveys to 15 community colleges in the southern United States, 104 responses were received and used in data analysis.