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Centre for Child and Adolescent Physical Literacy
Sport schools are becoming increasingly popular. These programmes aim to optimally combine sport and education for student-athletes. However, current research evaluating the impact (i.e., outcomes, results, and effects) of sport school involvement is limited.
The situation: Sport schools are becoming increasingly popular. These programmes aim to optimally combine sport and education for student-athletes. However, current research evaluating the impact (i.e., outcomes, results, and effects) of sport school involvement is limited.
The work: Working with an independent school’s sport programme we undertook a series of studies. This included a mixed method systematic review, focus groups and interviews with staff and students, and a longitudinal assessment of athletic, academic, psychological, and psychosocial impacts of student-athlete.
The results: A wide range of positive and negative impacts on student-athlete development were found. Positive impacts of student-athletes included good academic grades, dual career options, university sport scholarships, becoming better all-round sporting athletes and the development of a range of inter- and intra-personal skills. However, negatives included increased stress/pressure, increased academic demands, difficulty balancing education and sport, injury, competitive stressors, fatigue and organisation stress.
These impacts were driven by several different features and processes of the school (e.g., multi-dimensional training program vs. lack of collaboration with external sport schedules). These findings provide insight for sport school programmes to enhance the athletic, academic, psychological, and psychosocial impacts of their programmes by combining sport and education.
Thompson F, Rongen F, Cowburn I, & Till K. (2023) What is it like to be a Sport School Student-Athlete? A Mixed Method Evaluation of Holistic Impacts and Experiences, PLoS One.
Thompson F, Rongen F, Cowburn I, & Till K. (2022) A case study of the features and holistic athlete impacts of a UK sports-friendly school: Student-athlete, coach and teacher perspectives. PLoS One.
Thompson F, Rongen F, Cowburn I & Till K. (2022) The Impacts of Sports Schools on Holistic Athlete Development: A Mixed Method Systematic Review. Sports Medicine.
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