Dr. Clint Huntrods of the Sport & Recreation Management Program recently published an article in the Journal of College Student Development that studied the effects of participation in intercollegiate athletics on leadership development.

The Journal of College Student Development is the largest and leading source of research about college students and the field of student affairs, with an acceptance rate of less than 10 percent.

Abstract:

"This study examined the effects of participation in intercollegiate athletics on leadership development using a multi-institutional, longitudinal sample of students at four-year institutions. Using Astin’s (1993) Input–Environment–Outcome model, we examined whether athletic participation influenced leadership development using the Socially Responsible Leadership Scale while controlling for students’ background and institutional characteristics. Using pretest/posttest data from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education, we found participation in certain types of athletics, particularly team sports, inhibit leadership growth. This study contributes to the literature by using longitudinal data, comparing athletes to nonathletes, and classifying athletes based upon team or individual sports as well as by the contact level in their respective sport. Finally, this study has implications for higher education policy, including practical applications for coaches, administrators, faculty, staff, and students.”

Huntrods is the director of the Sport & Recreation Management Program in Des Moines. The program is part of the Department of Health & Human Physiology, a department of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.