038 -- Benefits and Motives of Student-Athletes in a Leadership Development Program

It can be argued that leadership and athletics go hand in hand. However, there is still little research on Leadership Development Programs within collegiate athletics. This mixed-methods study examined leadership development and the motivations for joining a Leadership Development Program (LDP) at SUNY Geneseo. The two central research questions examined: (1) What are student-athletes motives for joining the LDP? (2) And to what extent are student-athletes developing leadership skills through the LDP? After participating in the LDP, assessments of student-athletes retrospective self-perceptions revealed a 26% increase in their confidence leading others. There was also a 21% increase in self-awareness and a 17% increase in independence. When comparing their current leadership skills to student-athletes not in the LDP, student-athletes in the LDP rated themselves 24% higher on their confidence leading others and 19% higher on their independence. In addition, qualitative analyses of focus group data revealed three emergent themes related to joining the LDP: (a) influence of upperclassmen, (b) desire for leadership development opportunities, and (c) service to others. From these thematic findings, students involved in the LDP describe being motivated to join the LDP because they desire to help others, improve their leadership, and follow in the footsteps of juniors and seniors on their respective teams. Together, these findings support the importance and value of LDPs in collegiate athletics. This research emphasizes the need for more leadership development programming, which student-athletes desire to obtain. Limitations and recommendations to be discussed.